Messages

1

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Non-Union Pay Rate

« on: Jan 03, 2007, 03:16 am »

I've been looking through past postings with no luck, so I am sorry if someone has already asked.

What is the going rate(s) for non-Union SMs? -- in the Bay Area to be specific.

Thanks,
LJO

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: First Hard Show with Difficult Cast -- Please help

« on: Dec 11, 2006, 01:54 pm »

Reds, don't hide -- its okay.

To be very honest that is exactly what I have done with the show. During the rehearsal process I never questioned the director in front of the cast -- away from the cast I tried to keep it to hints and "suggested" schedules. It was only as the show got closer to opening (and we are talking a hand full of days) -- with pressure from the design team and the AD as well as the cast that I started to slightly lose it. The only time I EVER questioned him was after our 2nd preview when he was changing the blocking of scene that he had changed before the show that night, and after the show the night before; it was 10:45pm and the cast looked like they were going to kill. In a whisper I said: "Could we possibly do this tomorrow evening at 6(pm)?" (curtain at 8pm). Oh the fire and hail I got, but really they didn't look like they were getting the blocking --  beating a dead horse as it were. I should mention here that we rehearsed 7 days a week for 3 weeks solid (except for Thanksgiving). 

The not caring: I'm speaking purely on a personal level. Everyone in this show has had to pour in so much time, money, and emotions to pull it off. Really only about 3 weeks of rehearsals (the month before barely anything was done because many of the cast members were out of the country). The Director taking on the jobs of directing, costumer, prop design, and (unnecessarily) the job of sound design (he would have done lights and sets I'm sure if he knew anything about them) -- he got over invested in the show and when I see people working really hard, I want to do the best I can so I got over invested. I didn't have to loss my day job over this. I didn't have to spend my days and nights trying to figure out how all of this was going to work.

I had no running crew or ASM. Just me. It's no biggie -- almost all of the shows I've done had no crew. But when something needed to be done -- who was going to do it? We had tech folks that looked after the lights and programed the sound and built the set but all the props and costumes (dear lord I have never seen a show with so many props and costume pieces that only have 9 actors.) The Director also made lots of big promises that in the end I would have to do/pick up/make/buy.

The call time issues wasn't an issue during rehearsal. Yes they were taken aback when I would call them and say "Hi there -- are you on your way?" But I only made a stink about when we got into Tech -- because I needed them. Then I got annoyed when they would get mad at me because they were late for a call time for a performance.

The cast needs time to warm up, get focus, do whatever they need to do to get centered for a demanding show (2 music numbers, death scene, love scene, fight scenes). I asked the Theatre Manager (my direct supervisor) and she told me the cast really need to be there an hour before the curtain. From everything that I have read and been told, its my job to at least know where the actors are if they are not in the theatre at Call. Also having the AD sitting in your house going "this is it?" at the turn out of your cast at call time -- is a little humbling.

So I pressed -- probably too hard for CT but some cast members don't show until 5-10 minutes after the house should have open (there is not a way to backstage except though the stage itself).

But I'm taking it better now. The cast has learned that all it takes to appease <insert whatever they call me here> is a phone call.
Except for the lead. He's "too good" to call. But I know he will be there and he usually is by half hour to curtain.

The last couple nights I have held the house and even warmed up their curlers for them.

This tardiness is also affecting the curtain time. The best line ever for getting along with late actors is "How much time do you need?" (said respectfully and without an attempt at pushing). It lets them know that I have to pull strings -- but for them...I can do it (well up to 5 minutes).

Thanks for the input -- its good to know that during the rehearsal process I was going things more or less as I should.

3

Students and Novice Stage Managers / For those that want an update/ending (maybe?)

« on: Dec 08, 2006, 04:25 pm »

First to answer Sam: I now think that the cast might have been coming late to avoid the director! They heard Wednesday that the director wouldn't be there on that day or the next and last night many of them came on time!

Thank you to everyone on the forum for your support the other day. I was touched by the quick aid and support.

The stress of this show had been immense. Between Sunday and Wednesday's performances I really thought I was going to loss it.
It was wonderful to hear that this situation is ridiculous -- from people that know the profession. Your comments also gave me a good mind set to start from (aka "I could always quit" "I'm not getting paid enough to deal with this" "setting the theatre on fire --though not an option-- is tempting"). It also great to hear that the situation was not except able, I would hate to think this is the norm.

Here is how I handled it last night.

