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Topics - Debo123

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(Not sure if this is the right location for this, but please move me if there's somewhere better.)

I am making the transition from being an intern in a professional environment to actually assisting in a professional environment. I've ASMed in the "real world" before, but now it's full fledged and full time, no "I'm an intern" label or September return to college to fall back on.
With this, I have been mulling over a few things and thought I'd seek some feedback.
So I ask:

What makes someone a professional?

For the seasoned folks, what qualities impress you in a young stage manager-- what tells you someone is progressing in their career and is not just a green SM anymore?

How do we qualitatively grow in our careers in ways that are less obvious than the quantitative business of mastering various paperwork styles and eloquently recording the rehearsal hotline? How does one do this early on in their career and get the most mileage out of it? How do those of you in the business for a long time continue to grow? What advice would you give your young self however many years ago when you were just starting professionally?

Excited to hear people's thoughts on this.

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SMNetwork Archives / Drinking Games
« on: Sep 18, 2006, 03:20 am »
...it’s probably best not to tech a show while under the influence of alcohol – but come on, many people have done.  Doesn’t  mean everyone should do it.


Well Matthew, personally, I'm a fan of the "hold please" drinking game during tech. But to each their own.

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So, I am a communicatively fluent Italian speaker.
I have seen some people on here talk about having worked in other countries, including Italy.
How did people get to work in Italy? International tours? I know a little bit about what does and doesn't exist there but any info is helpful. I am hoping to get my EU citizenship at some point in the next year (through my mother), and then I'd be able to work there... but how do people get hired out there?

(I am asking about Italy because I care chiefly about Italy, although if anyone has info about other countries, it would be really interesting to find out about them too.)

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SMNetwork Archives / Website suggestion!
« on: May 12, 2006, 08:11 am »
So it seems that more and more there are questions about topics that have already been extensively discussed and it makes everyone grumble a bit when we see the same question. Well we're stage managers, we solve problems, don't we? Let me suggest a solution to this one, so nobody starts heckling new members who are, more than likely, so overjoyed to have found a community of SMs and share their inquiries, that they don't realize they're jumping off the virtual bridge of e-awkwardness.
Can there be a FAQ section, or some sort of archiving of all the threads on the popular topics? I know there's a search feature but it is hard to sift through its results. Maybe just one page of most popular topics, and link to that page in the requisite email where you get your password. Or, it could pop up the first few times you log in or be a big link or something. Topics I'd suggest in there include grad school, undergrad, show calling, Broadway, kits, PSM vs. SM, tips for new stage managers, salaries, high school sms, etc. (Others I'm sure will remember other popular topics I have forgotten).

Made this into a poll! --PSMK

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So something else to chew over:

One of the guest artists on the show I'm doing right now actually graduated from my university in '75. In fact, even before coming to university, he received his Equity card as an SM at the age of 18. Now he acts and that's a whole other story.
However, point is we were discussing stage management yesterday after rehearsal, and he was telling me that it seems SMs nowadays don't care as much about maintaining the show, and don't concern themselves with being the defacto director after the show is up and running.
I am not doing a BFA program, but I would be interested in hearing what others think- those who are officially doing BFA and MFA programs now- is this something you get trained in as much as how to do paperwork and call cues, and also those who have been working a while- have you seen a shift like this? Any other thoughts?

NOTE: This is now a meta-thread, combining multiple merged threads on the same subject. - PSMK

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to use towards my thesis, which is in Stage Managment.
I am located in Boston.
What I think I'd like to do with that money is go to NYC and shadow some SMs on Broadway shows and also have the chance to meet/talk with them about their careers- I'll gladly throw down for a beer or two and maybe I can even schedule it to coincide with the bar nights that were being discussed on another post about networking in NY.
(It's not that I want to necessarily do Broadway one day, it's more that I'm fascinated by all the technical stuff at their disposal, and the complicatedness of it all is simply awesome. Understand I mean no disrespect to anyone who's not on Bway, nor do I think it's less worthy by any means - I just think the scale of those productions is such a cool testament about how far technical theater can truly go.)
That said, does anyone know someone, or is anyone out there on a Broadway/off-Bway SM staff who might be willing to let me come and shadow a show? Or, a rehearsal would also be extraordinarily cool (oooh, maybe a tech rehearsal??)  and very possibly even more beneficial to my education. I did this in the West End in London, but I want to see it stateside as well, if possible. I'm not sure what weekend I'll actually get to NY but if anyone has any contacts I could seek out-  that would give me a great jumping off place.
Additionally, I'm from Northern CA. If anyone knows anyone in the SM staff at Berkeley Rep or ACT- it would be so cool to shadow them too... and I could do that while I was home.

