Mechanical Design for the Stage

Part I: The Physics of Stage Machinery

Mechanical design in the broadest sense involves the process of developing a machine to meet an identified set of goals. Mechanical design, as it relates to a production to be developed for theatre, involves the conversion of a director’s and set designer’s vision for the production into the reality of a machine that will move scenery as they imagine. An essential and early part of this process is quantifying the relevant aspects of the scenery and its move. Numerous questions need to be asked and answered. For instance, what is the top speed of the fastest move? How much does the scenery weigh? What exactly ...