Bill Atkins

Experience

• 

  University of Pittsburgh

  Jan 1977 - May 1980

  Technical Theater Assistant

  Operation, maintenance, and repair of theater equipment for O'kain Auditorium, the campus's 300 seat key location for events, including theater, movies, concerts, and lectures.Includes the amateur premiere of "Gemini".

• 

  Florida State University

  Aug 1982 - Dec 1982

  Technical Theater Assistant

  Operation, maintenance, and repair of Theater equipment. Supervision of properties inventory.

• 

  Corning Summer Theater

  Jun 1983 - Sept 1983

  Master Carpenter

  Equity COST Circuit. Nine shows presented one each week, featuring major celebrity performers. Circuit shows were built in a local shop and installed in a theater on the Corning Glass museum grounds. Supervision twelve interns.

• 

  Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus

  Apr 1984 - Mar 1990

  Co-design of touring lighting rig with Bob Dickinson for the Japan Unit (Sapporo/Tokyo/Osaka). Lighting Director on tour with five crew, Rig included 510 feet of conventional PAR trusses augmented with 200 automated fixures. Power was sourced from two trailer mounted caterpillar generators capable of producing 1100 amps 3 ph. prime. Early rig was floodlights and toggle switches. Over my tenure the equipment was upgraded several times, until it was a full professional PAR truss rig. One assistant. 1985-86 tour included three 2-person electric flying rigs by Peter Foy. During 1988, I participated in the design process of building a new touring company for Japan.

  • Lighting Director, Gold Unit (Japan)

    Feb 1988 - Mar 1990

  • Lighting Director

    Apr 1984 - Feb 1988
• 

  Corning Summer Theater

  Jul 1990 - Aug 1990

  Technical Director

  Equity COST Circuit. Six shows presented one each week, featuring major celebrity performers. Circuit shows were built in a local shop and installed in a theater on the Corning Glass museum grounds. Supervision of Dept. Heads and six interns.

• 

  Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus

  Sept 1990 - Dec 1991

  Lighting Director, Red Unit (U.S.)

  Co-design of touring lighting rig for the U.S. tour. Lighting Director on tour with five crew, Rig included 300 feet of conventional PAR trusses augmented with four to five dozen automated fixures.

• 

  UTP Productions (leasing) obo IATSE local 412

  Jan 1992 - now

  Carpenter / Electrician

  Available for pickup work in Theater, Television and Film, primarily as a department head.

• 

  The Sarasota Ballet of Florida

  Jan 1992 - Feb 2015

  Head Carpenter/Electrician (Overhire)

  Pickup work on an as needed basis. Supervision of crews, operation and maintenance of stage scenery and equipment, including run of shows as Head Carpenter or Electrician, Console Operator for lights and sound, Followspot Operator, and Deck Hand. Also, Facilitator for Design and Technical Consultant.

• 

  Sarasota Opera

  Jan 1992 - Mar 1992

  Assistant Electrician

  Installation and operation of lighting equipment for the season. Board Operator and Deckhand.

• 

  Sarasota Opera

  Jan 1993 - Mar 1993

  Flyman

  Sarasota Opera runs a 3 to 5 show repertory season with daily changeovers in their restored theater downtown.

• 

  Hagenbeck-Wallace Prop & Costume

  Apr 1993 - Oct 1993

  Head Electrician

  Custom built props for Disney on Ice includes "Beauty and the Beast" (international) and "Aladdin" (US).Design and construction of electric drive trains for floats, large automated props, and battery-operated hand props, with some R/C work. Also set lighting such as chase units, strobes and other effects.

• 

  Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

  Oct 1993 - Aug 1996

  Electrician/Grip

  see above

• 

  Upfront Staging

  Jul 1996 - Jul 1996

  Staging Crew

  deconstruction of the steel scaffolding support that was the foundation of the AT&T Pavillion at Centennial Park during the Olympic Games. The 30ft. high steel frame included components weighing up to 100 lbs.

• 

  20th Century Fox

  Jul 1996 - Jul 1996

  Electrician, Rigger

  Filming of "Great Expectations" Set-up of lighting for individual camera shots at the Cortez and Ringling locations.Rigging of power distribution (Generator) for the Cortez location.

• 

  Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

  Oct 1996 - Oct 1997

  Head Electrician

  Lighting Design/Direction, operation, maintenance and repair of equipment, liaison with road crews to meet requirements of contract riders.This 1776 seat city owned facility runs an annual schedule that includes major name performers in Broadway tours and concerts, as well as local events.

• 

  Asolo Repertory Theatre

  Oct 1997 - Sept 2015

  Operation and maintenance of stage equipment, Supervision of 3-6 grips in show run. Construction of scenery in off-season.Asolo is a rotating repertory company, with 3-4 shows changing out daily over an eight month season. Eight to twelve productions are mounted each year, mainly in the Mertz Theater, a 500 seat restored Opera House on the grounds of the Ringling Museum.Productions include construction and preview runs of "Tale of Two Cities", designers Tony Walton and Richard Pilbrow; Broadway run at the Martin Beck Theater; and "Bonnie & Clyde", music by Frank Wildhorn, Broadway run at the Schoenfeld Theater. Also Construction of "Wonderland", previews at Straz Center, Tampa FL and Broadway run at the Marriott Marquis Theater. Show less

  • Master Stage Carpenter

    Oct 2007 - Sept 2015

  • Assistant Electrician

    Oct 1997 - Sept 2007
• 

  The Sarasota Ballet of Florida

  Oct 2015 - Sept 2020

  Technical Director