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ETCP Recommended Reading
The following is the recommended study resources for the ETCP Exams.
Over the years, one of the consistent questions that arise is, what do I need to study for the exams? Below, I have included the complete book list; however, it’s absolutely possible to be successful with a much shorter list. The following books are what I recommend to look at first, and considering you should already have some experience in order to qualify to take the exam, you’ll likely need to consult the larger official list if you need to learn a specific subject matter more in depth.
For both rigging exams, read this first:
Entertainment Rigging for the 21st Century: Compilation of Work on Rigging Practices, Safety, and Releated Topics; 1st Edition, Edited by Bill Sapsis, Philadelphia, PA, 2014.
Bill brought the brightest minds in rigging together to write this book and everyone took a chapter. This was also written after the exam had been out for a while so much of the core subject matter is covered. Will this book alone make you an excellent rigger? Probably not. But it provides an excellent overview of the main core topics and aligns with the exam quite well.
For the arena exam:
Entertainment Rigging: A Practical Guide for Riggers, Designers and Managers; Harry Donovan, Rigging Seminars, Seattle WA 2002
This book is getting harder to find, and it may be expensive when you do find it; Sapsis Rigging has been known to have some copies available in their online store. This book is an excellent deep dive for the arena exam, and it touches on counterweights as well. Arena is where it really shines.
For the Theatre Rigging Exam:
Stage Rigging Handbook Fourth Edition. Shane Kelly and Jay Glerum, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale IL, 2024
For the Electrician and Portable Power Distribution exams:
Electricity for the Entertainment Electrician & Technician: A Practical Guide for Power Distribution in Live Event Production Third Edition. Richard Cadena. Routledge 2021
These texts are good for anyone who is ETCP Certified to be familiar with, even if it’s not your core subject matter area of expertise. Riggers need to plug in motors. Electricians need to hang lights. If you are just starting your journey, read all of them if you have the opportunity.
The Official Reading List as published on the ETCP Website:
ESTA’s American National Standards
ESTA’s published American National Standards are free to download from tsp.esta.org.
ANSI E1.1, Entertainment Technology – Construction and Use of Wire Rope Ladders. ESTA Technical Standards Program Rigging Working Group
ANSI E1.2, Entertainment Technology – Construction, Use and Maintenance of Aluminum Trusses and Towers. ESTA Technical Standards Program Rigging Working Group
ANSI E1.8, Entertainment Technology – Loudspeaker Enclosures Intended for Overhead Suspension – Classification, Manufacture and Structural Testing. ESTA Technical Standards Program Rigging Working Group
ANSI E1.15 (R2016), Entertainment Technology – Recommended Practices and Guidelines for the Assembly and Use of Theatrical Boom & Base Assemblies. ESTA Technical Standards Program Rigging Working Group
ANSI E1.21, Entertainment Technology – Temporary Structures Used for Technical Production of Outdoor Entertainment Events. ESTA Technical Standards Program Rigging Working Group
Key Resources
Aluminum Structures in the Entertainment Industry. Peter Hind, Entertainment Technology Press, UK, 2005
The Backstage Handbook: An Illustrated Almanac of Technical Information; Third Edition, Paul Carter and and George Chiang (Illustrator), Broadway Press, New York NY, 1994
Entertainment Rigging: A Practical Guide for Riggers, Designers and Managers; Harry Donovan, Rigging Seminars, Seattle WA 2002
Handbook for Riggers; Second Edition, W.G. (Bill) Newberry, Newberry Investment Co, Ltd., Calgary Alberta, 1989
HEADS and Tales. Bill Sapsis, Sapsis Rigging, Philadelphia, PA, 2007
Entertainment Rigging for the 21st Century: Compilation of Work on Rigging Practices, Safety, and Releated Topics; 1st Edition, Edited by Bill Sapsis, Philadelphia, PA, 2014.
Rigging for Entertainment; Regulations and Practice. Chris Higgs, Entertainment Technology Press, Cambridge, 2003
Scene Design and Stage Lighting Seventh Edition. W. Oren Parker and R. Craig Wolf, Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Fort Worth TX, 1996
Stage Rigging Handbook Third Edition. Jay O. Glerum, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale IL, 2007
Stage Scenery, Its Construction and Rigging Third Edition. A.S. Gillette and J. Michael Gillette, Harper & Row, New York NY, 1988 (Out of Print)
Structural Design for the Stage. Alys E. Holden and Bronislaw J. Sammler, Focal Press, 1991
Wire Rope Sling Users Manual. American Iron and Steel Industry, Wire Rope Technical Board, Stevensville MD, 1990
Wire Rope Users Manual. American Iron and Steel Industry, Wire Rope Technical Board, Stevensville MD, 1990
Additional Resources
The Art of Knotting & Splicing Fourth Edition. Cyrus L. Day, Edited by M. Lee Hoffman Jr. and Ray O. Beard Jr., United States Naval Institute Press, Annapolis MD, 1986
The Artist’s Complete Health and Safety Guide Third Edition. Monona Rossol, Allworth Press, New York NY, 1994
CMC Rope Rescue ManualThird Edition. James A. Frank, CMC Rescue, Inc. Santa Barbara CA, 1998
The Complete Rigger’s Reference Handbook, Mike Riggs, RiggSafe Solutions, 2009.
