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Messages - deletedoldnotanymore

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1
Tools of the Trade / Re: PROPS: LED Throwies
« on: May 18, 2010, 09:20 pm »
EL wire might be an interesting consideration.

2
The Green Room / Re: Mind Games
« on: Jan 08, 2010, 11:25 pm »
I reply "Thank You X" to so much these days.  Just the other night:

"Guys, shut up, I'm starting the movie!" "Thank you movie."

3
Tools of the Trade / Re: Google Wave
« on: Dec 12, 2009, 03:41 pm »
I recently found an interesting use for Wave.  I was calling a show to a light board operator/lighting designer in a very small booth very close to the audience.  It was a manual board, so I gave him his warnings with what submasters to use over the wave.  I then gave him standbys and go's with hand gestures.  This was really easy, and I was able to see on to his screen to make sure the warning went through.

He was also able to put work notes and new cues into the show during tech with his assistant designer over the same wave, and I would see what the changes were.  Very handy.

4
College and Graduate Studies / Re: Transferring?
« on: Dec 04, 2009, 07:08 pm »
Hello!

I don't know how it works at other schools, and I know you said you aren't interested in Emerson, but here is how we handle transfers.  It is possible to transfer into our BFA program, but it would almost certainly take 3 years (though depending on your credits and if you have done any internships, it could be 2).  We have a few students who have transferred in.  Some of them decided to move into the BA program in order to graduate faster, and some stayed in the BFA program.  Either way, you can receive assignments for Mainstage shows as well as find work on student shows.

I hope this helps, if not you, someone else!

Christian

5
The Green Room / Re: Holiday countdown!
« on: Dec 02, 2009, 10:36 pm »
6 days until I open my current show.
11 days until I go into tech for a short festival of directing projects.
15 days until the concept meeting for my big show next semester.
19 days until I get to go back to Minneapolis and have a great Holiday break/try to find some summer work.
30 some days until I TD and PSM a 24-hour play festival.

6
The Hardline / Re: John Connelly resigns as AEA exec director
« on: Dec 01, 2009, 07:54 pm »
Based on the article having a statement from him, I wouldn't say it was a leak.

7
How do you guys feel about actors releasing information, though not taken from a performance report, that would be in there?  For example, the actress playing Mother in the current Ragtime revival made a Twitter post about the baby doll breaking on stage.

8
College and Graduate Studies / Re: Portfolio Reviews
« on: Nov 10, 2009, 01:41 pm »
I'm currently preparing for interviews at Syracuse University, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and Emerson College. I am hoping to get some advice about what exactly to include in a portfolio, what they will actually look at, and just generally what to expect. Will they actually look at a full prompt book if I bring it? What should I expect them to want to keep (other than my resume', of course)?
Any and all advice is much appreciated

Hey Lauren,

I'm a stage management student at Emerson right now.  My portfolio included selected pages from a few different prompt scripts, some schedules, some pre-production paperwork, some tech week stuff, and some of my design work.  If you bring a portfolio that shows off your best work, they'll be happy, don't worry about everything being from the same or from different shows.  Emerson kept just my resume and the cover sheet that you send in with your portfolio, other schools wanted to keep a copy, so have one just in case.

If you have any other questions about the Emerson program or the interviews please feel free to contact me here or by email (cdcarter@gmail.com).  I know we are starting interviews very soon here, and I'll probably be in the office when you interview, so if you have any questions before or after just ask!

Thanks,
Christian

9
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Barrell-Through Tech
« on: Apr 19, 2009, 12:05 pm »
I have been exposed or convinced to try as many different ways of running techs that you could imagine, but I keep falling back to one method.  A paper tech with every designer a week out, and then two days of tech, going through the show in order, writing and finalizing cues, relatively cue to cue, but giving the actors or director some time if they want to run a scene.

10
In terms of classes for the major, I think that there should be Stage Management (probably two levels), Production Management, Arts Management/Administration, perhaps a Business or Finances course covering basic stuff like that, Directing I, Acting I, Concepts of Design, Psychology 101, Child Psych 1, 2 levels of theater literature covering major works, and of course a Stagecraft course in each of the major areas.

