Author Topic: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?  (Read 8104 times)

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Chloe.E

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PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« on: Apr 05, 2013, 12:48 am »
While I'm a relative youngster, I do have a few dozen shows under my belt and am well-versed in the responsibilities of SMs during a run. But working at "low-rung" non-AEA, non-LORT theaters, I find myself plagued with a question I have a hard time getting honest answers to: what to (professionally!) do during a run?

I'm not seaking distractions, I'm seaking duties. I feel like despite my training, I'm missing something. What's an SM to do if there are no understudies to keep up blocking for? If a director is present at every performance to give notes instead of myself? If the show is 3 hours long and only has a dozen cues? If actors are word-perfect consistently? If actors aren't used to having a professional SM and never read the performance reports? I adore stage managing and take my profession seriously, but I keep finding myself watching shows I run with little corresponding duties.

Thoughts? Advice? Thanks!

EFMcMullen

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #1 on: Apr 05, 2013, 08:18 am »
Based on the information given, my blunt answer would be "Nothing more than you already are".  With the director in the room, he or she is going to take care of performance notes.  It's just unfortunate that you don't have a lot of cues to keep you engaged and busy during the show.  Since you mentioned you are relatively new to the profession, I think you could take this opportunity to help train yourself for shows when the director is no longer there.  Are the notes that the actors are getting from the director things that you recognized as well?  What is the difference between the "show maturing" and the "show growing"?  Also, can you and the director be a team?  "I noticed this or that.  Do you like the adjustment?" 

For what its worth, I don't send my actors the Performance Report.  They get individual notes as needed.   However in a situation with the director in the room, my guess is, except for the occasional "You were in the dark" note, your notes don't carry the same weight as they would if he or she wasn't there - hence the feeling that they are not reading the performance reports.

Hope this helps!

Maribeth

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #2 on: Apr 05, 2013, 08:30 am »
Every show and every theatre have different needs - you have to adapt to the situation that you're in. It may be that there are some places where you don't need to do as much during the run because of support from the other personnel at the theatre.

It's important to keep up the blocking regardless of understudies- it's often the only record of it and can be used to "archive" the performance for the theatre. (Especially if there is no archival recording made). It would also be crucial if an actor had to drop out of the show and an emergency replacement needed to be trained.

Even if a director or AD present to give notes, an SM should still keep an eye out during the show for things that are out of whack. (An actor not in their light, for example). I always check in with the actors before they leave- it gives me a chance to remind them of the next day's schedule, give them notes (if there are any), and gives them the chance to powwow with me about how things went. (A scene that had a different vibe, a broken prop, a torn costume piece, etc)

In terms of a long show with few cues, there are some suggestions on this thread. If there's not a lot of cues, there's not a lot of cues. :)

I'm not sure why actors would get performance reports? Performance reports are usually for the theatre staff/designers, and sometimes contain information that actors don't need to see. (A note about another actor being late, for example). If I have feedback from the show for the actors, I will give it to them in person after the show.

On my current show, since there is a union crew, I feel like I don't have a ton to do, pre- and post-show. A typical day is arriving at the theatre, checking my email, checking in with the HM about the house count. Saying hello/checking in with the crew. Double-checking the props and costumes once they are set. Blackout check. Turning the house over the the HM. Calling 1/2 hour, checking that all actors are here, and other calls. Calling the show. Checking in with actors and crew post-show for notes. Typing my report and sending it. That's about it- it doesn't feel like a lot. (Mind you, we have 2- and 3-show days, so often this process is repeated...) But I make it my priority to do all of this as  consistently as possible. More of my job is about double-checking that everything is getting done on time and correctly, and liaising with other staff members.

And, sometimes there's not that much to do.


MatthewShiner

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #3 on: Apr 05, 2013, 08:43 am »
Stage Management can often be described as  hours of boredom, punctuated by moments of stark terror.  If everything is going smooth, then everything is going smooth.  YAY!  Count your blessings.  We are there for those times.  But we are also there to problem solve when things go wrong.

And remember, there will be times when the sort of luxury of what you have now isn't there - the director won't be there, the show will be tech heavy, the actors will not be word perfect, and there will be understudies (and swings and standbys, and replacements).

Enjoy this time.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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.

KMC

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #4 on: Apr 05, 2013, 10:47 am »
Matthew's comment caused me to think - I suppose it is the nature of the beast that many times if we're not going a million miles an hour we tend to think something isn't right. 

I think one of the first questions to ask yourself is - are you still happy in this job, with this company? 

If the answer to that question is yes and you are not ready or don't want to look for other opportunities, maybe look at expanding your role there.  Are there any new responsibilities you could take on?  I suggest this within reason, and without intruding on the responsibilities of others - not suggesting you should start learning lines and become another understudy or anything like that.  But are there holes you could fill within the organization?  Are there skills you want to develop professionally or personally?  Try to find a way you can add value to the production.  This could be a fantastic opportunity for you - you could keep yourself professionally engaged and develop new skills, all while raising your stock and being seen as someone who is eager, ready, and willing to help when the time comes.  Those kinds of people are invaluable. 
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

loebtmc

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #5 on: Apr 05, 2013, 06:33 pm »
(may I suggest - knitting?)

liamproche

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #6 on: Apr 05, 2013, 08:36 pm »
As a stage manager that almost never takes blocking (archival blocking at least) and never gives performer notes, I find this thread very interesting. The vast majority of the productions I work on have an AD present throughout the run who assumes these responsibilities.

