Why We Don’t Say Macbeth: Safety Hazards on Theatre Sets

Q: What types of safety risks are there to consider in a theatre?

The plot of The Phantom of the Opera contains backdrops being dropped on actors, a death in the catwalk, and, most famously, an entire chandelier being dropped onto the stage. While in the context of the play, these disasters were caused by the enigma who gives the musical its name, these are real possibilities that actors and technicians alike have to deal with.

There are few things more thrilling than the rush of live theatre. Who can forget the magic of seeing Mary Poppins soar over the audience? Or the moment they landed a real helicopter on stage in Miss Saigon? But because these actions are happening safely on the other side of the fourth wall, we often forget there are very real safety hazards on theatre sets that actors, stagehands, and orchestra members have to contend with to put on the shows we love.

Falling Set Pieces

The plot of The Phantom of the Opera contains backdrops being dropped on actors, a death in the catwalk, and, most famously, an entire chandelier being dropped onto the stage. While in the context of the play, these disasters were caused by the enigma who gives the musical its name, these are real possibilities that actors and technicians alike have to deal with.

As much as theatre is associated with bright lights, most of the backstage area is submerged in darkness, and in this space props, set pieces, actors, and technicians are always moving. Although the backstage travel routes are equally well-rehearsed as the actors’ onstage blocking, this is still an environment where it’s incredibly easy to trip or drop things.

Failure of Safety Mechanisms

The ill-fated flop Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark was plagued by technical mishaps and several onset injuries of actors, the worst of which was when one of the actors who played Spiderman fell 20-30 feet during a stunt. The reason? One of the safety mechanisms which was meant to hold him up failed.

While not every show features the high-intensity stunts of Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, Broadway is filled with characters who “Defy Gravity” ala Wicked’s Elphaba. Although theatres have been perfecting the art of making characters fly ever since Peter Pan premiered in 1905, there are still plenty of things that can go wrong, as evidenced by the dangerous Spiderman mishap.

Trouble with Hydraulics

As much as theatre is an art, it’s also a science. Back in the day, set pieces were moved solely by pullies, wheels, or man-power. Nowadays, parts of the stage can be lifted, lowered, or turned using hydraulic systems such as the Tony-award winning set of the 1992 production of Guys and Dolls.

While hydraulics systems are generally very safe, they come with their own collection of safety hazards for theatrical sets—namely, if something goes wrong with the pumps. If the system leaks, those in the area may be exposed to hot hydraulic fluid. This can lead to burns as well as hydraulic fluid injection.

Although theaters might be closed now, we can still remember our favorite theatrical moments (whether by nostalgia or a physical recording.) As we do, we can better appreciate the rules all the theater staff adhered to, keeping everyone safe and bringing the world’s greatest stories to life.