Author Topic: I could have kissed them!  (Read 35251 times)

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Tempest

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I could have kissed them!
« on: Sep 04, 2008, 12:57 pm »
Along the lines of the "I was THISCLOSE to killing an actor" thread, but completely opposite, I wanted to start a thread where you could sing the praises of those who have made your lives a little easier.  Not as entertaining perhaps, as the other, but more heartwarming.
My recent examples:

I could have kissed my actor when, immediately after I announced a reminder not to leave your trash around the theatre, he stayed a few minutes after, of his own volition, to clean up the garbage his cast-mates had, again, left behind.

I could have kissed my TD when he took a minute out of his own hectic life in tech week to specifically ask me if there was anything I needed to make my life easier.

I could have kissed my lead, an actor who has some MAJOR work from all over the country on his resume, when he told me I was the best stage manager he ever worked with and thanked me for doing my job, even though I had just scolded the entire cast.


So, what has everyone else got?  I'm heading into tech week, and need a little hope!
Jessica: "Of course I have a metric size 4 dinglehopper in my kit!  Who do you think I am?"

Cherie B. Tay

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #1 on: Sep 04, 2008, 01:55 pm »
I worked with a VERY high strung production team.

Closing night, I got a card from an actor who told me that the cast knew that the director was very hard to work with, and his card said that many other SMs would have cracked and quit, but I persevered and put on a great show.

That itself was worth the whole experience.


ScooterSM

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #2 on: Sep 04, 2008, 04:37 pm »
This is a great thread idea!!

I could have kissed...

...the TD and master electrician for our rep company, who completely rebuilt the tech table after asking me exactly what I would like.  They also reconfigure it (a major project) for a particular designer and me when we work together because we are both left handed and it is easier for us to not collide.

...the actor at auditions last night who was reminding the other actors to not steal the pencils.

...the production manager this summer who, without fail, always had the SM's and crews' backs.  Even if he didn't agree with the decision that we made, he would publicly defend us, and then privately discuss it with us.  I thought it was a really honorable and stand up way to lead a team.
“I've never been paid a lot, but the theatre has kept me, and for that I shall be eternally grateful.” Tony Church

Cheever

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #3 on: Sep 04, 2008, 06:03 pm »
......the two girls working props stayed after the show (high school) and made sure all of the props were back where they were supposed to be, then said "what else can we do?" and proceeded to help me set everything up for the next nights show.
I like hearing techies say "what else can I do?" it makes me feel powerful :)

KMC

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #4 on: Sep 04, 2008, 07:36 pm »
I think this thread is much more worthwhile than the "I was this close to killing an actor" thread.  Reminds us all that this is indeed a people business.  :)
Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action. -T. Roosevelt

geoffsm

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #5 on: Sep 05, 2008, 12:59 am »
...the huge Shakespeare cast that thanked and applauded me on closing night saying that they appreciated the fact that I stood up for them in respect to leaving rehearsal on time, taking breaks, etc. even though the director was extremely difficult.

...the cast member who asked me if I had remembered to eat that day (very few people actually understand that stage managers require thing like food and sleep, too...at least once in a while, lol.)

...the lighting designer who asked me for permission to begin a cue even though the director had asked her first (it was after tech, so technically, the show was mine to run, not his)

SMrose

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #6 on: Sep 05, 2008, 01:46 pm »
The interns that I work with who are so willing to help on stage crew, with lights and sound and run shows.

actors who help find solutions to situations: like, "hey, I can carry off this little table on my exit."

The TD who asked me on a very difficult show, "is there anything that needs to be done or fixed?"  ----I married this one!!!

StageMgr2Stars

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #7 on: Sep 06, 2008, 03:07 am »
... the actor that offered to pick me up dinner because she knew I wouldnt eat otherwise... and then refused to get me chips and a soda because yogurt and water is healthier. (She knew I'd have no choice but to eat it!!) Gotta love the ones who looks out for us.

... the actors that said "thank you" and meant it.

... the actors that actually took the time to get to know me even thought I'm only the intern.

-C-

SMExtraordinaire

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #8 on: Sep 07, 2008, 11:04 am »
...it was my second day working at my current theatre. I didn't know anyone and was told by my PSM (who was the SM for this show) to go set up the room - bear in mind I hadn't even gotten the script yet. I got upstairs and must have looked as lost as I felt and within seconds I had 2 actors asking what I needed moved and helping me move it.

...actors who know the rules, follow the rules, and will help enforce the rules if need be.

...the company manager and costume manager that without fail will look at me during a rehearsal process when I can't step away and offer to get me food (even when I don't have any cash).

...the deck manager who, when given any task, will just say "I'm on it" and I know I can trust them to get it done.

