Measure the length of the stage and the height between the stage and the traveler tracks.
Divide the measurements in half to determine center stage and add 1 foot to each measurement to account for curtain overlap.
Double the measurements for each side and add an additional foot to the length to account for the fullness of the drape. For instance, you have a stage that is 9 feet in width and 10 feet high. Most velour or velvet comes in 60-inch wide panels, so you will need 20 feet of fabric or four panels for each side to accommodate the stage width. Each panel will be 11 feet in length to fit the height and have a 4-inch hem at the top and 8-inch hem at the bottom.
Measure the panels for the first side. Cut the panels to the width you need and pin them together with the pins going horizontally so that they can be sewn on the sewing machine without breaking the needle. Sew the panels for each side together. Measure and pin the top 4-inch hem, and a 1-inch hem at each of the outside edges. Pin and hem the bottom 8-inch hem. Repeat for the second panel.
Add the grommets to the top hem. Measure the top hem again, this time using a pin to mark 4-inch intervals. This is where you will be placing the grommets. Place a grommet at each pin mark and hammer it against the wood block (or other hard surface) into the curtain.
Select the hooks according to the installed tracks' operational manual. As there are many different types of tracks and hooks, you need to be sure that you have the right hooks. The last thing you want is for your curtains to fall during a production. S-hooks are usually best to use.
Attach the hooks to the grommets on the curtain. To make sure the hook doesn’t slip off, tape it with masking tape until it is installed. One end of the hook is attached to the curtain while the other end is set for the track.
Set up the ladder under the tracks. Have the tracks semi-closed so that you won’t have to move the ladder too often. Hang the hooks onto the track. Remove the tape. Practice opening and closing the curtains to make certain that the 12-inch overlap is working and not letting light through. Ensure that each hook is attached to the appropriate holes.
Test the curtain by opening and closing it several times. Large theaters have motorized tracks that a stage manager handles by pressing a button on his control board, while smaller theaters depend on the old fashioned pulley system that has one end attached to a pulley on the top of the track and the other pulley bolted to the floor with a sturdy rope encircling each pulley. A stagehand operates this by pulling the rope and drawing the curtains back.