Out of chaos rises opportunity. Tyler DeLong, like many other individuals in the entertainment industry found himself suddenly without employment in the spring of 2020 due to Covid-19. Through his searches for the next project, he had the realization that there was a need in the entertainment industry for qualified and experienced rigging experts to inspect rigging systems and advise on best practices. Thus he started A Man, A Jeep, No Real Plan LLC to investigate this niche. Very quickly he realized that this need was larger than what he originally thought and he recruited his father, John DeLong as a partner and DeLong Rigging Solutions was born.
Tyler DeLong
Tyler DeLong is an ETCP Certified Rigger in both Theatrical and Arena Rigging (Certification # 2771) and an ETCP Recognized Trainer. He is also a voting member of the TSP Rigging Workgroup. Tyler has his OSHA 30 as well as being certified in numerous man-lifts and material handlers. He earned a BA in Theatre with a Concentration in Technology from Indiana University (class of 2010). Tyler has spent the majority of his career working as a touring technician, primarily as the Tour Rigger/Automation Tech. He also has spent some time as the Stage Carpenter at the Santa Fe Opera. His most recent touring was as a Production Manager for Feld Entertainment. His work has taken him all over North America, South America, and Asia.
Some prior projects include:
- Cavalia’s Odysseo
- The Adams Family
- Mama Mia
- Bring it On, The Musical
- Blue Man Group
- Finding Neverland
- Disney On Ice
- Jurassic World Live
- Sesame Street
Tyler has also worked freelance with:
- IATSE Local 618
- IATSE Local 49
- IATSE Local 30
- Numerous regional rigging install companies
In his spare time… Tyler is a lapsed rock climber, an all-around outdoor enthusiast, and he keeps an adventure blog with his spouse Caitlyn at www.amanajeepnorealplan.com.
John DeLong
John DeLong started out as a member of and one of the set-up guys for a local Symphony Orchestra and Civic Theater Pit Orchestra in home-town, Kokomo, Indiana. As he pursued his ambitions as a musician and added an Opera Theater Tech major to his college curriculum, he figured out that he was more productive and happy with long hours in the theater rather than long hours in the practice room.
John graduated from the Indiana University School of Music, now the Jacob’s School of Music with a Bachelor of Science in Music and an Outside Field, (Stage Technology). Soon after graduating he took a job offer, from the brother of a class-mate, as a shop supervisor and draftsman to build scenery for a touring band. The band didn’t send the money on time, so the scenery wasn’t done on time and he was hired to go on the road with them to finish the scenery. After the scenery was completed, he stayed on the tour to assemble and operate the scenery in each venue of the tour.
That was the first job that consequently led to the next job, that led to the next job, that led to the next job, etc. During the college years he had acquired knowledge and some experience both as a student and in an apprentice/intern position as a theatrical rigging installer. He quickly migrated to touring as a Rigger. In the rock and roll touring business at that time, rigging paid the best, had the most autonomy and fit his skill set and interests the best.
For the better part of 15 years John worked mostly as a tour rigger. Occasionally working as an electrician, occasionally as a production manager and between touring gigs did a few months on the night gang at the Metropolitan Opera and most of a year in a New York City scenery shop as a carpenter/welder.
Clients during those years included:
- Parliament Funkadelic
- The Isley Brothers
- John Denver
- Some one-offs for regional opera companies
- The Beach Boys
- .38 Special
- Black Sabbath
- Scorpions
- Sammy Hagar
- Van Halen (w/Sammy Hagar)
- Ratt
- Def Leppard – Hysteria & Adrenalize
- Metallica – …and Justice For All
More recently:
- January 1994 – Hired as House-crew, Head Flyman at Indiana University Auditorium
- July 1999 to February 2021 – Stage Manager/Head Carpenter at Indiana University Auditorium
- January 1994 to present – Freelance as local rigger, Lead Rigger and Team Lead on calls for:
- IATSE Local 618
- IATSE Local 49
- IATSE Local 30
- Numerous regional Rigging install companies
- Fall 1994 to present – Adjunct Faculty at Indiana University teaching Theatrical Stage Rigging. Currently offered by the Department of Theater, Drama and Contemporary Dance. Previously offered as curriculum in the Opera Technical Studies program.
- ETCP Dual Certification # 691 Rigging – Arena/Theatre
In his copious spare time… John enjoys travel with his wife Rebecca, backpacking, mountain biking, darts and chasing some stupid little white ball around the golf course (would be a dis-service to the game to claim that he plays golf).
Bob Brown
Bob Brown began his career in theatre long before any formal schooling. Finding his community among those at Indiana University he completed his degree in 2006. Bob has held many positions with a diverse collage of companies ranging from the east coast to Chicago since college.
Following college Bob worked as a carpenter for Center Stage of Baltimore for one season before having to move to follow his now wife’s career to Massachusetts and ultimately Albany, NY. In Massachusetts Bob worked as Technical Director for Shakespeare & Co. and after the move to Albany the work continued as per diem TD for The Egg. Following Bobs whirlwind tour of the eastern states he settled into Chicago while his wife Michelle worked her way through graduate school.
While in Chicago Bob worked as Assistant Technical Director for the Steppenwolf Theatre. Honing skills with automated scenery and developing his 3D CAD skills. After four wonderful years and one new child he and his wife opted for an easier and more laid-back pace, or so they thought. Bob and his family moved back to Bloomington, IN where he settled into a career with Indiana University as the TD for the Jacobs School of Music.
During his time at the musical Arts Center Bob was able to reconnect with old friends, instructors, and colleagues form his former college days. Working closely John DeLong, Chris Berg and the Local 618, Bob continued to contribute to the theatre community. In 2022 Bob left Indiana university and was quickly employed by DRS.
Christopher Berg
Christopher Berg began his backstage career when his parents told him to get involved in something, anything, in high school. He found stage crew and the rest they say is history. An excuse to stay out late past curfew on a Friday and Saturday night what could go wrong. Thinking that he wanted to be a lighting designer he enrolled in the local community college’s architecture program. Drafting was essential. After receiving his Associates degree in Architecture from Illinois Central College, he transferred to Western Illinois University where he received his bachelor’s degree in theatre. From there, he moved on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in scenic design from Indiana University.
Chris’ early career includes stints in regional theatre, exhibit design and construction, scenery carpentry, and as a farm hand on his brother’s farm. A majority of his career was spent in academia teaching strong scenery construction techniques for Indiana University, Department of Theatre and Dance. Chris’ interest was always rigging and flown scenery.
As an I.A.T.S.E. member he quickly gained rigging knowledge under the mentorship of John Delong. Without John’s knowledge and ability to train, Chris would not be the rigger he is today. Also, for more than a decade he raced beach catamarans which lead to his research into reintroducing modern sailing rigging components back into theatrical uses.
Brief Work History
- October 1991-Joined IATSE
- August 1997 to June 2019-Assistant Technical Director, Indiana University, Department of Theatre and Dance.
- July 2019 to December 2022-Production Technical Director, Indiana University, Department of Theatre and Dance
- August 1997 to present-Freelance as a local rigger on calls for:
- IATSE Local 618
- IATSE 49
- IATSE 30
Outside of theatre, Chris can be found training for his next 5k or dreaming up another adventure in the high Sierra’s or walking the local trails with his wife, Dana.