11
College and Graduate Studies / School Decisions
« on: Apr 06, 2009, 03:51 pm »
I, like every one else these, am trying to pick where I will be next year.  I am trying to decide between Emerson and BU for stage management, and was wondering if any current students in either program could contact me with a PM or email.

12
SMNetwork Archives / Re: I could have kissed them!
« on: Dec 12, 2008, 09:30 pm »
I had to have an understudy fill in today during rehearsal for the roll of Arkadina in the Seagull.  She made it through a full run rather well, although she got a nice stack of blocking notes.  At one of our breaks, she came up to me and asked me, completely unprovoked, "Hey Chris, I most definitely don't have the blocking for acts 3+4, could I just copy it down now to make this next half go smoother?"  I love understudies who understand how to get stuff done!

13
The Green Room / Re: I can't believe I just had to do that...
« on: Nov 30, 2008, 12:30 pm »
not sure it was THE weirdest, but i did a show where i had t call a cue "Mango Drop GO" three times each night. Then a fake mago would fall onto the fake tin roof and bounce down and roll randomly across the stage... it made me laugh to myself every time.

I had to do a mango drop for Once On This Island!

14
Students and Novice Stage Managers / A Sticky Situation
« on: Nov 27, 2008, 03:23 pm »
High school theater....

To give you a bit of background, I take a very actor based approach to stage managing.  I do everything that a stage manager should do in terms of the technical side of things, but I also know and trust the staff in my program well enough that it isn't something I need to worry about as much.  I get them the information, and I go and check in with them, but I know that my props mistress will make a props list with a much clearer idea of what we can work with, and my LD can make a very complete cue list, that I only need to supplement with information from rehearsal.  I create these things for them only out of courtesy, and so we have something to start with.  I focus most of my energies working with the actors.  I make sure to build up a strong relationship with them (starting with cookie Friday's) and make sure I know every single one of them.  I go to their other shows and their concerts, they always receive cards at them.  I go out of my way to make them feel comfortable.  And, it often turns out, I am the only person looking out for them.  I am the one who stands up for them at production and scheduling meetings, I am the only one who thinks that having a kid go on wearing a burlap shirt with no undershirt might be a bad idea.  I had to lobby to buy a first aid kit for the rehearsal room!  I end up commanding a lot of respect from the actors, and it means a lot when I yell at them, because they know if I am angry at them, something is really bad.

Last year I was thrown into a very interesting situation.  The stage manager for a show announced to us he couldn't be there for three of the five performances.  I got tossed the position, two weeks before tech rehearsal.  The show was directed by a student, who also happened to be the playwright.  Thankfully (for reasons that will soon become apparent) all the actors had been in shows before.  I come in, and see that rehearsals were starting an hour late, there was not (apparent) schedule, and a good portion of the show hadn't been blocked.  Even less had been recorded.  The director was a tyrant, would run scenes over and over again, yelling at the actors for doing it "wrong" with no explanation, and tossing the understudy out of rehearsal for asking a question about the blocking.  At one point she handed the lead a note that said "Everything."  I was able to whip the show into shape, thankfully all the technical stuff had been arranged, and I was the sound designer, and that was the only cue heavy part.  But still, the director was treating the cast, and me, terribly, not respecting artistic boundaries, or even acknowledging that she was working with humans.  I talked to the artistic director of the program one we finished the first tech, and she said she saw the issues, but by the time they became apparent, there was little she could do, which I understand.  Afterward, we had a talk with the director and she was made aware that she wouldn't be directing again, but, I still couldn't help feel bad for the cast.  I knew the director wasn't going to be apologizing any time soon, but I also knew it would be breaking many boundaries if I apologized to the cast on her behalf.  I ended up just telling them I was sorry I came on so late, and wasn't able to get the show together and calm her down much earlier on.  How would you guys have handled a situation like this?

15
Tools of the Trade / Re: Going Green
« on: Nov 27, 2008, 12:39 pm »
I don't know if this has been posted around, but I thought it was fairly interesting.  The Mayor of London's Office put out some recommendations and a carbon footprint calculator for making theaters more green.
http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/publications/2008/09/green-theatres.jsp

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