Author Topic: Multiple Shows at once....  (Read 3280 times)

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nicole.sM.

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Multiple Shows at once....
« on: Sep 01, 2015, 04:16 pm »
Hi All, this is my first post on the site; however the resources  have helped me out so many times!!! Thank you for all your help and suggestions.

I come to you looking for some advice.  Long story short: I am essentially working three shows at once!  I am in rehearsal for The Fantasticks (opens 9/25), in pre production for August: Osage County (opens 1/8/16) and Lady Windermere's Fan (opens (12/4). 

I am a relatively new stage manager (as these shows are my first since graduating college).  I am confident in my skills to know that I can do all of these productions (done one at a time).  Any suggestions as to how to juggle 3 shows? Or am I totally and completely out of my mind?  I have separate email addresses for each show.  And thankfully, it is the same director for all 3 productions.

KMC

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Re: Multiple Shows at once....
« Reply #1 on: Sep 01, 2015, 05:15 pm »
Welcome to the life of a freelancer! Suggestion is to become an expert in juggling.

On a serious note, though: is this a season of shows at the same theatre or with the same producing organization?  You mentioned the director is the same for all shows, are the production teams also the same?  If it's the same overall team, you should have an easier go at it as you'll all be in the same situation and the producer and production manager will collectively aid in finding a way to make it work.

If you are juggling between three different producing companies, production teams, etc, then you are in a bit of a different boat as you will have to find a way to please all comers and be a better juggler, as saying "I'm swamped with Fantasticks at the moment" won't fly if the producing organization for the other shows needs your attention.  In this situation, staying organized and managing potential scheduling conflicts as far out as possible will be instrumental to success.
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

LexieTaylor

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Re: Multiple Shows at once....
« Reply #2 on: Sep 02, 2015, 02:39 pm »
My biggest advice for juggling multiple jobs of whatever nature is to stay on top of your schedule! I suggest putting everything into once calendar and color coding, but that is just personal preference.
Make sure that you write everything down and make time to take care of your basic needs - mainly food and sleep!

Other than that - keep calm, prioritize your work, handle one task at a time, and enjoy the fact that you have work.

Good luck!

nicole.sM.

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Re: Multiple Shows at once....
« Reply #3 on: Jan 18, 2016, 11:02 am »
I am so sorry that I haven't responded sooner. 

On paper, they are two different production companies.  One is a local company where I live and the other is the theater dept for the community college.  The tricky part is a lot of the production teams overlap the same people a lot of the time.  All three shows had some bumps along the way and I unfortunately let some paperwork slip by (due to being overwhelmed after a certain point).  I know the mistakes I've made and know what I have done wrong to correct for next time.

I even sent an email to the director apologizing.  Not sure if that was the right thing to do, however, it made me feel a whole lot better.