Automation Technician & Programmer

Making the impossible
move flawlessly.

Rory is a live entertainment automation specialist, Crew Chief and Head of Automation, Navigator programmer, and performer flying expert with over 10 years of experience delivering automation for world-class touring productions across over 35 countries, including multiple Cirque du Soleil shows.

View credits → Get in touch
About

Built on the road.
Proven on stage.

2000+
Shows
35+
Countries
10+
Years
1000+
Axis Moved

I’m Rory Boyd, a live entertainment automation specialist with more than 10 years of experience delivering automation systems for major touring productions around the world. Throughout my career, I’ve led automation departments on large-scale productions, managing teams and complex motion systems in challenging live environments.

Whether opening a new production, navigating technical issues during a performance, or delivering a show in a new country every week, I thrive under pressure and enjoy solving problems where safety, reliability, and precision are critical. My experience spans theatres, arenas, and touring productions across over 35 countries, including multiple Cirque du Soleil shows.

I specialise in show automation, performer flying, and motion control systems, combining technical expertise with practical leadership to help productions run safely and consistently at the highest level.

On Tour

Everywhere the
show has taken me.

165
Cities
35+
Countries
World map
A Coruña Abu Dhabi Adelaide Albany Alicante Allentown Amherst Antwerp Asuncion Auckland Baltimore Barcelona Beirut Belfast Belo Horizonte Berlin Birmingham Bordeaux Boston Brasilia Bridgeport Brisbane Brooklyn Brussels Buenos Aires Cedar Park Chelyabinsk Christchurch Cincinnati Cleveland Cologne Colorado Springs Columbus Corpus Christi Córdoba Denver Detroit Dominican Republic Dublin Edmonton Ekaterinburg El Paso Elmont Erie Espoo Fairfax Fishers Fort Worth Frankfurt Frisco Gdansk Geneva Glasgow Granada Grand Rapids Hamburg Hamilton Hannover Hershey Hoffman Estates Jacksonville Kansas City Kazan Kelowna Kiev Kingston Knokke-Heist Krakow Kuwait City Laredo Lausanne Laval Leeds Leipzig Lille Lisbon Liverpool London London ON Loveland Lubbock Malaga Manchester Mannheim Medellín Melbourne Mendoza Miami Milan Milwaukee Minsk Moline Montevideo Montpellier Montreal Moscow Munich Murcia Nantes New York City Newark Newcastle North Charleston Nottingham Nürnberg Oberhausen Oklahoma City Oshawa Oslo Palm Desert Pamplona Panama City Perth Philadelphia Pittsburgh Portland Prince George Providence Puerto Rico Quebec City Riga Rio Rancho Rio de Janeiro Riyadh Rockford Rome Rotterdam Saint Petersburg Salzburg Santander Santiago Savannah Sheffield Sioux Falls Sochi Spokane St Catharines St John Strasbourg Stuttgart Sunrise Sydney São Paulo Toledo Tolyatti Toulouse Trieste Tucson Tulsa Ufa Uniondale Vancouver Victoria West Palm Beach West Valley City Windsor Winnipeg York Zaragoza Zurich
Credits

Shows I’ve
been part of.

Get in touch →
ABBA Voyage
Current
ABBA Arena · London
ABBA Voyage
Show Type
Resident Show - London
Provider
WI Creations
Role
Fly-In Automation Support
Crystal
Cirque du Soleil
Crystal
Show Type
World Arena Tour
Provider
TAIT Towers
Role
Crew Chief / Head of Automation, Interim HOD Rigging
’Twas the Night Before
Cirque du Soleil
’Twas the Night Before
Show Type
Seasonal Tour - N. America
Provider
FlyPatt, Microtrol
Role
Crew Chief / Head of Automation
Alegría
Cirque du Soleil
Alegría
Show Type
Big Top Tour - Europe
Provider
TAIT Towers, Scentique
Role
Crew Chief / Head of Automation
Messi10
Stereo Touring
Messi10
Show Type
Arena Tour - Saudi Arabia
Provider
TAIT Towers, WI Creations
Role
Crew Chief / Head of Automation
OVO
Cirque du Soleil
OVO
Show Type
World Arena Tour
Provider
TAIT Towers
Role
Crew Chief / Head of Automation, Showcaller
Kurios
Cirque du Soleil
Kurios
Show Type
Big Top Tour - Europe
Provider
TAIT Towers, Scentique
Role
Crew Chief / Head of Automation (Temp)
Skills & Expertise

The toolkit that keeps
the show running.

From programming complex performer flights to heading automation departments on global tours - technical depth and live-show instinct, built over years on the road.

Core Skills
  • 01Show Programming & Operating
  • 02Department leadership - Crew Chief / Head of Automation
  • 03Aerial act development & integration
  • 04Rigging & mechanical systems
  • 05Mechanical maintenance
  • 06Stage management & show calling
  • 07Logistics and Transfers
Systems & Platforms
  • 01TAIT Navigator
  • 02WI Creations
  • 03Microtrol
  • 04Kinetic Lights / WhiteVoid
Beyond Automation

A whole country,
checked in.

When Covid hit, live entertainment shut down overnight and the touring work disappeared - so I built something else. I designed and shipped ProtectHighland, a Test & Protect check-in app that started as a way to keep my parents' restaurant open safely. It quickly grew into a national rollout across 15+ regions and thousands of locations - from the Cairngorms and the Outer Hebrides to Glasgow, Perthshire and the Borders - racking up millions of check-ins. We worked with NHS Digital Scotland, the Scottish Government and local Chambers of Commerce to keep venues open safely, and the project was covered in national press.

#ProtectHighland
Scan venue QR code
Point your camera at the code
The Highland Kitchen
Welcome back, Rory
Party size−2+
Check in
You're checked in
The Highland Kitchen
Stay safe - thank you
15+
Regions Live
1000+
Businesses
Millions
Check-ins
National
Press Coverage
ProtectHighland app rolled out across 15 Scottish regions
Scroll to see all 15 →
Contact

Let’s work
together.

Available for touring productions, residencies, and one-offs worldwide. Whether you need a Navigator programmer, an automation tech for load-in, or a Crew Chief / Head of Automation for a full run - get in touch.

rory@rorydboyd.com
Email
→
LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/rorycboyd
→

Phone Remote Control

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