Come Fly With Us
In this issue of Intermission Dishin':
RENO2020 involves more than the spaces you will see directly as patrons in the lobbies and box office. There is also significant work being done backstage to enhance your experience.
In this Intermission Dishin' newsletter, we'll show you some photos of the work taking place on our Fly System. What is a Fly System, you ask? Don't worry! We have that covered with a featured story on the Flys - thanks to Daniel Bennett our Technical Director.
We'll meet Daniel and two more Grand staff team members:
Jared Whitty, Head of Flys
Lauren Rebelo, Assistant Technical Director
We'll learn about their work at the Grand and what they are looking forward to when we re-open.
We've also listed a few of the amazing events taking place during Black History Month in London! Join us in learning out loud and celebrating the many Black Canadians who have so wonderfully contributed to our city and country!
This before shot will give you a sense of the complexity of the fly system as the team prepared to dismantle it.
Another view of the flys. The yellow bars are the battens and the thin cables pictured are the lifting lines. You'll read about these in the article below!
We took lots of photos of the stage once the existing fly system was down as it is very rare to see the space this empty. This shot is taken from the stage looking directly up.
Another view of the cleared space from stage right. It's a great view of the fly floors and catwalks. The open doorway at bottom left leads into the IATSE space and Prop Shop - where some of the larger set pieces are stored - such as the staircases used in A Christmas Carol. The seats / audience would be located on your right.
In previous shots, you'll notice the slatted red upper level at the top known as the grid - this shot is taken from above that area. Can't be afraid of heights doing this work!
Creating Theatre Magic - The Fly System
by Daniel Bennett - Technical Director
During a show, have you ever wondered how the wall magically came from above? Or what is holding the lights that are above the stage? Well, that would by the fly system – a series of ropes, pulleys and counterweights that enable the fly operator to move components like scenery, lighting, and curtains quickly, quietly, and safely.
The first modern day counterweight fly system was installed in Austria in 1888, but the stagecraft of lifting dates back to the Greek theatre performed in 5th century BC. In fact, the Greek plot device deus ex machina meaning ‘God from the machine’, where a seemingly unsolvable problem in a story is suddenly resolved by an unlikely occurrence, is derived from Greek theatre’s tendency to fly divine characters in shows. Either way, the fly technology has been around for a while because of its function and ability to create theatre magic.
At the Grand on the Spriet Stage, our fly system is comprised of 46 battens (also called linesets).
Battens are steel pipes and for purposes of our stage, they are 56 feet long and 2 inches in diameter and run from stage left to stage right. They are spaced an average of 8 inches apart but there are a few odd sized gaps that can make planning difficult. At their ‘in position’ (which is the lowest they go), they sit about 4 feet above the stage and at their ‘out position’ (the highest they go), they sit 60 feet above the stage. Each batten has 5 aircraft cable lift lines that run to pulleys in the steel grid that is 65 feet above the stage.
The lifting lines then run over to stage left where they connect to the operating rope lines that are controlled by our Head Fly Operator, Jared Whitty, and his team. The team works on what is called a fly gallery that wraps around the entire stage at height of 23 feet above the stage.
Now, if you’re following the math, you may be wondering how the batten travels twice the distance of the operating line? That’s because we have a double purchase counterweight system. Counterweights are placed on an arbor that is attached to the operating line. This balances the load (weight) placed on the batten to make it achievable for the operator to the pull the load. The way the ropes run through our system, it enables us to halve the vertical travel of the operating line, which frees up space for our cast and crew on the stage. The trade-off is that you have to put double the weight on the arbor that can lead to some pretty large stacks of weights on the arbors. Pretty technical, we know – but goes to show you how complex the ‘behind the scenes’ work can be! Keep reading .. there’s more!
The fly system is the support network for all facets of a production. It allows technical artists to easily place lighting, sound, and projection at the right height to use the gear to its fullest potential. It allows scenery pieces to fly in and out during a production; add a track and some ropes, and items can also track from left to right. It helps lift heavy walls during a load in until we can attach them properly. But, with great power, comes great responsibility. As you can imagine, there are many safety considerations that our team needs to take into account.
The first is the load or weight that we are applying on the system. Each batten has a load limit for the total amount of weight that can be placed on a pipe, as well as a max point load that is the maximum weight that can be placed at one point. Whenever we are flying an object or series of objects, we have to calculate its weight so we ensure that we are not placing too much load on the system. Depending on the movement, we may have to calculate the potential dynamic load as well. Lots and lots of math!
We also have to ensure that the placement of all of the different elements won’t bump into each other as they fly in and fly out. The designers submit their desired positions for their gear and scenery pieces for the show, and as Technical Directors, we manage the negotiation for space in the air. We spend a lot of time generating computer-assisted drawings to plan this out. We use these drawings to place masking – black fabric that hides gear and scenery in stored positions that we don’t want the audience to see – which are also hung from the fly system.
During the technical rehearsal process, we set ‘trim heights’ for all of the battens which is the height that the fly operator will move a piece of scenery to. The trim heights are marked with tape on the rope so the operator knows when to complete the movement. When the Stage Manager calls ‘go’, the fly operator moves the rope to the desired position in a duration that is set during the technical rehearsal process. It is pretty amazing how our operators can move pieces consistently and precisely for every performance and twice on days where we have two shows!
So, why are we replacing our entire fly system? With all the heavy lifting (pun intended) that our fly system does, it’s of the utmost importance that it is maintained regularly and replaced every few decades to ensure safety, and the fly system at the Grand was due to be replaced.
The new pulleys, operating lines, and line locks that are being installed will mean that the new fly system will be smoother and require less force to operate due to less friction in the system, making movements easier.
The battens are also getting repositioned so that their spacing is an even 8” apart. This will make the negotiation of space between departments easier. We are also increasing the point load of each batten.
Additionally, the fly system upgrades will see us getting new automation gear (machinery that moves scenery with the click of a button to a desired position) that can be used in conjunction with the fly system for extra-complicated movements (so you can expect moves that will really excite you!)
We were getting weighed down with the old, and we are so excited to take flight with the new fly system when we return.
Black History Month in London
February is Black History Month in Canada and there are many amazing events, activities and learning opportunities for everyone at every age.
We encourage you to check out events organized by London's Black History Month Coordinating Committee that can be found on the London Public Library's website - CLICK HERE
Also, Sunfest is celebrating music from the African Diaspora during Black History Month. Access more info by CLICKING HERE
You can also take a guided tour of the Black Lives Matter Wall of Posters showcased at Museum London and view current and past episodes of The Melanated View television series filmed at the Museum. CLICK HERE to access that free programming.
Lastly, in partnership with Obsidian Theatre, CBC GEM is streaming "21 Black Futures" beginning Friday, February 12.
This not-to-be missed event features 21 playwrights, 21 directors, 21 actors and 21 visions of the future of Blackness - streamed in three 70 minute parts that will begin airing on Friday, February 12 with subsequent episodes on Friday February 19 and Friday, February 26.
Find more information on Obsidian Theatre's Website - CLICK HERE.
Get to know our team!
Meet Jared, Lauren, and Daniel
Jared Whitty, Head of Flys


