I Stage Manage full-time for an Equity theatre company in Ohio and our first show of next season is a new musical that is going to rehearse in New York City. The show has been workshopped there a couple of times and the cast, director, and designers are out of New York so my company is sending me and my assistant there to rehearse it before we bring it back to Ohio for tech and performances. It will probably go back to New York for an off-Broadway run from here (without me, though). I'll have a week of prepro there and 3 weeks of rehearsals and the producers will put my assistant and I up in housing yet to be determined (my assistant is the Stage Management apprentice for the full season who I just hired and who will have only started the week before we leave, so that will be an adventure as well...)
I'm excited of course, but there is a lot that I still need to work out. I'll be in New York starting the last week of August and if anyone has any advice for me I'd appreciate it!
Some things I'm wondering about...
*Is anyone doing a show in New York the last week of August that I can come shadow? Or want to meet up for drinks?
*I think I need to negotiate a per diem and haven't done this before -- any tips?
*I have a fantastic support system at my company here that I will be doing without in rehearsals for this show and I'm a little nervous about that. Has anyone else been in a similar situation before?
*Any tips on finding/borrowing/creating rehearsal props in NYC?
I'm sure I'll have lots more questions, I just haven't had much time to think about this yet. Any thoughts you have would be most appreciated!
Thanks