This is where I work.

It’s a 15 million dollar theater spreading over 5 decks from pit to top of fly loft, and two decks for the audience. It seats 722 people in comfortable, well-spaced chairs. It has 3 automated lifts and 5 knife tracks in the stage for automation, 24 automated linesets, 4 overstage lighting box trusses, 30 speakers, 3 projectors, 2 front of house lighting trusses, 2 genie lifts and $750,000 worth of lighting equipment.

Here’s my side of the booth, with 4 consoles in my control, along with a video playback system and two spotlights. I mostly deal with the Whole Hog III, but I also have an Expression 3 desk, a 4-channel video mixer and a pyrotechnics control board.

In the theater, there are lectures, culinary demonstrations, movies, comedy acts, bands, talent shows and production shows. Everyday is different, but my schedule largely depends on whether we are at sea or in port. While at sea, we need to plan multiple activities at all times all day long. The Princess Theater is a big part of those entertainments, so sea days are busy for us. There’s usually a lecture in the morning, a movie in the early afternoon, another lecture or movie later, then two to three shows per night. In port, there are far fewer daytime activities, with maybe a movie or two, then the shows at night. I’m not responsible for movies, so that’s my time off. In between events, I rehearse shows with the company, design and program lights for upcoming acts, perform maintenance on the lighting rig, and currently, I help install the new show that’s getting loaded in for the next two months.

It’s a consistently busy schedule, and when paired with the project of learning my way around the ship, figuring out meal times and where I’m allowed to eat, and shipboard etiquette, it’s enough to keep me busy. But I’m thankful for the new show install, which makes everything a challenge. I like challenges.