Messages

2056

Employment / Re: Do circuses have Stage Managers?

« on: Aug 05, 2006, 10:28 pm »

They hire any SMs, but not on an Equity contract - their shows are non-union - although, from my experience interviewing with them for various shows, they are looking for people with some pretty extensive backgrounds - many of the SMs were Equity SMs in "previous lifes".  It's a very interesting group to work with - not your typical SM stuff - there are lot of other responsibilities.  The position is not for eveyrone.  But that is what great about Stage Managing, there are so many different levels, productions, etc to work on - everyone can find their niche.

2057

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Creating a call script

« on: Aug 04, 2006, 04:51 pm »

When I do my script for calling - I keep the actor's page number on the bottom, and my page number at the top.

But seriously, how often do you say "let's pick up at the bottom of page 35" - you usually give a line and scene.  Besides a prop list, page numbers are rarely used - imho.

2058

Employment / Re: how do you get to Broadway?

« on: Aug 04, 2006, 04:49 pm »

No quick answers, other then there are few jobs, and many, many people competing for them - there is no one road there.  Usually a General Manager is looking for someone who has experience on Broadway already.  (There is a challange).

When I was in New York, I found that my regional theater experience would get me an interview here and there; it was not until my last week in New York I got four interviews - yeah, all with in two days of each other - and finally got one firm offer.  I turned it down for a host of reasons.

One way is to get in early to the whole commericial scene, as a PA and work yourself up.  (Hard, though, many people find it hard to jump from PA to ASM).

Move to New York, work on off-broadway shows, and hope for an opening.

Network, network, network.

Do a show that transfers to Broadway.

Lots of ways, not one is a "for sure" method.

So to answer the first question, not easy at all - not easy at all.

2059

Employment / Re: resume questions

« on: Aug 03, 2006, 12:29 pm »

About stars, yes, like mac said, I include the name of stars or big names included (or if it was a world premiere).

It's pretty common that the director is listed on the resume, so I don't think it needs to be referenced in anyway - also, one begins to work at a level where it's obvious these are directors.

http://www.stagemanager.net/Resume.html

2060

Employment / Re: resume questions

« on: Aug 02, 2006, 09:13 pm »

Eventually, it will be more important to put the director then the date.  Early in you career you may want the dates on there to show how long you have been working, but soon it may be more important to show which directors you are working with.

My resume is

Name of Show (+Stars)   Director    Position  Theatre/Location

That is one standard.

2061

The Hardline / Re: What Colleges (Don't) Say About AEA?

« on: Aug 01, 2006, 11:49 am »

I think it is a general fault across the board of prepping the BUSINESS and LIFESTYLE part of the world of theatre.  I too, after going to two undergrad programs, did not have a clear idea of how to join equity until I was in grad school. 

But let me play the other side of the coin, not everyone majoring in theatre will want to do it professionally, nor really should they.  Also, joing the union RIGHT out of undergrad may be problematic, so maybe the univeristy is doing a slight service by not pushing AEA membership.  Also, when I taught SM, I gave perhaps a paragraph on joining and then informed them how to contact the membership department letting the most eager students start the basic relationship with the union.

Even if students were educated on the basics of the union and union membership, it would be a difficult class indeed to have one that covered ALL the agrreements and contracts - although could be very interesting.

2062

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: resumes

« on: Jul 30, 2006, 06:14 pm »

I think one should be able to submit in either Word or PDF, and be ready to submit in what they ask for in the ad or statement.  If they don't specifcy, send both.  (I have opened up some Word resumes in the past, and they have been jumbled . . . a problem I have never had on PDF.)  I can open either, so it doesn't really matter to me.

As far as being hired blind, interestingly enough, since grad school . . . I have ALWAYS been hired blind (wait, I did one thing in New York where we met.)

2063

The Hardline / Re: AEA

« on: Jul 30, 2006, 06:08 pm »

For questions about joining the union, I highly recommend contacting the membership department directly. 

There are lots of ways to "join" the union, and each one is very specific.  Even the most well meaning advice from other SMs can be misleading.  (Early in my career I passed on information that was correct when I joined, not knowing that the rules had changed, and mislead a younger stage manager in complete innoncence.)

2064

Stage Management: Other / Re: Stage Managing Dance?

« on: Jul 30, 2006, 06:04 pm »

Calling off a stopwatch can also hasten the tech process.  If I know a cue has to happen 36 seconds into the sound cue, then I can note that and move on - I don't need to spend time trying to "find" the cue.  Often I tech to the stop watch, but during the run write in a better description. 

2065

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Skills needed for career SM

« on: Jul 29, 2006, 12:12 am »

Stage Management does require some technical skill, but it is basically a management position dealing with people skills.  You learn the tech skills as you go along - that's why you have a staff of technical positions below you.

