About the Author

Delbert Hall, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance at East Tennessee State University, where he has taught since 1986. Dr. Hall received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida, his MFA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and his B.S.Ed. from Western Carolina University. Delbert is an ETCP Certified Rigger (Theatre) and an ETCP Recognized Trainer. He is a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees - Local 699. He is the co-author of several books on theatrical rigging, including: The Rigging Math Made Simple Workbook, The Arena Riggers Handbook, and The Theatre Riggers' Handbook, with Brian Sickels. He is also the author of the PocketRigger app and the originator of RigCalc. Dr. Hall is an award winning educator, scenic designer, and theatrical technician. He won Third Prize in the Organization of International Sceneographers and Theatre Technicians' 2017 Technical Invention Prize; he has won Meritorious Achievement Awards for both scenic design and special effects rigging from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival; and he was the U.S. Institute for Theatre Technology - Southeast Region's Outstanding Educator in Theatrical Design and Technology for 2000-2001. He has been rigging and choreographing performer flying effects and aerial dance apparatus for more than 36 years. Delbert does rigging inspections for theatres and major theme parks around the United States. He also regularly teaches workshops on rigging and rigging math. In addition, he also does destructive testing of hardware used in the entertainment industry and fabrics used in aerial dance in order to better understand how these items break and at what loads.