New Tools For Teaching Theatre

 Yeagerlabs

The new 2011 lab is ready!

Many of you are new to the classroom theatre lab idea so here is a little history of how this all came about.

While I was attending the 2003 Prague Quadrennial International Stage Design Exhibit, I came across a 1 to 4 scale lighting lab in the exhibit hall.

It was one of those classic “Ah Hah” moments for me. What a great way to teach! Why weren't we doing this? I spoke with Henk van der Geest who brought the lab from his studio in Amsterdam and the wheels started spinning. Next at the 2007 Prague Quadrennial, I taught a 3-day master class in the lab and was hooked. The following year I traveled to Henk’s lighting school in Amsterdam, ILO, with my students and worked in his labs for about a week.  When I returned I began working on building a scale lab here at the University of Tennessee.

While waiting for the funding to come through, I built a smaller, very rough, 1 to 6 scale lab and began using it.  I loved the ease and speed of it both as a lighting designer and teacher.  Once the 1 to 4 lab was completed I redesigned the 1 to 6 lab and put it in our design classroom.  This has now become the most used teaching tool we have in the department. It has shifted from being a lighting lab to now being a full theatre lab. Rigging, Sound and projection packages are on their way. Set designers are using it to light their models and photograph them and are giving it rave reviews.  Costume designers are working with fabric and light, and the lighting designers use it everyday. We even have directors wanting time with it. I just completed an advanced version of the lab and have received dozens of requests for information on how buy one.  So here you go, welcome to the web site.

Kenton

You can now post projects you have created in your lab on our facebook page so come over and see yeagerlabs on facebook - www.facebook.com/Yeagerlabs

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Original Yeager Lab

 

 

ABBY

Yeagerlabs at 2011 Southeastern Theatre Conference

 

Grant time is here and you need a better way to teach theater. You need a Yeagerlab IN YOUR CLASSROOM!

 

Over the past year we have worked on many improvements to the Yeagerlab including; adding a self contained floor model with adjustable stage, updated frame hardware, new drapery options, more suggested lighting packages (some very cool and very new gear) and even simplified our packaging and shipping to bring down the costs getting your new lab to your door.