Author Topic: JOB DESCRIPTION: not needed until tech week?  (Read 7600 times)

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kdshort1

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JOB DESCRIPTION: not needed until tech week?
« on: Feb 15, 2015, 11:55 pm »
So I was asked to stage manage a show in which the director had asked that the SM not be present until tech week.

Is this common?  Does this scare the crap out of you like it does me?

I had to turn down the offer due to another project, but it just seems strange to me.

Edited to add topic tag- Maribeth
« Last Edit: Feb 17, 2015, 02:03 pm by Maribeth »

SMMeade

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Re: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #1 on: Feb 16, 2015, 01:04 am »
I've never heard of that for theatre- yeah, that would scare me too.

PSMKay

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Re: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #2 on: Feb 16, 2015, 02:34 am »
I've heard of this happening in opera, dance, and very low level community theatre shows.

nick_tochelli

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Re: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #3 on: Feb 16, 2015, 07:37 am »
Not unheard of and let me tell you that those gigs can be interesting. You sometimes end up with questions that you'd only be able to know the answers to if you had been in rehearsal. It's really great when you have a curmudgeon of an LD who expects you to know blocking when you're seeing it for the first time.

BayAreaSM

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Re: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #4 on: Feb 16, 2015, 11:42 am »
This is very common in dance - and I've experienced this a few times. It can be a great exercise in how fast you can pick up what's important for cuing and communication with the choreographers/designers.

Also, in those situations, you may want to find out what is truly expected of the SM. The run may be very short, you are not expected to give notes, not make sign in sheets, etc - just call the show. I've had this happen several times with a particular dance company - they had a company manager and a costumer that basically handled everything, except calling the show. It did make me feel very disjointed and not a part of the company, but I was brought in at the last minute, so there was no time to fit in.

These aren't always the most satisfying gigs, but they do have fill employment gaps.

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Re: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #5 on: Feb 16, 2015, 02:35 pm »
Common in small theater in LA - and I am doing this for the 6th time as an emergency replacement. Great for learning things on the fly and prioritizing, not so great for things like (as mentioned) LD and costumes asking qqs you would have had answers to if only you'd been in prodn meetings and rehearsals......

But also great practical application for convention/ event work - things like benefits and other productions with minimal or no prep or rehearsal, and also for learning how to roll with things and keep your balance no matter what's going on.

MatthewShiner

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Re: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #6 on: Feb 16, 2015, 02:48 pm »
I have done this for both LA shows, and showcases / events.

Very common for dance.

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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

kdshort1

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Re: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #7 on: Feb 16, 2015, 10:49 pm »
Good to know. I do think it would be interesting, since I've been told tech week is where I shine as an SM.  I just couldn't imagine not knowing the rhythm of the show at all.

VilleSM

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Re: JOB DESCRIPTION: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #8 on: Feb 19, 2015, 01:13 pm »
Is there some ind of ASM who is in rehearsals for you? I was offered a similar position where there was a season ASM in rehearsals, and they were hiring PSMs by the show, specifically for calling/running purposes, while the ASM ran the floor. That, I was okay with. Otherwise, it would make me uncomfortable that there's been nobody watching rehearsals.
"The stage is not merely the meeting place of all the arts, but is also the return of art to life." - Oscar Wilde

kdshort1

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Re: JOB DESCRIPTION: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #9 on: Feb 20, 2015, 01:46 pm »
I don't think there was an asm at all, I declined before I knew the specifics due  to another project I have at the same time.

dallas10086

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Re: JOB DESCRIPTION: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #10 on: Feb 23, 2015, 12:14 pm »
Early on I was asked to come in at first tech, but usually because the producing company didn't fully understand what the role of the SM was (button pusher). Not ideal for a play and definitely not for a musical. The better community/professional non-union theaters know better.

SMMeade

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Re: JOB DESCRIPTION: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #11 on: Feb 23, 2015, 08:25 pm »
I'm an idiot- I just remembered that this actually happened to me last summer. Both the LD and I were hired right before tech for a small one-act festival. We both saw one rehearsal and went right into tech. Unfortunately, the LD wasn't even given really any information beforehand, so most of tech was him programming his initial cues. I can't actually remember if we were able to have a dress run. It was definitely one of my more interesting gigs. 

« Last Edit: Feb 23, 2015, 08:27 pm by SMMeade »

MandalynM

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Re: JOB DESCRIPTION: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #12 on: Feb 23, 2015, 08:59 pm »
The show I am currently stage managing, my ASM didn't come in until tech week. As I have a lot of educational experience, I was used to having my ASM during the entire run. I found myself a bit frazzled when I was trying to do line notes and blocking and change scenes all by myself. I think stage management is a team! From beginning to end, I felt like my ASM didn't know the show enough to run the backstage. So I cant even imagine being the SM and starting at tech week. I have done week long shows where it all sorta comes together in the week, but we were all there for the whole time. It might be more normal for an ASM, but for a SM, they are needed from the beginning.

dallas10086

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Re: JOB DESCRIPTION: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #13 on: Feb 25, 2015, 11:38 am »
The show I am currently stage managing, my ASM didn't come in until tech week. As I have a lot of educational experience, I was used to having my ASM during the entire run. I found myself a bit frazzled when I was trying to do line notes and blocking and change scenes all by myself. I think stage management is a team! From beginning to end, I felt like my ASM didn't know the show enough to run the backstage. So I cant even imagine being the SM and starting at tech week. I have done week long shows where it all sorta comes together in the week, but we were all there for the whole time. It might be more normal for an ASM, but for a SM, they are needed from the beginning.

I had been asked to do musicals without an ASM several times; after two ridiculously large shows I finally said blocking/notes/paperwork/etc is going to continue to be affected because I'm only one person. Eventually the company got the hint and hired an ASM.

MandalynM

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Re: JOB DESCRIPTION: not needed until tech week?
« Reply #14 on: Mar 02, 2015, 12:41 pm »
Fortunately, I only had a 10 person cast, so it wasnt horrible, but how am I to trust an ASM backstage when they barely know the show? Rehearsal is used for the stage managers too! We practice the scene changes, the prop hand offs, an ASM needs to be there for the beginning.. As well as a stage manager!

Mandi

 

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