I'm putting in my time as ASM on the LORT level, one level up from where I've been stage managing, and I'm having a hard time making the adjustment. I was fine while we were at the rehearsal hall, but now that we've started tech (it's an IATSE house) I feel superfluous.
I pay attention to every second of the tech; I know who's working and I know what's coming up next, I listen in on everything on my side of the stage, and every time the tech stops I go out on stage to see what's happening. But for some reason, I just feel like an eavesdropper, a visitor.
When I was the Stage Manager, I felt totally plugged in to the entire show and everyone working on it. Now that I'm the ASM, it just seems like I'm in the way. The crew doesn't need anything from me, the actors are working out their issues, and when the director goes up onstage to talk to the actors, he doesn't say anything that anybody besides the actors needs to know.
It's true that it's a small show, with not much going on backstage.
Maybe it's just my own perception; maybe this is part of the normal differences between being an SM and an ASM. This is the first show I've done in this house, and I have a second this season. I'd like to feel more of a contributor on the second show.
How can I be a more effective ASM during tech?