...the director who says "I know you have 5 things to take care of so, don't worry, I'll take care of it" and smiles. (((Joe)))
"It required a bland, conscientious temperament that expected abuse and never admiration. The best stage managers are usually women, who bear the indignity for the historical neccessity of continuity itself." - John Osbourne

loebtmc

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #9 on: Sep 07, 2008, 12:19 pm »
I had a 11-member cast show with no ASM and we were moving rehearsal spaces daily, so didn't tape out the full stage for most rehearsals. For the designer run the TD helped me taped the complex set on (in this room) carpet, all of us knowing we had to be out in a hurry that day. At the end of rehearsal, the entire cast but one (without asking) took a tape end and pulled, and the taped set was clear in like 5 minutes. The one who didn't help clear the tape had collected all the garbage - so by the time the director had finished giving me the next set of schedules and I stood up, the room was clear and clean. I DID kiss them all.

kiwitechgirl

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #10 on: Sep 07, 2008, 11:10 pm »
...when at 1am after two very, very long and difficult tech days (with a director who didn't trust me in the least!), I had a whole queue of actors standing at the production desk asking questions; I dealt with them all except one and turned to the last, who climbed over the table to hug me and said "I don't have a question, I just wanted to tell you that I think you're doing an amazing job - this show is so complex and I don't know how you do it."  Funny how that's sometimes all it takes to make you feel so much better about the world!

ChaCha

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #11 on: Sep 08, 2008, 11:36 am »
I was working on a show ith no asm and was quietly dying of the impossibilty of the task...

after rehearsal one day i was standing at the bottom of the stairs leading out of the theatre talking to the production manager and
trying to explain that there were a number of problems which needed his urgent attention if the whole thing ( and the stage manager )wasnt going to all fall apart . I was getting nowhere fast when the three cast members came down the stairs one after another but 2 minutes apart. I could have kissed them when they each stopped (uninvited) and spoke to me - the first said i was doing a great job and please, please hang in there. they didnt know how i was doing it. the second said, tough day huh? and the third said they were really really sorry they had behaved so badly it was only because they were so so stressed with the cooking they had to do onstage and that they really appreciated everything i was doing.

At this point my production manager just looks at me and goes ' so.what exactly is going on in there?' and for the first time started LISTENING to me. Truly, you would have thought it was a set up, but it was just coincidence that all stopped with such amazing timing! 

I got an asm within 2 days.

God bless actors!


ChaCha
ChaCha

Scott (formerly Digga)

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #12 on: Sep 08, 2008, 01:17 pm »
We were finishing the 2nd 10 out of 12 when the stress and fatigue started hitting the designers and director I think.  I had made clear (or thought I had) to everyone that I was going to run through each scene transition again and now incorporate costumes to get the quick changes down.  We would be skipping ahead once each transition was nailed. 

We started doing this and the lighting/costume designer started getting fussy about wanting to run through each scene in real time because that would best serve her needs as both designers to get things tweaked.  I was surprised that she hadn't mentioned it before and when I asked her to explain her reasoning she got a little snippy on the headset and said to just keep going as I had.  So I called a 10min break for the actors and then took off my headset and asked all of the designers to gather around me real quick.  I apologized for my miscommunication about not expressing what I wanted to do clearly and also apologized for not checking with everyone to see how best their needs would be met (whether it was my fault or not didn't matter to me - just easier to take the blame and keep everyone else happy in my opinion).  I told them for the last hour of the day we'd pick it up from where we left off and run through each scene in real time all the way through and continue on in the morning from where we left off.  Everyone understood and seemed to cheer up a little bit.  The lighting designer even gave me a hug and apologized for being snippy.

The next morning the Production Manager thanked me for the way I handled that meeting and said he was really impressed with the professionalism with which I did it.  He appreciated the way I was taking everything in stride and keeping everyone calm and also working. 

I don't expect recognition for my work but it's really nice when it comes along.

Wandering Ninja

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #13 on: Sep 11, 2008, 04:33 pm »
    .... when an actor noticed I was stressed out during our colleges production of Romeo and Juliet. He came and asked me how things were going (The joy of putting on a show in month during a seven week term taking 10.5 credits) and encouraged me to calm down.
"Nothing worthwhile was ever accomplished without the will to start, the enthusiasm to continue and, regardless of temporary obstacles, the persistence to complete" Waite Phillips

Libby

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Re: I could have kissed them!
« Reply #14 on: Sep 11, 2008, 05:23 pm »
When my cast noticed that I didn't have my normal can of Tab (yes it still exists) because I hadn't had time to run to the store to re-stock so was drinking diet coke instead (which the vending machine had). After the dinner break (which I spent updating my script/talking through some transitions with my assistant) there was a six pack of tab on my table with a note saying, "We thought you were missing something. Love, Us."