Finally, if anyone has any other suggestions about how I could better use that money towards educating myself about stage management, I am all ears.
(hmm... sorry i I got OT in my own post. I have a lot of ideas about this and I wanted to try to explain fully).
Thanks for any and all replies!

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The Green Room / SMs in media?
« on: Nov 09, 2005, 04:01 am »
Did any body else see the Sex in the City episode where Carrie was at the fashion show and the SM was prominently featured calling cues? Did anyone else feel special?
Does anyone know of other SM appearances in tv/film/books/media otherwise? I think someone on here once mentioned books with an SM as a character, but I can't remember anything else about that.

Just curious. We may have an underground cult following.

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This is for everyone out there, from the new SMs to the old pros- we are all always learning.
Which people have been your best teachers in stage managment (or theater)? Where did you learn from them and in what context? What made them great? What was the most important thing they taught you? What would be the one most important thing you'd want to impart to any SM you taught, regardless of their skill level?

I eagerly await what will surely be interesting responses.

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The Hardline / EMC weeks?
« on: Oct 16, 2005, 12:48 am »
So I am sitting here with this form from the summer that I need to mail in in order to start my EMC program, and I have a question about it. It's not a big deal, but I'd love to get this form filled out and taken care of (it's been a "to do" for too long!)
So I ASMed an Eq SM at a theater on a LOA contract. The SM was (I believe) contracted for a preproduction week and 11 weeks of rehearsal/perf, so 12 weeks altogether. On my form though, they ask for the date of the first rehearsal and the closing date. So, do I get to count that week of pre production in my weeks and get 12, or do I just get the 11, same as actors?
Should I just write the first reh date, closing date, 12 under anticipated weeks and then note the week of preproduction underneath that line?
In his job offer, the producing director told me I would get 12 weeks, but this was their first time doing 11 weeks of rehearsal and I think normally they do 12 so it's possible he hadn't thought of that when he said 12. Also I think this is probably going to the New York office so I dont know how much attention they pay to processing all these forms which is why I ask about the best way to communicate this to them.

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Hi everybody...
got a rather weird issue and am wondering if I can get any helpful suggestions.
We are working on a production of La Bete by David Hirschon. (hilarious play, by the way)
There's a part where we would like one of the characters to blow out "yolk" out of a large egg (about 18in high). Right now there is plastic tubing going through an egg and they tried shaving cream, but it's too thick to blow out well.
Any ideas? I'm not sure I explained this well, let me know if you need me to clarify.
Thanks! Hoping for some egg-selent suggestions, harharhar.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / NEW WORKS: new play!
« on: May 02, 2005, 09:32 am »
Hello out there in stagemanagement land,

I felt like this topic was somewhat broached in another thread at one point, but I searched and I couldnt find it. So, to get some fresh answers before I start my summer work...

I will be stagemanging a new play for a first time playwright who is also directing the show. (Dont know if it's the first show he's directed, though probably not). Advice? Rewrites and how to keep track of them? What should I be aware of since he's also directing it?

Anything anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROPS: Drugs, anyone?
« on: Sep 27, 2004, 01:14 am »
So, how do you do drugs... onstage?

I'm working on a show where we need to have two actors snort meth onstage. It's a 3/4 thrust and they're all the way downstage. Is there any powder that would actually be okay to snort? Any other ways to make it work?

And another character smokes crack... does anyone know anything about that/how to make it look real?

Just looking to see if I can get some good suggestions; any help is appreciated.

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So I just met with my director for the first time and she told me she likes to let blocking "evolve." She said what stage managers have done in the past is make columns and write down the different ways people are moving each of the first few times she runs it... I basically understood her, but does anyone have an example of what this looks like, suggestions on how to maybe do it better, or advice otherwise?
Thanks!

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