Who makes the best SM's?

[cljoycejon]

  My SM class at the University of Southern Indiana has an ongoing debate...Who makes the best SM's
Men or Women? And tell me why you think so?

[Mac Calder]

I think it does not matter. I have seen excellent men, and excellent women. I have also seen crap men and crap women. As a general rule, men will approach things in a different manner than women, however both are effective, and both are capable of doing an exceptional job.

[thehayworth]

I think it does not matter. I have seen excellent men, and excellent women. I have also seen crap men and crap women. As a general rule, men will approach things in a different manner than women, however both are effective, and both are capable of doing an exceptional job.

I agree with this except that MEN ARE WAY BETTER

Just kidding.  I have met mostly BAD stage managers.  so the jury is still out.

[MatthewShiner]

Gay Women make the best stage managers.
Followed by Gay Men.
Followed by Straight Women.
Followed by a floor lamp.
Then straight men.

(This is a joke I usually share with my staff)

I think that it will always be an individual who is a good stage manager, and not a sex or sexual orientation.

But if you speak in broad generalizations and sterotypes, the my joke holds true, in my opinion.  BUT, that is based on my personal experiences - some of the best SMs I have worked with have been women - but there are a lot more women stage managing, thus, just plain odds would make it true that the best SMs I have worked with are women.

If you are going to play with broad generalizaions, then you are going to loose and offend.

and, what is the "best" sm?  How do you compare?

[thehayworth]

Stereotypes are always based in fact!!

The Best SM would be the one you never have to worry about or second guess.  You never have to ask for something.  It is already schedule, filed, provided, taped out, in place and whatever.

You don't have to say, "Track the props."  The props are tracked from the get-go.  There is a flow chart showing where the bag of raisins is at any given moment.  this is a simple example of something that is far-reaching.

The first time an actor calls for line, even before the cast has put down scripts, and without warning is immediately prompted with the correct line.... that's the sign of a good SM.

also coffee is important.  lots of coffee.

[Mac Calder]

No - Stereotypes are based upon perception, not fact.

Ie - I could make the stereotypical observation that all women lighting designers are gay, because I know about 20 gay female lighting designers.

Stereotyping is dangerous. It takes a small sample of a population and uses them to create a view of the whole.

Another stereotypical observation that comes to mind is "Modern playwrights do not write plays for the enjoyment of others, but rather to attempt to show off exactly how 'deep' they are" based on the last 5 plays I have seen  that were written in the last 3 years.

[thehayworth]

i disagree.  i think stereotyping is not based on a small sample but numerous anecdotal evidences amassed over time until they have entered the realm of commonly accepted information.

the first example you give is not a stereotype that I know of. 

however, the 2nd is, and is based on the perceptions of a lot of people not just you.

[smccain]

Gay Women make the best stage managers.
Followed by Gay Men.
Followed by Straight Women.
Followed by a floor lamp.
Then straight men.

(This is a joke I usually share with my staff)

I think that it will always be an individual who is a good stage manager, and not a sex or sexual orientation.

But if you speak in broad generalizations and sterotypes, the my joke holds true, in my opinion.  BUT, that is based on my personal experiences - some of the best SMs I have worked with have been women - but there are a lot more women stage managing, thus, just plain odds would make it true that the best SMs I have worked with are women.

If you are going to play with broad generalizaions, then you are going to loose and offend.

and, what is the "best" sm?  How do you compare?

Where do the ambiguous men go?

[Mac Calder]

Between "Floor Lamp" and "Straight Women" -> which is about the same level as the down stage left flat.

[Jessie_K]

Well, this conversation actually brings about a more complex question.

Who is the best stage manager for a certain type of director?

Straight woman SM with a gay man director . . . nice combo

Straight woman SM with a straight woman director  . . . potential for diaster

Gay woman SM with gay man director . . . even more potential for diaster

Straight man SM with straight man director . . . even even more potential for diaster

Floor lamp SM with gay man director . . . depends on where the floor lamp was purchased

[MatthewShiner]

Floor lamp SM with gay man director . . . depends on where the floor lamp was purchased

LOL.

Yes - there are different types to line up with different types.

[stagemonkey]

i disagree.  i think stereotyping is not based on a small sample but numerous anecdotal evidences amassed over time until they have entered the realm of commonly accepted information.

the first example you give is not a stereotype that I know of. 

however, the 2nd is, and is based on the perceptions of a lot of people not just you.

So if thats the case then if I take all the stereotypes i have heard and consider then fact then all jews are money tightwads, all black are gangsters, all whites are racists, all women are bitches, all men are jerks, everyone in theatre is gay, all athleates are on steriods, (need I go on?) 

as you even said "is based on the perceptions of a lot of people" alot does not mean all, and since it is only a perception it cannot be considered a solid fact.


Now in answer to the overall question I have often heard people say women make  better stage mangers, but in my experiences I have seen few good women stage managers compared to male stage managers.  This does not make them better, I don't think there is a way to say which is better as different ones might work better with different types of directors or types of shows. 

[thehayworth]

So if thats the case then if I take all the stereotypes i have heard and consider then fact then all jews are money tightwads, all black are gangsters, all whites are racists, all women are bitches, all men are jerks, everyone in theatre is gay, all athleates are on steriods, (need I go on?) 

as you even said "is based on the perceptions of a lot of people" alot does not mean all, and since it is only a perception it cannot be considered a solid fact.

Stereotypes are based on reality.  That doesn't mean they hold true to all members of a certain stereotyped group.  It means they are derived from observed reality.  You don't have to like it.  No, it shouldn't be done because it represents just a surface truth.  People are individuals.  But stereotypes come from somewhere....  they don't just get made up.  Also, I'm not sure all those you listed are really stereotypes.  Perhaps we are misunderstanding the word.

[ORTaurean]

In my opinion, I have been the best stage manager for a project because I choose the company (based on what they stood for), I chose the play because I liked the message and I could stand behind it, I met with the director and we wanted to work together, I interviewed for an ASM and found the best fit for me and the production; in all, I had a strong desire to do the work and a good team with which to do it based on the information provided and the investigative work I performed.

So - wherever I work, the best stage manager happens to be a gay male - now, why that matters over the work I'm performing, I don't know.

[stagemonkey]

Stereotypes are based on reality.  That doesn't mean they hold true to all members of a certain stereotyped group.  It means they are derived from observed reality.  You don't have to like it.  No, it shouldn't be done because it represents just a surface truth.  People are individuals.  But stereotypes come from somewhere....  they don't just get made up.  Also, I'm not sure all those you listed are really stereotypes.  Perhaps we are misunderstanding the word.

I agree they are based in reality, I was arguing your choice of saying they are based on fact.  When you say they are based on fact you are saying they are true.  My arguement was that they are based on a perception of a small group and not the whole but they put the characteristics of a small select few onto all which makes them false.  In some cases they are based on a false idea.  As I read your earlier statement it comes across that you are saying stereotypes are true and that is the point i disagree with, especially cause I am a straight male stage manager and i dont like the idea that a floor lamp was listed above me (as many have told me I am very good at what I do.)