916
College and Graduate Studies / Re: Stage Management Colleges
« on: Nov 16, 2008, 09:48 pm »
I think Yale requires the GRE.
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14 Jan 2021: Happy 21st birthday, SMNetwork! I replaced the old broken mobile theme. -K
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917
College and Graduate Studies / Re: Best schools for SM.
« on: Jul 30, 2008, 01:34 pm »
That's a really great and thorough posting about the college search. It was interesting and informative even for those of us who have already been through the process. Thanks for the post.
918
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: When you ought to have experience but you don't think you really do...
« on: Jul 14, 2008, 07:41 pm »
I don't feel like it should "hurt" you. You had an experience, working at a particular company, and now you're moving on. Use the experience you had and learn from it, and move forward. Look for other jobs that you will learn from - ASMing is always a good way to learn, no matter what your experience level is.
Plus, working in a less-than-ideal situation often can motivate you to creatively problem-solve, and that's a big asset for SMs. Instead of presenting it as a negative aspect of your experience, you could use it to your advantage- figure out how this season has made you a better stage manager.
Just be open and willing to learn new things, and adapt the things you learn to work for you.
Plus, working in a less-than-ideal situation often can motivate you to creatively problem-solve, and that's a big asset for SMs. Instead of presenting it as a negative aspect of your experience, you could use it to your advantage- figure out how this season has made you a better stage manager.
Just be open and willing to learn new things, and adapt the things you learn to work for you.
919
Employment / Re: in between work...
« on: Jul 10, 2008, 10:08 pm »
One of the things I do to fill employment gaps is to "space-sit" at a theatre that I sometimes stage manage for. When one of their spaces isn't being used, they will rent it out to other theatre companies or groups, and they need to have a staff person on duty so unlock doors, answer questions, sometimes turn on equipment. It's not hard work, and I already know my way around the building, so it works out pretty well.
I've also done work for a dance studio, a documentary film festival, a non-profit arts organization, and other things- almost all of which I've found through friends, colleagues, or relationships I've developed with arts organizations over the last few years. I just make sure that the people I know are aware that I am looking for work and am open to opportunities when they come up- it's surprising how well it works out. Being open to doing other types of work helps a lot- and broadens my experience. I don't do much (if any) work that isn't arts-related in some way, and almost all of it is somehow theatre-related, even if not production work.
Maybe you could see if any of the theatres you work at have non stage management opportunities available over the summer.
I've also done work for a dance studio, a documentary film festival, a non-profit arts organization, and other things- almost all of which I've found through friends, colleagues, or relationships I've developed with arts organizations over the last few years. I just make sure that the people I know are aware that I am looking for work and am open to opportunities when they come up- it's surprising how well it works out. Being open to doing other types of work helps a lot- and broadens my experience. I don't do much (if any) work that isn't arts-related in some way, and almost all of it is somehow theatre-related, even if not production work.
Maybe you could see if any of the theatres you work at have non stage management opportunities available over the summer.
920
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Timing question
« on: Jul 07, 2008, 10:06 pm »I always take the timings each scene during the first read thru
[L]ots of people might ask you early on what run time will be - crews, box office staff, etc.
I agree- it's nice to have that info ready if asked, even if it's an approximation.
921
Uploaded Forms / Re: Show Survival Kit
« on: Jun 01, 2008, 06:02 pm »
i did something similar for a show last year- one of the downsides is a file that large can be problematic to load on a slower computer. (i had a file with a backstage runlist, preshow/postshow checklist for each crew member, quick change plot, etc each on different tabs).
for a show with a larger SM team, you could use the 'track changes' feature, and leave the file on a shared computer drive. or pass a thumbdrive back and forth.
for a show with a larger SM team, you could use the 'track changes' feature, and leave the file on a shared computer drive. or pass a thumbdrive back and forth.
