I could have kissed them!

[Tempest]

Tonight, during a radio interview, instead of it all being, "Me me me me me!" my actors thanked all the production team by name, including myself and my ASM.  Love my BOYZ!

[crazychicksj]

I could have kissed my actors when they...

wrote not only me but they entire cast, crew, and production team heartfelt cards that specifically sited incidents she was grateful for as well as stating her favorite thing we'd done for the production. It was a really sweet gesture and I know she must have spent a lot of time on that!

when without being asked dropped their conversation backstage to help a confused deck crew member who was near tears (it was her first show) sort out with a props issue, told her she was doing great for her first time, and met with her later to give her advice and remind her that everyone has to start somewhere. He proceeded to help her re-map the table before the next performance and helped her lay out props for the rest of the run. Sometimes it's just nice to know the cast recognizes the crew, I gave him a very big hug at the end of the run when I found out. I'd had no idea the girl had been so stressed out, she'd been afraid to say anything!

[BeckyGG]

When, after a 5 hour tech for a 2.5 hour musical that's part of a festival, the majority of the cast thanked me for getting us through the show smoothly.  And one of my actresses said the only things she was worried about for the performance was putting her chair on spike and if her hat was going to fall off. 

Another one of my actors brought a cupcake in for my assistant and myself - and was going to wait until closing, but brought them early since he knew it was my ASM's final performance with us.

[dallas10086]

I could have kissed my PSM when I was an intern at NSMT when I asked permission from the director if I could get on stage to clean up a spill (the actor he was talking to was onstage and I didn't want to be a disturbance or a distraction). The PSM noticed and, during a meeting with the production crew, said that you never have to ask permission to do your job, everyone's job is equally important. Then he sent a little smile my way. It was this little thing that gave me confidence that, as young as I was, I had a right to be there and do my thing.

[JessieLynn]

A touch of background first, our theatre, like most I assume, is haunted. Atleast we're pretty sure. We've named the little ghost Trevor and to appease him and keep him from messing with things we sing "The Magical Trevor Song" (which comes from a hilarious flash cartoon of the same name.) before shows and tech rehearsals.

....it was about half way through our run of RUR. Just about the time that the sound board stops working, ya know? So I had my handful that night trying to just get everything to turn on. I had poor little freshmen trying to run things back stage for me that show, who was equally harried because the cast thought it might be fun to all run around in their underpants until about 10 til cue that night. He'd been calling up to me all night to get help to fix this or that, and finally I hear him over my headset sounding like he's about to cry or pass out and he says: "Jessie the actors won't leave me alone. Kelsy says she won't go on unless you've sung the magical Trevor song. They said they'd all sung it, but they don't think it will work unless you sing it too. What the hell are they talking about!?!" I of course relayed to him that I had already sung it. It's kind of a silly story, but it made me feel loved.

[geoffsm]

I got an email from one of my cast members today saying that, on behalf of the cast, they are so happy to have me as their SM instead of one of the other SM's in the company.  It really touched me that she would take the time to stop and write me a note like that.  And, in reality, I wouldn't care if she didn't because this *knock on wood* is the easiest company that I have ever worked with (actors, director, and designers included).

AND...
I lost an ASM today due to a problem with grading (evidently he had never registered for practicum...ahh the joys of collegiate theatre) and one of the cast members with a smaller role stepped right up and said that she would double as my ASM when she wasn't acting. I almost DID kiss her.

[kiwitechgirl]

I could have kissed four of my current cast members who are going way, way above the call of duty at the moment; we're in the midst of production week for La Cage aux Folles and my only crew member is one ASM; the cast do all the scene changes (we usually work this way on musicals, but this one is particularly complex).  Some aspects of the design are incredibly impractical and difficult to manage and four of my boys are doing way more scene change work than I could ever expect - and they're doing it cheerfully and willingly, really doing everything that they can to make it work.  I'd be stuffed without them.

[LCSM]

I could have kissed a couple of my actors today who gave up their dinner break to help me hang and focus lights. Despite how boring it must have been for them to move a ladder back and forth while I waved my arms in vague gestures, they did it willingly for which I am incredibly greatful and owe them a large batch of cookies.

[yoyomankind]

I could have kissed my actor when came up to the booth after a bad run of the show one night, and gave me a huge hug, and telling me how wonderful of a job I was doing, despite nearly the rest of the production disliking the show.

[kiwitechgirl]

I could have kissed the director on opening night when, after a seriously awful production week which we only got through due to everyone putting everything they had and then more into the show (the set designer managed to reduce me to tears during the tech, which NEVER happens, I never melt down!), in her opening night speech, after thanking the usual suspects (cast, theatre management, designers) she said "there is one person I really want to single out, and that is Anna, our stage manager.  She's the meat in the sandwich; she has me yelling at her, the cast obsessing, Richard (the MD) stressing and all the production staff asking her questions, and she deals with it all efficiently and effectively and makes it all happen."  This is the third time I've worked with this particular director, and only now am I feeling like she has any trust in me, so it's nice to know that she does appreciate me!  I could also have kissed the MD when, during the tech, he came backstage to find me in tears, hugged me, asked me what the problem was, listened to my garbled and tearful explanation, then proceeded to tell me that I was doing a great job and that it wasn't my fault.

[Scaenicus]

I could have kissed my cast when:

...two days ago, during our first rehearsal of Candide, they gave me a round of applause when I introduced myself and again at the end of rehearsal.

...I got a standing ovation upon entering the cast party for The Beggar's Opera.

...my Macbeth cast complimented me on my calmness daily during a troubled tech week.

[damjamkato]

I could have kissed them when...

I had to run the sound board, light board, projections, be on book, run follow spot, and be a one-man running crew during a rehearsal when my ASM wasn't there.  A group of ensemble members then came up to the booth and asked me if there was anything they could do to help me.

Rehearsal was much easier for me after that.

[crazylady]

It was summer stock, and tech. I was ASMing and we were doing Can Can, a horrible musical with a horrible plot and a few good songs. There were large pieces of scenery that had to be moved during tech, and as it was tech, it meant moving it onstage and back off, and then back on stage again. These pieces required at least 3 people to move them safely onto stage. Well, I had been an idiot and had not eaten enough before we'd started. I have hypoglycemia and man did it kick in fast and furious about half way through that tech. I became very bitchy (not my proudest moments) and tried to focus on getting to the dinner break. As we were moving huge pieces of scenery, there wasn't much conserving of energy going on. After dinner I apologized to everyone backstage and a few actors asked what had been wrong, so I briefly explained the situation and we went back to work.

Next day I walk in, and there on my small table, are some granola bars, bananas, and some water. I almost started crying.

[Tempest]

As a fellow hhypoglycemic, I can TOTALLY undsertand both your bitchy and the immense level of appreciation you say you felt when you came in, and they had snacks for you!  Definitely a "could have kissed them" moment!

For me, a bananna can be the difference between functional and unconcious!

[dallas10086]

I could have kissed my producer when...

...during an oddly but highly stressful week of rehearsals of a play I hated with a cast of women driving me up the wall, I answered honestly when my producer asked, "How are things going?"...after a long and detailed 5 minute explanation he answered back, "Lemme buy you a beer." Awesome gesture, even if I don't drink