Well I just got a private message asking me to come over here and introduce myself so here I am
. I'm a junior in high school I'm from Western NC, and have so much left to learn! I've really enjoyed this forum so far it has helped me grow as an "techie" in more ways that I can put into words. I practically live at our local theatre, and love it there it's amazing! I first started theatre in the Fall of 2011 and since then I have been able to help with a grand total of four great productions at that theatre. Including my first time as an SM, cue call the whole enchilada. All went well through the first two dress rehearsals, until our third dress on opening night I walked in and turned the lightboard on, tested a few of the cues and it didn't have anything past the 21st cue! This is not something you want to find out opening night. The backup disk didn't work either and we were stuck with only 20 cues and only a few hours till opening. The show must go on though right? I came in early and reprogramed some of the cue chains that we really had to have and ran the show that night with the sliders, and a few programed blackouts and important light changes. I don't know how that worked, but you have to do what you have to do sometimes. And that's my first official SM story
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I've had my share of mess ups too. Unfortunately, that's how you learn, and thankfully I haven't made the same mistake twice yet. To me the SM is the most important job in all of theatre we hold everything together. We do what we do because we love it, not because we get paid, or are even recognized, or rewarded. We do it because we love live theatre and the challenges that it creates. The show doesn't happen without the SM but when you tell people what you do, they just nod and say, "What's that?" Stage Management may not be for everyone, but Stage Management totally is for me!
Thank you all for letting me participate in this wonderful forum. It has been so helpful, I've been able to find answers to questions and topics that are not on the normal internet.
Thanks Again!
~Caroline Naveen