[Usittne] blank pistols/ammo

Wed Sep 21 16:28:24 EDT 2011

Weapons

Weaponry must be respected as it holds great potential for causing harm to individuals as well as inciting panic in audiences or passersby. 
All fight choreography and use of weaponry must be under the guidance of a properly trained individual. 
Guns that are to be used on stage CANNOT have an open barrel and CANNOT be capable of firing ANY projectile. 
The use of plastic replicas would be preferable, where artistic vision warrants, groups can obtain blank firing pistols, but must complete a safety plan and receive approval from the MIT Police. 
The use of blank firing guns absolutely requires training from a professional. 
Under no circumstances should stage guns ever be pointed in the direction of the audience. 
Bladed weapons (knives, swords, axes, etc.) should all be combat worthy in terms of strength and structure to prevent accidental breakage leading to injury. 
All edges must be dulled. 
Should artistic vision demand a sharp blade be available, a specific safety plan must be submitted and approved. 
Performers should never carry weaponry outside of the stage and immediate backstage area, passersby do not know that the weapons are fake. 
When transporting weapons to and from the theatre, weapons should be transported in a manner so as to avoid possible confusion from passersby. Especially in the case of blank firing guns, these should be transported in a locked case, you could be found guilty of carrying a concealed weapon by carrying the gun in your bag or pocket. 
A master of arms must be assigned for any production involving weaponry. This individual will be responsible for maintaining all weapons in a safe location when not being used on stage. The master of arms should also inspect the weapons before and after each performance for damage.
This is out of our theater safety guidelines which the EHS (safety) office, the campus activities complex and I have all worked on.  We create a written plan for each show that uses firearms, that is filed with the campus police which details:  How the weapon is used  (approximate blocking) Who will be responsible for the weapon and how it will be locked when not in use. When in the show the firing will happen.  This info is is repeated to the police patrol officers  during roll call each day the show performs so that if there is a report of gunshots in the theater they are aware of what is going on.

Mike 
-----
Michael Katz
mkatz at mit.edu
Technical Director
MIT Theater Arts
Rinaldi Production Center 
34 Carleton St E33-110
Cambridge MA 02142
617.253.0824 Desk
617.258.7149 Fax

Lunacy Abounds

On Sep 20, 2011, at 9:02 AM, Deanna Stuart wrote:

Mike- would it be possible to see your written policies?
Deanna Stuart

From: usittne-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:usittne-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf Of Michael Katz
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 8:52 AM
To: USITT New England Section Mail List
Subject: Re: [Usittne] blank pistols/ammo

We do use starter Pistols and blanks here as a last resort after all other possible solutions have been eliminated.  We only use them with a dedicated weapons master who is in charge of the gun except when in the hands of the actor, and there is a written and strict policy how it is to be used and what procedures are to be followed for its use.  This plan is approved by me as the TD and also the campus police. If I read you message right you are not concerned however about guns in your own productions but loaning them to groups that use the space. In that case we have a very strict policy of not loaning weapons to any one but a certified SAFD fight director who is then responsible for their use and all procedures around them. WE DO NOT LOAN WEAPONS OF ANY SORT TO ANY ONE ELSE.
Mike

-----
Michael Katz
mkatz at mit.edu
Technical Director
MIT Theater Arts
Rinaldi Production Center 
34 Carleton St E33-110
Cambridge MA 02142
617.253.0824 Desk
617.258.7149 Fax

Lunacy Abounds

On Sep 19, 2011, at 9:37 AM, Gary Lemieux wrote:

Just trying to get some current policies from other theaters on the use of firearms on-stage.

We have been asked on several occasions to provide a starter pistol and ammo for a visiting production and I have chosen to avoid the liability.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Gary R Lemieux
Director Of Production
Flynn Center For The Performing Arts
153 Main Street
Burlington, VT 05401
Phone: 802-652-4521
Fax: 802-863-9962

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