Pictured above on the left is Jared Whitty, Head of Flys, with his "office", the Fly Floor, on the right.
Jared Whitty has worked at the Grand for close to 20 years, the last 5 years in the role of Head of Flys.
Since November, Jared and Craig Pearson (Head Scenic Carpenter) have been working on the complete replacement of the Grand’s fly system on the Spriet Stage. A project slightly slowed by COVID, completion date for this undertaking is scheduled for mid-April.
What was your pathway that led you to your current position?

What makes this an exciting project for you?

Describe your most challenging or rewarding show.

Any inside scoop that people may not know?

Do you ever get to see the productions?

What do you do outside of the theatre?

Daniel Bennett, Technical Director &
Lauren Rebelo, Assistant Technical Director


On the left, Daniel (L) and Lauren (R) are hard at work in the Production Office. Right, Daniel and Lauren at PRIDE 2018.
What are your primary duties as a TD?

What are your primary duties as an Assistant TD?

What was your pathway that led you to the Grand?


What has been your most challenging production to-date thus far as technical requirements go?


We are in the business of telling stories, so tell us something we wouldn’t know (if you hadn’t told us)!

Editors note: Daniel is also an amazing figure skater, he can play the piano like nobody’s business and we’ve all seen his dance moves during the PRIDE parades! Amazing!

What are you most looking forward to upon return to the theatre post COVID?

