CHAPTER 7 Power Distribution Power circuits are used to supply AC current to devices throughout a theatre. Often the words line voltage or main are used to describe the supply of 120 VAC power. This chapter is concerned with the methods used to distribute line voltage from an external source into a theatre and within the theatre itself. Some of the information in this chapter would apply to electrical work in any field, but the entertainment business uses very specialized equipment that differs substantially from what may be used in other industries. A lot of theatre practice is meant to be temporary, given the changeable nature of the business. Power distribution systems may be set up for one show, and changed for another. Portable cables are used to bring power and data to equipment, rather than using traditional hard-wired methods. Because entertainment depends on rapidly changing from one show to another, special devices are used to connect parts of the system together quickly, and to strike them just as quickly at the end of the show.