JOB DESCRIPTION: No Crew OR Stage Manager!!???

[SM19]

Just need some input. We run an annual show in our town, and the director/writer for next year is telling us that he doesn't want a crew or stage manager! Has anyone ever seen a full out theatre production run without a stage manager or crew that has approximately 25 people involved onstage??? He says he wants to "teach" actors and singers to get their mics and all...I dont know about this...actors can be pretty clueless about this stuff...does anyone think this will work???

PS. Keep in mind that the stage manager (moi) will be backstage as an ACTOR (apparently) next year...so does anyone see me taking on two roles for this...or am I just seeing that cuz I'm not sure about this??? lol

[missliz]

not having a crew i could see, if you have non-equity actors and can get them to move things, etc. is the director planning on teaching the actors all these things (like [oh god] mic use)?

[Tempest]

Believe it or not, in my day job as a box office agent at a rental space, I see this a lot, particularly in show being put on by smaller companies that are trying to cut corners and save money.

In the shows that have come in, without stage manager or crew, without fail, it is (to quote my dance teacher) "a big, steamy pile of white, pasty mess."  And I don't think I've ever seen any of them come back with another show.

They usually started late, sometimes as late as an hour and a half after announce curtain time.  There is no organization, no one knew who is in charge of what, etc.  Don't even get me started on the "cue sheets" they gave the in house tech crew.
Yeah, you can teach the actors to put on their own mics, but will they remember to check the batteries.  If they need a new battery, who has it? etc. etc. etc.  I'm sure we can all come up with common situations that would rapidly become nightmares.

I've seen successful shows without a crew done.  But they've only been successful because there was a good SM back there making sure all the actors knew exactly what they needed to be doing when, and keeping on top of any developing situations.  I'd try to steer the director into having, at least, an SM, even if he has to call the position by a different title.

[loebtmc]

Actually, agreeing with everything else, I'd encourage them to call that person a stage manager - not only because so few actually understand what we do, not also because it's never too early to understand the value of what a good stage manager brings to the picture. I know I know, we are not to expect thanks or opening night gifts or any of that - but at the very least, they shd know that with a good stage manager, things get handled and the show comes together as it should.

[centaura]

It might be helpful, especially if you are familiar with the shows, to make a list of the things that need to be taken care of, and then go through it one item at a time with the director.  For example - who is going to place batteries?  Who is going to cue set changes?  Etc. etc.  You can hopefully use it as a case for why the show would need a stage manager/general tech person/whatever title.  Worse case scenario - if he's set that he doesn't want tech support - your list can be used for assignment purposes.  Each actor will have to be given a set amount of responsibilities.

Question - what is motivating this change?  Would crew normally be paid and there is a budget issue this year?  Is it personal preference?  Possibly due to a bad crew/SM experience that the director recently had?  If you can find out the motivation behind the idea, it can help you with how to handle the situation.  If its a money issue - is there any grants or donations that you could go after to help the production with more money?  If its a director's personal history issue, is there a way that you can make a deal with the director to give you chance to prove how helpful a stage manager can be?  Or, is it a case that the crew has been volunteer in the past and has been less than reliable - and therefore the director is trusting his cast more?

-Centaura

[SM19]

Hi guys...thanks for responding. Sorry it took me so long, I haven't had a computer for a while lol

MissLiz-  Our show is pretty much all volunteer, which gives them no reason to cut any corners when it comes to positions. I've spoken to the director about everything that I could possibly think of on the subject of "training actors", ESPECIALLY with mic use (lol because we all know someones going to screw something up at some point lol). His reaction was "Yes, I will train them." I find this hypocritical because last year, he told me that "It's not our job to train them! We shouldnt' have to train them!" So I was kind of ticked off about that.

Tempest_gypsy- Thanks for your imput. I totally agree with you. Yes, they will learn, but will they remember the little things that an SM is suppose to remember...I doubt it. We had lots of problems last year with batteries dying on us very quickly, and I was running around trying to find spare batteries (because another person on the lighting crew moved them on me)...so if that happens while I'm on stage, there's going to be mega problems! I also explained to him that, yes, we could work without a crew...but you need someone back there who has authority and who knows what's going on. He didn't agree with me. I dont know what else to say to him...it's like he's one sided on this while I'm seeing both sides.

Loebtmc- I completely agree with you on knowing what a stage manager brings to the production. I live by the saying "You dont know what you have until it's gone" and I think they'll learn this lesson this year. Like I said above, we need to have someone with authority back there that actors can run to with problems because there will be problems. If they have no body to run to, there's going to be a mass panic in the back. And that's never good.

Centaura- Yes...I like your suggestion. Problem is, I've done that lol. I've brought him all the possible situations that could possibly happen back there and he just seems to not understand how a simple problem can turn into a big one without someone back there as an authoritative figure. He will also be acting, so I guess hes thinking that he'll be that person. But he's already said he's taken on too much in the past and doesnt want that kind of thing happening again. Well, I've given him the situation... it's either him taking on too much, or it's me because of our positions. But I doubt I'll ever be able to fully step out of my SM mode while there and Ill still be taking on partial responsibility back there. I honestly dont know what's motivating this change. I've SM'ed this show for the past 3 years, which leads me to believe that It's me they had a problem with. We aren't paid, we're all volunteer and I know that in past years the crew hasn't be reliable...but I made sure that last year, the crew was, so it couldn't have been a bad experience. When you say that he might be trusting the cast more, I feel that he's putting too much on them. They're performers, not crew members...and...no offense if you're a performer (because I am... and I know this for a fact) but performers can be pretty darn clueless when it comes to most of this stuff...so something mega bad must have happened last year that really flipped him over the edge. I just dont know what it is!


Posted on: August 26, 2009, 10:14:49 PMI should also add that last year there was an incident backstage that happened between me and this director....and he wasn't the director that year. He's a board member who make decisions. I live by this rule that states "Position over Rank"...and when I'm back there, I believe that my position is higher than his in the middle of a show.

He saw one of my crew members not working (or so he thought) and he went up to her and told her that she wasn't doing her job and that she had to get out there and move stuff off the stage. He then came to me and proceeded to yell at me in the middle of the performance that my crew members were unsatisfactory and they weren't doing their jobs properly. So, I'm the SM. I dont care what position you hold before the show. Back there, he was an actor/singer. Therefore, I became the very agitated SM and told him exactly where to go, not only because he tried to take my position, but he also, under no authority, yelled at my crew members without me present!

I'm sure that would have put a dent in our relationship, but it didn't apparently because we're still very good friends both in and out of the theatre. So, this might have had an impact, but I dont know. He told me that it didn't...so it might just be my lack of confidence in myself coming out. Dont know. But I shall be talking to him because his decision is ridiculous.

He'll be pulling double duty or I will...simple as that.

Point number two: I dont trust actors with anything. And I'm an actor too...so I know lol

EDIT: Merged double posts.  In the future you can add to a post using the "modify" link in the upper right hand corner. -PSMK

[bethanyb5]

I actually just finished a show where I was the Tech and they had no SM. I was going crazy because the director presumed things like when he said we are doing a cue to cue tech with costumes that the actors would understand that that meant to pre set costumes. I highly recommend that there be a Stage Manager someone that checks everything because Actors have a hard enough time remembering lines and blocking that to add other things for them to remember can be a disaster. Also if they are going to have to move sets and props it should be rehearsed with the actually sets and props or rehearsal props from day one so that it is like a blocking habit. if you wait until tech to teach them to move things everything will fall apart.