923
The Hardline / Re: SMA
« on: Jan 28, 2008, 07:17 pm »
http://www.stagemanagers.org/membship.htm
From the website:
Full membership
Any person who has worked under a recognized contract of any branch of the 4A Unions (AEA, SAG, AGMA, AFTRA) as a Stage Manager or Assistant Stage Manager, or who can demonstrate comparable experience as a professional stage manager, is eligible for full membership. Full members enjoy all benefits and privileges of the SMA, including eligibility to serve as a member of the Executive Board, and the right to vote in elections and on SMA issues.
Associate membership
Any person who demonstrates an intent to pursue a career as a professional stage manager is eligible for Associate Membership. An Associate member may attend all meetings and gatherings, and serve on committees, but has no voting privileges. Once an Associate member feels he or she qualifies for Full Membership, he or she may apply for a change in category, subject to review by the Membership Committee.
From the website:
Full membership
Any person who has worked under a recognized contract of any branch of the 4A Unions (AEA, SAG, AGMA, AFTRA) as a Stage Manager or Assistant Stage Manager, or who can demonstrate comparable experience as a professional stage manager, is eligible for full membership. Full members enjoy all benefits and privileges of the SMA, including eligibility to serve as a member of the Executive Board, and the right to vote in elections and on SMA issues.
Associate membership
Any person who demonstrates an intent to pursue a career as a professional stage manager is eligible for Associate Membership. An Associate member may attend all meetings and gatherings, and serve on committees, but has no voting privileges. Once an Associate member feels he or she qualifies for Full Membership, he or she may apply for a change in category, subject to review by the Membership Committee.
924
The Hardline / Re: SMA
« on: Jan 21, 2008, 12:41 pm »I have thought about joining SMA in the past, but I have personally had good luck finding jobs through personal contacts/networking, the DC/Baltimore AEA liaison committee's postings, and the DC Theatre Tech pages (a yahoo group).
I have an SMA membership- although I don't find a lot of DC area work through it. I would agree that personal contacts and networking have been the top ways that I have found work in this area.
Benefits:
It's nice to get the job postings via email, and I find it more useful for out of town listings (including opera). I'm a fan of the Operation Observation, and hope to be taking advantage of it again when my schedule permits me. And they are organizing relevant online chats- today's is regarding tax preparation, which I think will definitely be interesting. So on the whole, I think that it's a good resource, and that it's working towards becoming more relevant and useful for its members.
That being said, it doesn't do much for me in terms of getting work and making connections in DC. Some of the other resources mentioned here (the DC theatre tech yahoo group, and the stage management forum being held next Monday) are more specific to the area. Many of the job postings are for showcase productions in New York- not something I'm interested in. I don't know that it would have done much for me when I was in college; there are a lot of other resources available, including job listings on Backstagejobs.com. And in terms of observations, you could contact some of the local theatres directly and ask to shadow someone if you were interested.
On a side note, someone on this thread mentioned ArtSearch- I think UMD has a subscription, so you can probably access it through them instead of having to pay for an individual subscription.
I weighed the cost vs benefits in college, and waited until I was a few years out of school to join.
925
Employment / Re: cover letters for internships
« on: Jan 15, 2008, 07:46 pm »
I can only speak to what I personally use in cover letters, so here goes. I aim for short and sweet- none of these paragraphs is more than a few sentences long.
First, I do an introduction that includes who I am, what position I am interested in, and if applicable, where or who I heard about the position from.
After that I do a short paragraph about my experience- school, outside jobs, other experience that I think applies. Sometimes I include a current project, and particularly if I'm applying for an out-of-town position, I include the area where I'm located.
Then a paragraph of any questions I have about the position- this is where I would ask about what they want included in a portfolio. For an internship, I probably wouldn't include too many questions- those would be great to ask if you get an interview. And if the job requires something that I think I am uniquely qualified for, I include that as well. (I like to respond to information that was in the ad for the position- such as "I read music, and have experience with large cast operas." if that's what they were looking for.)
