2

Do you have colleagues doing similar research?
I have two colleagues at the university level. There are a couple of companies trying to do this work as well, but that's about it. At some point I'll want to put together a system that I could send off to a theater or a production company that would be a 'turnkey' thing. It would not involve much interaction on my part. At this point, I have to go with the software... To put together a stand-alone system will require working with an engineer. I've looked at the robotics stuff they do here (on campus), which is similar (to what I'm doing). Actually, I do have some engineering training, but I don't hold a degree in it.

It's surprising, that this hasn't happened sooner, given how long lighting has been automated. Not everyone can attempt it because it's time consuming...with something like I'm doing, it requires fabrication of the physical thing, it requires the mechanical expertise, then it requires the electronic and control expertise. To put it together, it takes a long time.

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) used to run just about everything in many ways. They use the language of on and off switch relays. It's how elevators used to be programmed. So if the elevator is at the third floor, and someone pushes the button, it sets off a series of mechanical relays--'and,' 'or' and 'not' switches. The electronic version is the PLC, used now for ten or 15 years to move scenery, but it's a very cumbersome programming. It takes forever to do and it can't be changed quickly. (With my system) I can set up and change it quickly. The other great thing is my system runs on old computers.

To play devil's advocate: how does your work contribute to the theater experience? Does all this reliance on technology instead of human beings ultimately dilute the live theater experience?
My focus has been to provide a technology to the theaters and artists who have an idea of that they want to do, but don't have the means to access it. When you're doing art, the way you spend the little money you have is weighed very carefully. What I've been saying is, we have a way to do these things without compromising other parts of the artistic vision by spending all of our money on it. I think having the people there is one of the things that's interesting about theater. What I've got is something in the background that supports them. It can't be obtrusive. I'm not interested in building big flashy effects just for flashy effects sake. I want something that will support what the other people are trying to do back stage.

In five years where do you hope your work to be? Five years from now I would like to be ready to develop a more, what I call a 'turnkey' kind of system, a basic set-up that I can put in a box or deliver to a theater company. If I've educated my profession enough, then I should be able to provide this more as a finished package as opposed to me moving to various places and spending a lot of time with the theaters. On the other hand, I like sitting back stage in the dark and working with people. That's fun.

And once you train other professionals with this, you can spend time making new discoveries?
Exactly. The other thing is now that this is more accessible, I'm training my students to do it as well.

Quick glimpse questions:

How wired are you at home?
We both have computers and have dial-up access. I keep saying I'm going to put in a small home network, but I'm just too busy.

Windows or Mac?
Windows.

Favorite URL?
I spend a lot of time on Travelocity shopping for airline tickets. If I want to find something, I usually go to Google.com.

Do you have a favorite electronic time-waster?
I spend most of my time learning the details of this program. It's hard to call it a time-waster, because it is work, but if I'm sitting around waiting ten minutes for someone, I'll turn this on and play with it. I might surf the Web as well.

First computer owned?
An IBM PC, one of the first ones with two floppy drives.

In your day-to-day correspondence, do you prefer e-mail or the telephone?
E-mail.

The last movie you saw?
Waking Life.

What book are you reading now?
Besides What to Expect In the First Year, I'm reading Arundel, by Kenneth Roberts.

What was your first job?
Camp counselor.

When you're not at work or online, what do you like to do?
Play with this baby (daughter Fritzie was sitting on Professor Schwentker's lap).

Professor Fritz Schwentker has shared his skills as a professional technical director and production manager at the University of Texas Department of Theater and Dance since 1994. His students benefit from his 17 years experience working with notable academic and regional theaters including the Alley Theatre in Houston, the acclaimed Steppenwolf and Victory Gardens Theatres in Chicago, the Yale Repertory Theater, the Seattle Children's Theater, Seattle's New City Theatre, as well as his long-standing relationship with the Weston Playhouse in Vermont. Descriptions of his past and present courses can be found at www.utexas.edu/courses/production.

A native of Pittsburgh, Professor Schwentker received his Bachelor of Arts at Amherst College in 1984, and his Master of Fine Arts from Yale in 1994.