PRODUCING: Structure for Summerstock Filing and Remounts

[Branden]

Hello all,

To make a long story short, I'm working at a summer stock that doesn't have a PM, so I've been taking on some PM responsibilities.

We have a copious amount of filing cabinets in the booth, and when I arrived, there was nothing in them, and it was hard for me to create a schedule and a base for things because there was nothing to go off of, and just about everyone here was new.

SO, I'd like to set up a system so that PSMs here in the future can look back and see how the schedule was structured, and documentation for past years.

Aside from leaving my prompt books in the cabinets at the end of the season, I've also set aside folders for this season's performance reports, and an attendance folder, which will contain the sign in sheets and an end-of season attendance report.

My hope is that PSMs here in the future can compare the Daily Calls with the many versions of the full production calendar, and the attendance reports, so that they can see how we worked out the rehearsal process, the promo events, and the other shows in the other space.

Any thoughts on things that I should leave to be filed? Or other ways to allow future PSMs to access my books and notes?

Just wondering what this looked like for you guys and what tips you had.

Edited to add topic tag- Maribeth

[ejsmith3130]

In the past I have created an SM "Handbook" of sorts that was company specific. For me, I was walking into a similar situation where only the Artistic Director of a small company was held over from the year before, and my whole first day was spent driving around to all the locations and me taking notes about information that was important. Apparently this was a yearly thing. So at the end of the gig I compiled all of my notes into a little handbook of useful information about the spaces and how the summer would work. (Outdoor theatre with several shows in rep with each other)

As you continue to work, just jot down information you find useful, and think would have been helpful prior to arriving, or starting your prep. Instead of forcing someone to wade through all of your paperwork in the future to find an easy answer, you can already have it in a concise format. Paperwork is good to leave, and may clarify things for them, but why make it harder than you have to if you have already committed to doing some extra work?

I applaud your efforts! I always try to leave a job better than I found it in some way, so I know that it can be a lot of extra work that you may not even benefit from, but the experience and knowledge of how to do those things will help in future jobs, even at different theatres.

[Maribeth]

If you can leave a digital copy of your files, I'm sure that will help as well as the paper copy.

If there's a structure for the design/production process, document that and how it was created. (i.e. 14 weeks before load-in - 1st design meeting, 12 weeks- preliminary designs due, etc)

Keeping a document about each venue is helpful- who to call if the A/C goes out, max capacity, schedule of cleaning service, etc.

Is this for future SMs of the festival, or future PMs?

[Branden]

I hadn't thought of creating an Official SM handbook....that's a really great idea!

Maribeth-we don't have a PM here, so the PSM tends to take on those tasks too, so it's for the future SMs.