Finally, I do a very brief conclusion that tells them that my resume and references are attached, and that they can contact me for any additional questions, etc. And I thank them for their consideration.
I don't put too much info in my cover letters- I save most of it for an interview. I've never had to make a portfolio before, but if it was me, I would simply ask them what they were looking for, and work from there. My big things for cover letters are short, sweet, and polite. Hope this helps, and good luck!
First, I do an introduction that includes who I am, what position I am interested in, and if applicable, where or who I heard about the position from.
After that I do a short paragraph about my experience- school, outside jobs, other experience that I think applies. Sometimes I include a current project, and particularly if I'm applying for an out-of-town position, I include the area where I'm located.
Then a paragraph of any questions I have about the position- this is where I would ask about what they want included in a portfolio. For an internship, I probably wouldn't include too many questions- those would be great to ask if you get an interview. And if the job requires something that I think I am uniquely qualified for, I include that as well. (I like to respond to information that was in the ad for the position- such as "I read music, and have experience with large cast operas." if that's what they were looking for.)
Finally, I do a very brief conclusion that tells them that my resume and references are attached, and that they can contact me for any additional questions, etc. And I thank them for their consideration.
I don't put too much info in my cover letters- I save most of it for an interview. I've never had to make a portfolio before, but if it was me, I would simply ask them what they were looking for, and work from there. My big things for cover letters are short, sweet, and polite. Hope this helps, and good luck!
926
Employment / Re: Theatre in Minneapolis
« on: Dec 16, 2007, 09:13 pm »
I did a show recently that was a co-production with a theatre in DC and Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul. I was there for a week, and it would definitely be worth looking into. PM me if you want an email for someone there.
I don't know much about the theatre scene there but I heard that the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis does good work- from their website it looks like they have a stage management apprenticeship and several internships.
I don't know much about the theatre scene there but I heard that the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis does good work- from their website it looks like they have a stage management apprenticeship and several internships.
927
Tools of the Trade / Re: Line Note- POST ITS!
« on: Nov 12, 2007, 02:10 pm »
Scott- I use the same method. Easy, quick, and effective. It also doesn't tie someone up doing nothing but line notes- you can easily keep track of that and be on book and track props....
928
Employment / Re: full time or part time?
« on: Oct 25, 2007, 05:34 pm »
If I have more than a week off between contracts, I'll look for some filler work (mostly so that I don't get bored). I do scenic painting, and occasionally other work in theatre. I recently started doing some work as an independent contractor for a non-profit arts organization- I've been volunteering there for years so it wasn't a far stretch.
If this is what you want to do for a living, it's definitely possible to make it work. Stage management is my full-time job- everything else is basically a hobby.
If this is what you want to do for a living, it's definitely possible to make it work. Stage management is my full-time job- everything else is basically a hobby.
929
Employment / Re: Conductors on an opera resume
« on: Sep 17, 2007, 10:32 pm »
i include the director and conductor- mine is structured like this:
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR THEATRE/ARTISTIC
the theatre/artistic category lists the company name and if there was any other info i wanted to include- conductor's name, music director's name, if it was a world premiere, etc. that way i don't have to separate out theatre from opera. i have SM and ASM positions in two separate categories.
i do agree with what's been said- that it wouldn't be unreasonable to put it in a cover letter. i just like having as much info as possible on the resume itself.
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR THEATRE/ARTISTIC
the theatre/artistic category lists the company name and if there was any other info i wanted to include- conductor's name, music director's name, if it was a world premiere, etc. that way i don't have to separate out theatre from opera. i have SM and ASM positions in two separate categories.
i do agree with what's been said- that it wouldn't be unreasonable to put it in a cover letter. i just like having as much info as possible on the resume itself.
930
Stage Management: Other / Re: Otello, Turn of the Screw, Tosca...tips or memorable moments anyone?
« on: Aug 02, 2007, 05:25 pm »
I did Otello about 4 years ago.