8.2 Spiking

The Backstage Crew must be able to place all sets, set pieces and props in an exact predetermined space. You can imagine that in the dark this might seem nearly impossible. It is the practice of Stage Crews to use highly reflective or glow in the dark tape to mark the positions of all objects on the stage. This is called Spiking. The tape is called Spike Tape. In this way, even in low light conditions, they can place objects exactly where they need to be placed for the actors.

Spiking tape can be expensive, it should be used sparingly. The following is a procedure for spiking the stage for a production.

• Place all sets, props and set pieces for a given scene.
• Mark the outside corners of each object with spike tape.
• Label the tape with the name of the object.
• Clear the stage.
• Ensure that the tape can be seen in low light conditions.
• Reset all objects in near darkness.