I went in god awful early (almost a standard for this show) and reworked the call board.
Placing on it a SM Suggestion "Box" (large envelope) with a note that read:

SM Suggestion “Box”

Have a suggestion?
Can’t find a time or place to make it?
Feel you can’t say it?
Don’t get frustrated.
Write it up and drop it in.

In hopes to constantly improve my performance as Stage Manager,
I leave this large envelope. Please feel free to drop a note in.

No need to sign. Anonymous is fine.
The important thing is that the information gets to me.

And I’ll see what I can do.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Then I got things ready for the show.
When the actors arrived I was already to work on some sound cues from the lead (big Drama Queen and also the leader of the whiners) and with joy in my heart I added two new sound cues almost a week after Opening (when things are suppose to stay the same from there on out). Then I worked on a number with the cast --ignoring what the director had said-- and changed the time I hit 2 of my cues. (I know I should try to keep with the directors vision but really I think the "vision" was slightly blurry).

I also didn't care about time so much (since I was straight up told not to)-- I just told the cast what time it was (they know that the show starts at 8pm) and would say things like "so its looking like we got 10min until I have to start the show -- you going to be there? "

The biggest whiners didn't say a bad word about me (that I could hear). It didn't hurt that the show was fantastic last night and the director was no where to be seen.

The cast seemed happy. The overall feel of the show was good. And at the end of the night no notes in the suggestion box.

The trick: I could say a lot of deep things but to put it bluntly -- "I don't have to care".
Its a new realization for me, but it was the caring about what actors thought, the caring about the quality of the show, the caring about how the process had been difficult that was really getting to me and in the end backfiring.
Some amount of caring is of course necessary -- but I don't have to.

Thanks again everyone. One day soon, I hope I will be able to add something more helpful then a horror story. Who knows maybe some other SM on the board will learn from this too!


Cheers,
LJO

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: First Hard Show with Difficult Cast -- Please help

« on: Dec 07, 2006, 06:29 pm »

Thanks for the kind words hbelden. (and everyone else too!)

Lord knows I would love to get some more SM friends and learn from them (I'm in a vacuum since I graduated).

The Artistic Director is out of town, but the Theatre Manager is his second and I did call her before I sent out a call for a meeting.

I totally had a speech drafted up and was getting ready to rehearse it old drama school style, but now its in the recycling.

I've been very lucky with the other 3 shows I've done. I've always said that. My luck was bound to run out.

I can work though it and learn from it. And be better for it 

5

Students and Novice Stage Managers / This just in: I don't have to care!

« on: Dec 07, 2006, 04:33 pm »

I just got off the phone with the Theatre Manager.

I had been complaining about how late everyone is and she wanted to know who the problem children.

I told her who and she point blank told me "If this was an Equity house I would say, meeting, big talk, be scary, but we are not and people are more or less donating there time -- don't worry about it."

True this doesn't solve the fact that the actors haven't been keeping me in the loop on what they want, but hey I have been pulling strings for them this whole time -- maybe soon they will realize I'm not just a Nazi with a stop watch. 

It could happen.

Maybe the suggestion box will help...

Thank you everyone for your help and insight.

"Set fire to the room ... do it quickly"

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: First Hard Show with Difficult Cast -- Please help

« on: Dec 07, 2006, 03:24 pm »

My first question is: how did you get this job and what were you told before you signed on?
My second question is: why haven't you quit yet?

I worked at the same theatre last year before I graduated and had a blast! They loved me so much the booked me for the next show I could do -- which wasn't for a year because I had to finish up annoying graduation requirements that could only be done at night.

Looking back I was warned. But no where near strongly enough as needed. People told me that the director needed "a foot on the ground" and someone who would "check in on him" all these words should of clued me in because no one says anything bad about other people in theatre (at least in SF) but I didn't get it.

I did meet with the Director. A week before rehearsals started. He had already met with the cast for photo shoots (I was working on another job that night). I asked him the standard questions and each of them were met with off handedness and a stunning confidence that I believe I will never fall for again.

The thing that completely though me was when I asked "what do you need from me to help things run smoother?" He replied "What do you need from me?" ... I think I laughed and said "Direction"  ...

It took me almost two weeks to get him to commit to a calender and only in the broadest of strokes. I finally learned that I had to determine the schedule (something that I haven't experience in since my other directors had a clear idea of what they wanted to do each night--usually a week in advance), but even when I checked in on him on the calender he would change his mind on what we were doing nulling the schedule entirely.