Developing an Operations Manual for a Performing Arts Facility. Reid Neslage and Dr. Randall A Davidson, 1991
The Event Safety Guide. Health & Safety Executive Books, United Kingdom, 1999
Greening Up Our Houses: A Guide to a More Ecologically Sound Theater. Larry K. Fried and Theresa J. May, Drama Book Publishers, New York NY, 1995
Handbook of Rigging: For Construction and Industrial Operations. W.E.Rossnagel, Lindley R. Higgins, Joseph A. MacDonald (Photographer), W. A. Rossnagel. McGraw-Hill, NY, 1988
Health and Safety Guide for Film, TV and Theatre. Monona Rossol, Allworth Press, New York, NY, 2000
Illustrated Theatre Production Guide. John Holloway (Kindle edition)
Introduction to Fall Protection Third Edition. J. Nigel Ellis Ph.D, CSP, P.E., American Society of Safety Engineers, Des Plaines IL, 1993
An Introduction to Rigging in the Entertainment Industry. Chris Higgs, Entertainment Technology Press, Cambridge, England 2002
The Klutz Book of Knots: How To Tie The World’s 24 Most Useful Hitches, Ties, Wraps, and Knots. John Cassidy, The Klutz Press, Palo Alto CA, 1985
Modular Loudspeaker Flying Hardware System. ATM Audio Visual, Gardena CA
On Rope Second Edition. Allen Padgett, Bruce Smith, National Speleological Society, 1997
Pocket Ref Second Edition. Thomas J. Glover, Sequoia Publishing Inc, 1997
A Practical Guide to Health and Safety in the Entertainment Industry. Marco Van Beek, Entertainment Technology Press, Cambridge, 2000
Physics of Theatre: Mechanics. Verda Beth Martell and Eric C. Martell, PhD., Create Space, North Charleston SC, 2015
Rappelling, Second Edition. Tom Martin, SEARCH, Mt Sterling KY, 1988
Results of Stage Rigging Hardware Tests, 1986 through 1991. United States Institute for Theatre Technology, NY, 1991
Riggers Handbook. I & I Sling Co., Inc., Aston PA
Rigging Handbook, Fifth Edition, Jerry Klinke, ACRA Enterprises, Inc., Stevensville, MI, 2007.
Rigging Manual for Iron Workers. International Association Bridge, Structural & Ornamental Iron Workers, AFL-CIO, Washington DC, 1976
Rigging Math Made Simple, Fourth Edition, Delbert Hall, Spring Knoll Press, Johnson City, TN, 2014.
Rope, Knots, Hitches & Splices. Wellington Puritan, Madison GA, 1968
Scene Technology Third Edition. Richard L. Arnold, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs NJ, 1993
Single-Failure-Proof Design for Theatre Safety. Olaf Soot, USITT Journal, 1986
The Splicing Handbook: Techniques for Modern and Traditional Ropes. Barbara Merry (Editor), John Darwin (Contributor), New England Ropes, New Bedford MA, 2000 (Kindle edition)
Stage Specs: A Guide to Legit Theatres. League of American Theatres and Producers, 1990 (Out of Print)
The Stagecraft Handbook. Daniel A. Ionazzi, Betterway Books, Cincinnati OH, 1996
Standard Specifications for Theatrical Rigging. J. R. Clancy, Inc., Syracuse NY, 1988
Strength of Materials, Block and Tackle, Tackle Maintenance. The Crosby Group, Tulsa, OK, 1991
Structures: Or, Why Things Don’t Fall Down.J.E. Gordon, Plenum Press, New York, 1978
Technical Design Solutions for Theatre (The Technical Brief Collection, Volume 1). Ben Sammler, Don Harvey
Technical Design Solutions for Theatre (The Technical Brief Collection, Volume 2). Ben Sammler, Don Harvey
Technical Rescue Riggers Guide. Rick Lipke, Conterra, Inc, 1998
Theatre Backstage from A to Z Fourth Edition. Warren C. Lounsbury and Norman C. Boulanger, University of Washington Press, Seattle WA, 2000
Theater Technology Second Edition. George C. Izenour, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York , NY, 1997
Theatre Engineering and Stage Machinery. Toshiro Ogawa, Entertainment Technology Press, Japan, 2000
Theatrical Design & Production. J. Michael Gillette
U.S. Army Guide to Rigging, Department of the Army, Skyhorse Publishing, New York, New York, 2013.
Why Buildings Fall Down. Mathys Levy and Mario Salvadori, W.W. Norton & Co, Inc, New York, 1994
Why Buildings Stand Up. Mario Salvadori, W. W. Norton & Co, Inc, New York, 1990
SOURCE: Entertainment Technician Certification Program. (n.d.). Educational resources: Rigger – Arena / Theatre. ESTA. Retrieved March 17, 2025, from https://etcp.esta.org/certify/educational_rigger.html