Here's how I define my responsibilities during a production (copy and pasted from my current SM handbook)

Stage Manager Responsibilities:

-Perform those duties that are the industry standard for the position
-Run all rehearsals
-Call all performances
-Create and maintain the deck running
-Create and maintain the rail running
-Create and maintain the A/V & sound running
-Create, maintain and distribute the principal artist/staff phone lists
-Create and maintain the spot cue sheets, if necessary
-Create maintain and distribute minis (for blocking, and running paperwork)
-Procure lighting paperwork for SM archive
-Create and distribute the, "Train Schedule," for all technical rehearsals
-Create master cue sheet, if necessary
-Communicate number a dress rehearsal passes for Supers, Light Walkers and Stage Management to Production Clerk
-Create, maintain and distribute Master Production/Music Schedule
-Create show overview schedules
-Create and distribute daily schedules
-Fifteen seconds timings in score (Can be re-assigned to ASM) [This one's a little particular to opera]
-Measure ground plans (Can be re-assigned to ASM)
-Communicate with FOH for start and intermission times
-Create and maintain timing sheets
-Create and distribute onstage tech requests
-Create and distribute rehearsal notes
-Create and distribute performance reports
-Create and distribute dressing room assignments
-Set up archive book with tabs that match the file folder names in our computer show files
-Other duties as assigned [The always-ominous clause]

I find that these responsibilities alone are more than enough to keep me busy throughout the course of a production. My ASMs' lists of responsibilities are even longer (as the handbook was really written for them), but some of the highlights are:

-Create, maintain and distribute the prop running
-Create, maintain and distribute the wardrobe running
-Create, maintain and distribute the spike map
-Create, maintain and distribute the flame plot
-Create, maintain and distribute the prop inventory/source sheets
-Walk roles for room and stage rehearsals as needed
-Hospitality set-up and maintenance (Coffee, tea, etc.)
-Reset scenes as necessary during rehearsals
-Sign-in sheets

Once a show moves from the rehearsal period and into performances, the work load definitely seems to lighten up by a significant amount, but I always kind of feel it's my reward for the grueling hours spent getting a show up on its feet.

If your in a position where you have very light performance responsibilities, I say enjoy it  ;).

SMAshlee

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #7 on: Apr 05, 2013, 08:54 pm »
My first thought when I read your post was simply: ENJOY IT!!! 

I agree with everyone else so I'm not going to write much more than this... Don't let your guard down and get caught sleeping on the job. At some point down the line, you will be in the throws of backstage pitch black chaos that will make up for this glorious time.

Ashlee

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #8 on: Apr 06, 2013, 01:09 pm »
I join in the chorus of "ENJOY IT!" and hope it runs forever. A nice show like this with low stress is many stage managers dream, other people it drives insane cause it has no excitement.

Personally in this situation I take the time to re-work or perfect my paperwork or calling script. A lot of times in the heat of it you don't get to do things exactly the way you'd want them (especially a quick tech process into preview, sometimes your book looks less than ideal) I've taken that extra time to clean it and make it gorgeous.

Or if you and your cast is especially festive you can coordinate some pot-lucks during two show days, once a week lotteries (a venue I work at a lot has Dollar Saturdays for all the theaters in the building and its fun and silly - won $65 once!) or something as simple as a once a week trivia or treat. During what seems like a boring run things like that can keep it fresh for everyone all around.
--Naomi
"First, I honor life, and with it my life in theatre." -- Jacques Burdick

On_Headset

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #9 on: Apr 13, 2013, 05:06 pm »
Something to bear in mind is that almost nobody who works on running crew is actually doing the job we pay them to do.

It's great that ushers tear tickets and hold the doors open and guide patrons to seats with their cute little flashlights, but the ushers are really there so that, if the theatre has to be evacuated, people don't die in the aisles.

It's great that the stagehands move scenery and hold doors open and help move things around, but they're really there so that, if there's a fire, there's someone backstage who knows where the fire extinguishers are, which extinguisher to grab (electrical fire? material fire?), and how to use the thing.

It's great that the board operators follow cues and improvise appropriately, but they're really there so that, when something goes Horribly Horribly Horribly Wrong and the stage manager is flouncing around trying to do a bajillion things at once, the theatre isn't left in total darkness for several minutes and we can get a god mic running sooner rather than later.

And it's great that the stage manager calls the show--but if that's all we needed stage managers to do, you could easily replace them with a MIDI track or just have the board operators do their own cues. The SM's real purpose is to react and respond to emergencies and unexpected situations. That's why someone working at the high end of stage management can make upwards of 60-80k a year for doing a job that college students can do perfectly competently without even expecting a salary: the experienced SM isn't necessarily better at giving cues or taking notes, but they are better at reacting, responding, de-escalating and preventing situations from getting worse.

If nothing is going wrong, then you are doing your job adequately and can relax. Even if it feels like it isn't much of a job.

loebtmc

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #10 on: Apr 13, 2013, 07:54 pm »
the trick is to convince those hiring of that......

jrbucci

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2013, 02:48 pm »
The song "Take The Money And Run" applies here...

Jonas_A

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Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Honesty about running a show?
« Reply #12 on: Aug 04, 2013, 09:21 am »
I'm reminded of the mantra my SMgt lecturer repeats ad infinitum:
Even if there's nothing you need to do, there's still lots you can be doing.
I recognize that it's hard on long-run gigs, but is there a way you can use the time for your own development? Time to update forms, go over paperwork and see if it could be improved, even learn the choreography?

I've worked with an SM who, having become completely confident calling the show and managing her daily duties, spent the evening memorising her cues by number and what happened - she admitted that it wasn't exactly a necessity for the show, but it kept her mind busy and in the end she found that she could call most of the show without looking at her prompt copy!