Term of the Day: BTR

BTR--big-time roadman, or in modern times, can be big-time roadwoman. A long-time contract stagehand, lots of road experience.

Old Term of the Week: from the trades

from the trades: when a stagehand comes from another  related industry like construction, the carpenters' union or the electrical workers (IBEW)...usually means that he or she comes in with specific skills, usually a recommendation. "Oh yeah, the new carpenter at the load in comes from the trades."

Term of the Day: a walk on

a walk on: a stagehand who comes from nowhere and impresses the boss. May have worked in a related trade, like construction. Usually a hard worker. Term probably comes from college sports, where an unrecruited freshman will walk on the field, try out and make the team.

Term of the Day: time bomb

time bomb: a stagehand who is set to explode...it is not a matter of if, but a matter of when.

Term of the Day: "all day, all skate"

"all day, all skate": an eight-hour workcall involving all departments.

Term from another Local: Big Ben

A union brother from Philadelphia, Dennis Moore of Local #8, sent me this term: Big Ben -- a person who doesn't know a thing about his task at hand but can tell you to the tenth of a second when the next coffee break, lunch break, end of the day etc.. is going to happen. Also used for persons who continually ask when the next break is. (For those who live under a rock, Big Ben is the famous clocktower in London.)

Term of the Night: Good manners in the sandbox

"Good manners in the sandbox": all departments have to work together and behave. May be said when there is a history of bad blood between different heads. See also: "Hey, we all have to play in this sandbox."