Is there an appropriate gift to give a theater tech?

February 7, 2016 5:06 PM

I know you can give an actor flowers after a performance, but what about backstage crew?

Next weekend I am attending a school production of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", and I intend to bring flowers for one of the children who is in the play (I'll give them afterwards, don't worry). I know another child who has worked just as hard on the production as the kid who is on stage, and I would like to get her flowers as well, but is there something more theater-appropriate? I know she would love to get flowers, but I thought that maybe there was a more backstage-specific sort of a gift. My default is flowers unless a theater person shows up to tell me otherwise.
As always, thanks in advance.

posted by msali to Society & Culture (27 answers total)

Cool black t-shirt.
Fun duct tape
c-wrench
chocolate
posted by brookeb at 5:14 PM on February 7, 2016 [3 favorites]

I was going to say booze until I opened the rest of the question and saw it was kids, heh.

In all seriousness, I did plays as backstage crew throughout middle school and would have been pleased to get flowers. I think it's nice not to distinguish so much between the kids on stage and kids backstage (plenty of that happens anyway). The only concern I could think of is if they are doing set breakdown or going for a cast party right after the play. But with young kids, that's probably not an issue.
posted by cpatterson at 5:15 PM on February 7, 2016 [25 favorites]

Since it's kids, it might be fun to do candy instead. When I did theatre it was only the oldest teens that seemed to appreciate the flower/tradition thing. Plus, both on and off stage work is absolutely exhausting and you're about as tired as after a 5k run.
posted by SMPA at 5:20 PM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

I did some backstage work in college, and was thrilled the one time I was given flowers. No idea how younger kids would react to flowers but I think it would be sweet. I also like the idea of not differentiating, as cpatterson says.
posted by 2 cats in the yard at 5:42 PM on February 7, 2016 [9 favorites]

I agree that flowers would be quite nice, but along the lines of "a cool tool to recognize great work by a budding pro" I'd suggest a very excellent small tactical LED pocket flashlight. They always come in handy backstage.
posted by BillMcMurdo at 5:56 PM on February 7, 2016 [5 favorites]

If not Beer (and since its kids...no). Pizza or Sour Patch Kids or whatever crap candy they like nowadays.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:09 PM on February 7, 2016

My stage crew buddies and I liked getting Twizzlers, since you could munch on them backstage without fear of making a mess, and they were easy to share. Flowers are definitely appropriate too.
posted by ferret branca at 6:23 PM on February 7, 2016

As a female professional stagehand (currently on my dinner break from loading out Super Bowl city), I would have LOVED flowers at that age. I did a lot of theater as a child/teen, and was always kinda bummed that the actors got flowers and I never did.
posted by mollymayhem at 6:41 PM on February 7, 2016 [10 favorites]

Get them both flowers! It's so grown-up and thrilling.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:47 PM on February 7, 2016 [3 favorites]

Also, a big fat NO on the cool duct tape. Theaters use gaff tape.
posted by mollymayhem at 6:48 PM on February 7, 2016 [11 favorites]

Theater person who also did a lot of theater tech as a teenager. I would have loved flowers.
posted by desuetude at 6:51 PM on February 7, 2016

Yes to flowers. And if this person grows into a theatre career, a bottle of bourbon for the first or last night of 'tech.'
posted by bilabial at 7:01 PM on February 7, 2016

Love the idea of doing the same thing for both actors and crew.
posted by Pearl928 at 7:05 PM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

Honestly, in my experience, people often entirely ignore the crew. I think flowers would be lovely, and the little LED torch suggested above would make for a delightful practical gift.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:27 PM on February 7, 2016 [4 favorites]

Turkish Delight, duh :)
posted by jessicapierce at 7:33 PM on February 7, 2016 [3 favorites]

A mixed bouquet for each of each -- real flowers, silk flowers (to keep) and Twizzlers and its ilk wrapped like flowers in tissue and everything.
posted by tilde at 7:42 PM on February 7, 2016

I've worked crew on a number of productions and the cast usually gives us personal cards to thank us for our help, sometimes special little mementos relating to the play. Flowers are for performers, but us crew members get something far more personal/memorable.

Quite honestly, Turkish Delight WOULD be very appropriate for this particular play.

Or you could find a hardcover copy of the book, and write a note inside patting them on the back for a job well done.
posted by lizbunny at 7:43 PM on February 7, 2016 [3 favorites]

I worked stage and technical crews in middle and high school. I would have loved flowers. One year, the director gave me a carnation. It was the only acknowledging-type gift I received in the 6 years I did theater but I still remember the kids on stage getting flowers from family/friends every night. Thank you for thinking of the kids behind the scenes!
posted by thewestinggame at 8:18 PM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]

If they're doing tech work and it's age appropriate/allowed by the parents, one of the ~$20 Leatherman tools would be good if it's not something they have already. If you go that route, make sure it's one of the ones with a locking one-handed open knife.
posted by Candleman at 8:28 PM on February 7, 2016

I think flowers are a great idea. A few other possible gifts:

• Leatherman (or Gerber) folding tool. Depends on their ages; I wouldn't before high school. They do have some models without actual knives you could consider, but the knife is one of the most useful parts of the tool.
• A focus tool if they do lighting, which can be one of those fancy ones or just a widget.
• A stagecraft-related book. The Backstage Handbook is a classic, or if you know they are interested in a particular field, you could do something more specific.
• Flashlight and a belt holster

posted by zachlipton at 8:38 PM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

As a former theater kid, yes on the flowers. Crew can feel second-rate to cast, and getting the exact same recognition as cast would have been awesome.

Really awesome bonus gift for dedicated crew? Red/Blue lens flashlight.
posted by erst at 8:59 PM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

I once dated a woman who was part of the cast of a performance. She was friends with the stage crew. So on opening night, I brought all of the women a flower in tissue paper (they got carnations, she got the rose) and in tissue paper, I gave all of the quys in the stage crew, screwdrivers. They loved it.
posted by CollectiveMind at 11:52 PM on February 7, 2016

Flowers for the crew is great. For adult crew, if they drink, booze is great. Zachlipton has good suggestions as well, but maybe not for kids. :)
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:22 AM on February 8, 2016

I think flowers would be lovely. Some of the answers above presume that the kid is really dedicated to being backstage, but as a teacher, I've known a lot of kids who 'ended up' in the crew instead of the cast (didn't audition well, roles were full, director's whim) and wouldn't have been thrilled with anything presuming they *liked* being backstage, particularly. It would be nice for those kids not to keep making distinctions. Adults (and some school productions -- this depends heavily on the school and its philosophy about whether kids 'get' to be on stage) are different.
posted by lysimache at 9:28 AM on February 8, 2016

One other thought if you get flowers and you want to acknowledge their behind the scenes work - you can find instructions on how to make a rose out of gaff tape. Mix one of those in with a bouquet of real flowers.
posted by Candleman at 9:55 AM on February 8, 2016

Former professional stagehand/lighting technician here, also with a yes vote for flowers and thank you for thinking of the crew, as well as the actors! As for flashlights (torches) I always preferred a small Led headlamp with a red Led setting, Petzel makes good ones, to keep my hands free for work.
posted by WalkerWestridge at 1:07 PM on February 8, 2016

Response by poster: Update for posterity's sake. I gave flowers to both girls (age eleven), and both girls were delighted.
posted by msali at 2:08 PM on March 2, 2016 [1 favorite]