Creative Conners Resources: Rental Program, Spikemark, and More!
by Rylee Vogel
The new school year has officially begun, and with it comes the exciting challenge of building the perfect production for your school. For any academic institution, the goal is to create a show where students are able to safely learn, grow, and create art. This can be both in the wings and on the stage. Planning for the fall and spring musicals has never been easier, especially now that Wenger has officially joined forces with Creative Conners.
Creative Conners is widely known for its innovative automation products and consistently offers solutions that meet the diverse needs of venues across the nation. Below are a few standout resources available to teachers, students, and anyone eager to learn and take advantage of the incredible products, programs, and resources this company has to offer.
Creative Conners has simplified access to critical equipment through their Season Subscription program (full information linked here). The program is a game-changer for theatre departments and educators working with limited production budgets. The program allows state-of-the-art automation technology to be rented and installed quickly and easily. It is simple to plan and reserve for your production through the program. You can submit reservations with as little as two weeks’ notice or plan months in advance. Regardless, the equipment will be shipped on time with clear instructions, proper shipping labels, and return coordination, removing logistical stress. Each rental includes all of the necessary equipment: machines, cables, the Stagehand controller, power distro, emergency stops, and more. Importantly, there are no hidden costs.
The subscription offers different plans tailored to your school or theatre’s needs. This is especially valuable for educators because the equipment requires no maintenance, is straightforward to use, and comes with dedicated support. With these tools, teachers can focus on engaging students in dynamic set design while providing hands-on experience with real-world technology. The program’s flexibility also ensures productions can adapt to last-minute changes, an essential feature in the unpredictable world of school theatre.
Spikemark 6 is free stage automation software that can power moving scenery for almost any theatrical production. It is ideal for quick learning and makes adding motion to a show seamless and efficient. The software is completely free to download, making it ideal for
classrooms, programming, or simply experimenting with scenic automation.
Some of the key features of the software include:
Simulator: Allows students and technicians to test and run cues virtually before ever stepping on stage. Entire shows can be cued and run in real time.
Jog Workspace: Lets users move one or many machines manually or by using Move to Position.
Cues Workspace: Build, manage, and run cue lists with intuitive drag-and-drop tools. It is intuitive and organized to make hitting GO easy!
Presets Workspace: This is a great feature for when you don’t have time to jog motors to position. There are stored “Looks” that can be used.
Group Motion: This feature allows the user to synchronize multiple motors electronically in Free or Locked groups to match your production’s needs.
Multiple Playbacks: This feature includes multiple GO buttons to run overlapping and specific sequences.
Roles & Permissions: Assign unique user profiles with tailored access levels for added safety and control. Predefined roles include Admin, Commissioner, Programmer, and Operator.
Live Speed Control: Adjust the speed of cues in real time during a performance to keep motion perfectly aligned with live action.
This powerful software is already being implemented in venues and classrooms nationwide. It is quickly becoming a trusted tool for training students and young professionals in scenic automation, and it has already proven its effectiveness in the field. To support new users, there are many Spikemark 6 tutorials, videos, and documents available for easy learning and reference (linked here).
With Spikemark 6, Creative Conners and Wenger Corporation are helping the performing arts community grow and are pushing the boundaries of what is possible on the stage. It is making scenic motion accessible, intuitive, and exciting.
Beyond software and rentals, Wenger, JR Clancy and Creative Conners provide many incredible resources for theatre educators and enthusiasts. One such resource is the Circuit and Gear podcast. This is a podcast about “scenic automation and other gadgets” where once a month Creative Conners answers questions and describes different products and resources. There are over 90 different episodes
already in existence, and more are always being made.
Episode 88- Chatting with Dave Thomas, CEO of Wenger Corporation dives into the partnership between Creative Conners and Wenger. The podcast explains how this change has created opportunities for both companies to grow and provide more resources to theatres and music programs across the nation.
Another valuable resource is Gareth Conner’s book, “Scenic Automation Handbook” (information linked here). The book explores “automated effects for stage and live entertainment. The Scenic Automation Handbook is approachable for student technicians
and industry veterans. It’s perfect whether you’ve never spun a turntable or if you need to deep dive into control protocols and best practices. Gareth Conner deciphers the alphabet soup of VFD, PLC, and PID into understandable and useful information. Written with a frank and friendly tone, you’ll feel like you are working side-by-side with Gareth on your latest project.”
The book is applicable for teachers and technicians because it is a high-level introduction to the basic concepts of scenic automation. The book progressively dives deep into component selection, safety risks, and system integration. It builds a strong foundation to bring production needs to life.
As the theatre continues to evolve, Creative Conners and Wenger Corporation are continuously working to make professional-grade resources and tools available for schools and educators. Through resources like the Season Subscription rental program, free
Spikemark 6 software, and educational resources like podcasts and books, teachers are able to provide opportunities for their students to learn on industry-standard equipment.
These resources not only improve production quality, but they also prepare students for future careers in the industry.