Theater Expert Witness Thomas McClain

Case List 2013-2024

• Indianapolis State Fair Stage Collapse
• Dancer injured by a cryogenic special effect
• Stagehand injured during a load out
• Dancer disabled by stage machinery on a cruise ship
• Patent infringement case concerning a theatrical rigging system
• Audience member injured by falling off a stage during a performance
• Audience member injured by falling off a stage during a rock show
• Staging injury at a conference at a hotel
• Fall from a stage
• Injury from a cable ramp trip hazard
• Stagehand injury, LED screen rigging failure at a festival
• Lighting Designer injured by falling through a hole onstage
• Valuation of stage technical equipment
• Stagehand injury during load-in
• Technician injured on a TV show set
• Audience member injured by a falling camera
• Presenter injured at a convention
• Designer injured at a parade setup
• Actor injured due to poor stage lighting

CV

Tom McClain has over 40 years of professional experience in virtually all aspects of the entertainment industry. Tom specializes in special events, industrial shows, and ​theme attractions. Experiences include production design, technical direction, site coordination, CAD drafting, labor management, venue relations, rigging & staging design, vendor management, and emergency event planning.  He has contributed to many productions, including:

Special Event Production
2016 Presidential Inauguration: Site Designer and Coordinator for all outdoor events (Parade, National Mall, and Welcome Concert)
Concert for Valor: Site Coordinator. A free concert sponsored  by HBO, Starbucks and Chase on the National Mall in Washington DC to honor veterans, broadcast live on HBO. Responsible CAD layout drawings, vendor coordination, onsite setup, and presentations to the National Parks Service and other government agencies. The live audience was estimated at 450,000.
20th Anniversary of the Million Man March: Site Coordinator. An event on the US Capitol Grounds and the National Mall.
Unite to face Addiction: Site Coordinator. A free concert at the Washington Monument.
Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day: Site Coordinator. A concert at the Washington Monument.
Disney in Concert, Panama: Technical Director. A concert in Panama City, Panama.
Angry Birds Space Launch: Technical Director and Rigging Designer. An installation of a 35' tall Angry Bird with a 300' “slingshot” on the Space Needle in Seattle.
Hunter S Thompson Memorial Service: Rigging Design. A fabric reveal for the memorial monument.
Mickey's Magic Mirror: Technical Director. Outdoor event for 150,000 in Mexico City.
Tarzan Stage Show: Technical Director. A Disney show seen by 200,000 in San Paulo Brazil.
Disney Parade: Technical Director. A parade in Brazil seen by over 4 million people.
Disney Showcase: Technical Director. An event at the Kodak theater in Hollywood.
NATO Defense Ministers Meeting: Technical Director. A NATO training exercise in Colorado Springs
Director of Special Events: Senior management position at Lindsay West Inc., Portland Oregon. Responsible for supervising production managers, technical directors, and building budget models.
 
Major Film World Premiers
Pirates of the Caribbean 1, 2, 3, & 4: Technical Director and screen designer.
Pearl Harbor: Technical Director and screen designer. On an aircraft carrier in Hawaii.
Cars: Technical Director and screen designer. At Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Shark Tale Premiere: Technical Director. A the Delacotre Theater in Central Park, NYC.
The Alamo: Technical Director. At the Majestic Theater in San Antonio Texas.
Pocahontas: Technical Director, Designer. For 100,000 in Central Park, NYC.
Hunchback of Notre Dame: Technical Director. At the Superdome, New Orleans, for 60,000.
Fantasia 2000: Technical Director. Carnegie Hall NYC & Pasadena CA
Technical Director for other World Premiers: Dreamgirls, Brother Bear, Tarzan, Atlantis, Remember the Titans, Armageddon, Mulon, Hercules.
 
Corporate Theatrical
Intel Developer Forums. Technical Director. Events at Moscone Center, San Francisco
Windows 8 Phone Launch:  Technical Director.  Windows 8 launch, Bill Graham Center, SF.
International Auto Shows: Press events at auto shows in Detroit, Chicago, and New York.        
Animation Now: Technical Director. The DreamWorks event at the Alice Tully Theater, NYC                   
Microsoft Xbox 360 launch: Technical Director. The product introduction Los Angeles.   
Longaberger Basket Company: Technical Director, rigging designer.   Tarzan Press Event: Technical Director. Featured a Phil Collins concert.                          
Millennium Gala: A New Year's party at the Pasadena Civic Exhibition Center.
Skechers, Atlanta Super Show: Production Manager.
Nike, Asia Pacific Sales Meetings: Production Coordinator. Singapore and Hawaii.
Little Mermaid Charity Event: Technical Director. At Madison Square Garden NYC.
Nintendo E3: Technical Director, Lindsey West Inc.
  
Theme Installation
Galaxy Casino, Macau China: Technical Director.  A theme attraction for Jeremy Railton's Entertainment Design Corp.
World of Color Stage: Designer and Construction Supervisor. Disney California Adventure.
National Harbor: Designer and Installation Supervisor. Stage and screen mechanical.
NYX Design / Disney Animal Kingdom: Technical Consultant. Lighting installation.
Brown United INC.:  Design and prototype development for a major US staging contractor.
 
Theater
Opera Pacific Company:  Head Carpenter,  Technical Director. Producing Grand Opera opera company in Orange County, CA. Responsible for all technical aspects of over 30 grand opera productions.
Santa Barbara Opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon:  Technical Director. The original production of the opera by Stephan Schwartz.
Tarzan Stage Show: Technical Director. A live theatrical production in Hollywood
Pocahontas Five Cities Tour:  Technical Director.  A live stage show and film presentation, presented in five cities around the country, all opening on the same night.
Orange County Performing Arts Center: Stagehand, High Rigger, Flyman, 15 years.
 
Concerts
Irvine Meadows Amphitheater:  Master Soundman. A 16,000 venue in Orange County, California. Responsible for rigging sound systems and sound operation for over 600 shows, 13 years.
Orange County, CA: Stagehand, Rigger, Department Head, and stadium shows, 20 years.
 
Expert Witness
Indianapolis State Fair: Staging issues
Artist and stagehand injury: Various cases

Rigging accidents, LED screen collapse, various cases

Publication
The Event Safety Alliance: Contributor. The Event Safety Guide, temporary structures and rigging.
PLASA: Contributor. Rigging drawings and rigging practices standards committees.
 
Instructor
Local 504 IATSE, Santa Ana CA: Instructor,  Rigging & stagehands training programs.
       
Speaker
 PLSN Convention: 2 years
 Event Live, 2013: The Event Safety Alliance presentation on ICS and NIMS.
 
Member
Local 504 IATSE, Santa Ana CA: Union Officer, Steward, Department Head, Head Carpenter, Stagehand, High Rigger, Electrician, A/V Operator, and Film Projectionist, 30 years.
 Event Safety Alliance, founding member
 PLASA: Professional Lighting and Sound Association