In the middle of calling an aerial act during a show I got a radio call to ask if I could switch to channel 4.  Channel 4 is the spare open channel needed for emergency situations.

After switching to channel 4. I am informed that our generator is on fire.  I ask if it is the generator running our show currently or the back up.  It’s of course the one running our show. I ask if we are switching over to our back up and I am told that it is the control panel that is on fire and they cannot manually switch the generator over to the back up or switch the generator off.

I look back at my darkish set with the full company performing, several flying through the air.

Got on come told all stage managers to be on deck in the wings with flashlights. All crew to standby for a black out and that we would stop the show and all would exit stage.  Just as I reached for the cue light signal to stop the show and also inform the band. The radio call came through, “ALL CLEAR- The transformer switch over on its own, we are now extinguishing the fire, you are set running power on the back up generator.”  Then the show continued as normal.