Image: Hope Fellowship, Frisco, Texas
Versatile stage design is essential in modern worship. While contemporary churches change set designs every few weeks, portable churches require simple, lightweight designs that may serve only for a day.
Many churches today also offer two different style worship services with a small window of time in between to transition all elements, including the look and feel of the stage. Depending on your situation, the versatility of the stage design may be just as important as the look and feel of it.
Ask the right questions
While there are many different opinions on staging and set design, in almost every situation it is critical to keep the design simple and solid. Questions church techs will want to ask about designing a new set should include: What is the purpose of the design? Who is the audience I'm targeting with the design? How can I stay within my budget and still get the look I want?
All of these questions are very important to the design process. However, when you begin to design for versatility, you also need to ask questions like, “Who will be setting and striking the stage? What functionalities must it have? How long of a transition time do I have to set up? What has to stay and what can go?”
Designing for versatility is a tricky process. A good rule of thumb is: Don't just look at what it is … look at what it can be. Just because a set piece looks big and heavy on paper doesn't mean it has to be that way in real life. Forget limits. Design unconventionally.
Just because a set piece looks big and heavy on paper doesn't mean it has to be that way in real life. Forget limits. Design unconventionally.
Consider the volunteer user
In the church world, volunteers are the life-blood of any ministry, no matter how big or small. Because of this, it's critically important that all responsibilities being given and that all equipment being used is volunteer friendly.
The stage design is no exception. As ministry leaders, our goal should be to work ourselves out of a job. We must always strive to duplicate ourselves. The more leaders you create and surround yourself with, the more the ministry can grow and impact more people for the Kingdom of God. A great way to ensure that happens when it comes to designing a stage is to make sure everything is designed in a way to be quickly taught and easily understood.
Keep the design simple, solid and safe. This will give you the ability to have a crew of volunteers set, strike and maintain the stage without you having to be present.
[A simple, solid stage gives] ... you the ability to have a crew of volunteers set, strike and maintain the stage without you having to be present.
Some words of wisdom--give each volunteer a specific job. Because when each volunteer has a certain task to perform, it gives them the ability to focus solely on that task and get it done with little to no error. They still need to be given the overall concept of the design though, because seeing the vision is ultimately what they are all striving to achieve together. But when it comes to actually performing the tasks, give them specific jobs.
When transitioning a stage between different styles of worship services, time is typically a huge factor. Again, handing out specific tasks helps keep that transition time to a minimum.
Portability is paramount
A non-negotiable with any versatile stage design is keeping everything possible on wheels. This includes your drum kit, keyboard, etc. This way when something needs to move, it can be moved quickly, easily and safely. Most professionally built platforms have options to include wheels. Buy the option. Don't rely on always having enough volunteers available to lift the platforms manually.
Most professionally built platforms have options to include wheels. Buy the option.... Most have locking casters already built in to the legs.
There are different sized platforms at different heights you can purchase to assist with this. Most have locking casters already built in to the legs.
If you need to transition sets between services, try and avoid as much movement as possible. Lay out the band in a way that is somewhat conducive to both styles of worship. You probably won't be able to get everything in a location that works for both styles, but do as much as you can. This will save you a lot of headaches when trying to line check everything quickly in between services because you won't need to unplug anything. The instruments will already be in place and connected to the audio system, which in turn will allow more time for you to focus on other things.
Lights on (or off)
The importance of advance prep is true for your lighting, as well. Many people think because you have a lighting fixture on the stage it needs to be lit for every service. This is not true. When setting your stage, run your cable, set the fixture, and leave it in place. This means you may have intelligent lighting fixtures sitting and doing nothing during your more traditional service. That's OK. Leave them in place and use them in the contemporary service where they are needed. The least amount of movement needed, the better the transition between services will be.
The least amount of movement needed, the better the transition between services will be.
Many churches are leery of using the color black on and around their stage, but the color black can be a stage designer's best friend. It can be used to frame staging elements, hide what you don't want seen, and is very helpful when blending what needs blended. Most staging equipment (i.e., lighting fixtures, amplifiers, etc.) is already black. So if the stage and surrounding areas are the same color, this allows you to blend the equipment into its surroundings.
Declutter and organize
Another item to consider: Keep your stage clean and organized. This is one of the most important things when it comes to staging versatility because when problems arise and you need to troubleshoot, simplicity is what is going to allow you to find the issue, diagnose it, and fix it very quickly. Time is always a factor when transitioning a stage. So the least amount of resistance is key.
Make sure all of your connections are labeled. From input to output, instruments to floor pockets, everything on both ends of the cable must be labeled.
Make sure all of your connections are labeled. From input to output, instruments to floor pockets, everything on both ends of the cable must be labeled. There will be times when everything on the stage may need to be struck. In situations like this, it's imperative that every connection is labeled for a quick and successful reset of the stage.
Note that sometimes labels come off, so it is a good idea to make a master list of every input and output to refer to in this kind of situation.
... one place you can cut cabling is at the vocal microphones. If your budget allows it, use wireless microphones.
The fewer cables on the stage, the better. Obviously, most of the instruments and instrument microphones will require a cable, as well as your lighting fixtures. But one place you can cut cabling is at the vocal microphones. If your budget allows it, use wireless microphones. A good wireless microphone can be expensive, but this is one place you do not want to cut cost. Think of it as an investment to not only get quality audio, but also one that helps with the overall organization and look of the stage. Wireless microphones can easily be used and put away, hassle-free.
Keep elements and materials lightweight
The weight of the staging elements also plays a big factor in the versatility of the design. For example, if you are dividing the stage for a certain look, effect, or just want to hide certain areas, use drape. Plywood and other heavy/bulky materials are not easily set and struck. Drape is a great way to divide spaces and is very easily moved. However, it can get expensive depending on the kind of drape you purchase.
Rose Brand and Dazian are nationally known companies that supply theatrical drape. However, if you have the expertise, a great way to create a drape on a budget is to visit your local fabric store, purchase bolts of black fabric (typically in five-foot widths) without a sheen, cut the fabric to whatever length you need it, and find seamstresses in your church who can sew the strips of fabric together to make the drape whatever width it needs to be. After the drape has been created, make sure the seamstresses make a “pocket” at the top. This will allow you to insert a steel pipe (3/4 or one-inch depending on the length of the drape) through it to hang the drape. The steel pipe can be purchased at your local hardware store.
Please note that professional theatrical drapes are generally much more durable, less prone to wrinkling and, most importantly, are fire-code rated. Check your local building inspector to determine what sort of requirements exist in your area. Put safety first.
Using drape is also key when trying to hide certain areas of the stage from one service to another, but it can also be used for more than just utility. The drape can also be used as a theatrical element in your set design. Just focus a few lighting fixtures on it and voilà, you now have a color wash effect behind the band with some texture given from the folds in the drape.
When designing anything to be versatile on a stage, always keep mobility in mind. If it can't be moved easily, rethink the material and the way it's designed.
No matter what you do, remember the purpose of any stage design is to assist in creating an atmosphere conducive to worshipping our Lord. A clean, uncluttered, professional look is a great place to start.