2066

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Calling sound cues

« on: Jul 21, 2006, 12:00 am »

As sound cues, at least it regional theatre, and become more and more automated, it's just like calling LX cues.


They tend to be numbers, and every change you have to call advances the numbers.  Some designers like

Sound Cue 5 - Start the cue
Sound Cue 5.5 - volume change
Sound Cue 5.9 - Sound Out

But that is the deisgner's choice. 

2067

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Actor's Packets

« on: Jul 17, 2006, 11:03 pm »

My actor packet list (also worked on these today)

1)   Welcome to STC Memo
2)   Production Calendar
3)   Contact Sheet – Please note any changes to Stage Management
4)   Company Information Sheet – Please return to Stage Management
5)   Company List
6)   Who’s Who
7)   Character Scene Breakdown
   Comp Policy (from the Box Office)
9)   Paycheck Memo
10)   Contact Card – for your wallet
11)   Contact Magnet – for your fridge
12)   How to Get the Daily Call Memo
13)   ID Badge
14)   Directions to the Theatre
15)   Rehearsal Room Key



AEA Info
1)   AEA Ballot
2)    First Rehearsal Questionnaire
3)    Deputy Information

2068

Employment / Re: What questions should I ask in an interview?

« on: Jul 14, 2006, 07:18 pm »

Just to play Devil's Advocate . . .

I would be careful about asking too many questions at the first interview.

Often, asking some questions that are either obvious or overly basic at certain levels raises a red flag.

For example, if you are interviewing for an equity position, asking "how many days you get off per week" or "how often do I get paid" read as someone who does not really know the contract they are applying for.

I think one should divide the questions into two parts:

1) Questions for the interview - that would make or break this job. 
2) Questions when you are negotiating salary etc - the second round.

Always remember, everything is the business is usually negotiable.

2069

Employment / Re: Websites

« on: Jul 14, 2006, 12:18 pm »

http://www.emurse.com/

This is a resume building/posting site.

I have not used it, but might be interesting.

2070

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: The Ultimate Decision

« on: Jul 09, 2006, 06:45 pm »

 

How I Became a Stage Manager
By
M. (Matthew) William Shiner

I never remember on career day choosing this career – I am not sure who in their right mind would chose this career.  That in itself probably proves I am not in my right mind.

I started off (please no comments) as a child actor, and quickly found out the life of an actor is not all glamour and opening night parties, and soon found myself wanting to get out the business.  I actually remember HATING stage managers, and trying to get away with murder.  It must be karma coming back to haunt me sometimes when things don’t go quite as smooth as I would like.

In high school I made a decision to leave behind that part of my life, and I started to prepare my life to be one of the following; counselor, minister or high school teacher.  I started my undergrad education as psych major at UC Irvine, and probably would have stayed out of theatre for good, unless there wasn’t those pesky fine arts requirements.  One literature class lead to an acting class lead to declaring a theatre minor, then a theatre/pysch double major, and then finally dropping the pysch all together.  Watching a performance of Churchill’s Cloud Nine I was hooked.  I mean, I remember the night in the audience of Barnum starring Jim Dale in which he sang “Out There” just to me – I swear that to this day – I knew the magic of theatre and the power it has the audience.  But in college, I became enthralled with how it was all put together.  How did they do those quick changes?  The scene changes?  How was that lighting effect done? 

So, I spent a year (not by plan, but by chance) shadowing a grad stage manager at UC Irvine (Lisa Schiable) – first as crew, then two shows as an assistant stage manager – at that point I was hooked.  Yes, I continued to try my hand at acting (I had a flare for physical comedy and comedy in general – anything stylized.).  I wrote several plays that were performed and won contests.  I directed.  I designed.  But not one thing ever did it for me – it was having my hands a bit in every pie that seemed to be for me.

I also found out, I was kind of good at it.  I had the right personality for it.  I took pride in my work.  I had an incredible work ethic (I don’t mind long hours).  I had found my calling in life.  But it was never a light bulb.   I was asked to ASM here, SM there, and soon, I remember someone asking me what I did for a living, and I said I was a stage manager – and it hit.  That’s what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I remember my first real paycheck as a stage manager, it was something like $800 for two weeks work.  I was so happy to pay my rent with money I made for doing something I had been doing for nothing or next-to-nothing for so long. 

As I continued growing and learning, I learned that a lot of who am I is EXTREMELY well suited for this job.  Most of it comes very naturally for me and I do it well, well enough to make a very good living at for the past five years, and really no end seems to be in sight.  (Although at the end of a long week . . . sometimes I wish there was an end in sight.)

In the end, I think stage management found me more then I found it.