I have a fairly good relationship with the Theatre Manager and I did start talking a little to the Artistic Director (though we rarely had anytime to talk).

As for the quiting. I love the theatre.... Everyone -- but the director and 5/9 cast members....I'm also a gluten for punishment...and co-dependent...  <.<    >.> And no. I wouldn't give my worst enemy this job.

It is wonderful to know that people hearing this as completely flustered by this as me.
This has been a great learning experience...that much I can say.

Biggest thing I can share from all this is DO NOT let the Director undermine you. I heard a lot about not undermining the director but sometimes they do that enough on their own (can't fix that dam). You got to have a little pride for yourself and you have to be willing to stand up for it or you will find yourself just being walked on.

So I ain't leaven.
It's nice to hear that it wouldn't ruin my career if I did -- and I'll keep it as a "happy thought".
 
I'm getting together a good start on the speech from the other posts -- the more in put the better.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Rants: First Hard Show with Difficult Cast -- Please help

« on: Dec 07, 2006, 12:47 pm »

I'm fairly new to this forum -- in fact I think this is my very first post, but I'm at my wits end when it comes to this show and I'm looking for help where ever I can. I have separated my long rant into categories so if you want you can skip to end.

*Background of Me:*
I am 24 years old, a recent college graduate, in Technical Theatre, and have Stage Managed 3 shows. Still a novice but up until this show I thought I was doing well.

I am working at a small theatre in San Francisco with actors with very big egos. I have no running crew. I have no ASM. It has been me, the director, and the cast.

*Background of the Show:*
The director was like no director I had ever met before.
During rehearsal he insisted that it was alright for cast members to show up late and as a result they would call him instead of me because they knew he would be alright with it. I spent a good amount of time convincing actors to call me and talk to me about there conflicts and when they would be late. – Some of them were actually startled that I called them when they were late (tell me that I am not the only SM that calls actors that are not on time?)

The director spent a large amount of the rehearsal time talking about design elements and other things that the actors really didn't need to know. Thinking that this might be part of his “process” I never questioned him in front of the cast but it resulted in things never starting on time. I know that some directors need to take a few moments to ease into directing but this man took over 15 minutes every rehearsal.

 The show has also been changed so many time that I erased though the other side of my script replacing some parts of my script twice in less than 2 weeks. – Some of the biggest changes for both Cast and Tech was during Tech/Opening week when 5 things were cut or reworked completely in the span of 3 days.

We never had a read through of the script in rehearsal. It wasn’t until a week before Tech that we even got though the script beginning to end.

When I would ask the director about my concerns he would say something like “honey, this is how I do shows – the actors are professionals—they will have no problem.”

I was constantly shushed and dismissed during the rehearsal process as being a child.


*Now we get into my problems:*
The tardiness bugged me. I talked to many of my actors about it. I only got guff back. Many of them said “HE never starts on time anyway” or “I just can’t listen to him anymore then I have to” or  “I have an hour and half long commute – EXCUSE me if I am 5 minutes late”

As tech got nearer I tried again to pull in the reigns.

I started sending out e-mails, CC them to people as a paper trail of the conflict, telling people that the call time would be the start time of things happening and that they should strive to be on time or early.

This didn’t seem to change anything.

The Sunday after opening the Artistic Director wanted to talk to the cast right at call time. Less then half of them were there. I was told to give to the missing actors a call and I did.

When the actors arrived I was chewed out (behind me back – I was in the booth and they didn’t see me) then chewed out again when I went to apologies if I came across as being disrespectful. Then chewed out again by way of one of them trying to apologies (I think I heard a “sorry” somewhere in there).

Though it all I have not lost my temper and though my face has been bright red I have not broken down in front of them.

Because of this show I have lost my day job. I work my ass off and then last night was the kicker...

*Last night*
-The leading man was 20min late to call (10min before house opens he waltzes in)! Then gets in a huff because I still want to start on time.
-I was informed by two of my actors that people talk trash about me in the dressing room. -One of the actors yelled at me because I took one of the lighting cues before she exited – and was convinced that I wouldn’t do anything because it was her and not someone else.
-Strangely enough the actor that chewed me out on Sunday was rather nice to me … and that concerns me too.

*The Heart of the matter*
What is the best way to get a cast to realize that the SM is working as hard as she can can for them but they need to pull there weight too? (aka not be late to call time)
Anyone have any kick ass speech I can pull from?

Also has anyone ever put a suggestion box out for the cast? If I am doing something wrong I would rather have them tell me then just complain.

Thank you for your time and insight.