Author Topic: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late  (Read 7346 times)

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PSMKay

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Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« on: Aug 26, 2009, 01:27 am »
A simple challenge to start off the school year.  Sometimes, despite the best of our intentions, plans and maps, we wind up running late to rehearsal or to our nightly call time.  As much as we warn our actors and scold them, it happens to us too.  The train gets delayed, or our partner gets ill or our bag gets snatched and we have to call the police.  It happens.

What do you do if you know that you will be late to your call time?  What backup plans do you have in place?  Who would you call?  Would anyone be able to cover for you, or would the show come to a standstill?

As a reminder to our newcomers - the Student SM Challenges are generally designed for folks who are just starting out in the industry, working on either school shows or their first couple of productions outside of school.  Pros are welcome to kibitz, but please leave the bulk of the exploration and discussion to the new guys.  There are no 100% correct answers here.

BLee

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Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« Reply #1 on: Aug 26, 2009, 01:34 am »
I don't remember ever actually running late to a call, but I have had to step outside of the building for a quick moment after a call had started. I let my crew members who were working onstage know where I would be and let them know I'd be back in a couple minutes.

In a professional situation I would call my ASM if one was available to get things started. Thus far I have been lucky enough to have at least one crew member that I trusted enough to get things started without my immediate presence. I would hope professional my tardiness would not bring the show to a standstill. Activities should occur normally without the SM having to micromanage every detail.
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GuildGirl6

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Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« Reply #2 on: Sep 02, 2009, 11:21 am »
First thing I would do would be to call the more trusted ASM (I try not to favor one over another, but it just tends to happen). I would ask that they show up early, and take my place until I could get there, and if there were any important things they would need to know that may not be written down in the book yet (like a cast member not coming last minute, because they are sick) I would let them know that.

Next, I would call my director, just to let him know I'm going to be late, and that my ASM will take over until I get there.

Then I would keep my phone on at all times, ready for any questions, and hurry to reheresal as soon as possible. I expect that reheresal wouldn't come to a standstill, because everything should be ready for someone to take over, just in case something like this happens.
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crazychicksj

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Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« Reply #3 on: Sep 14, 2009, 05:16 pm »
I've always been lucky enough when I've been late for productions to have an ASM who is either on time or early. In one case I was running late for a show call and phoned my ASM and director to let them know what was going on. By the time I got there everything was ready to go and we only started a few minutes late.

For our college productions where I usually work the SM and the ASM create a back up plan in case the SM can't be there. In those cases the ASM takes on the SMs full duties until the SM can be there. There is also a designated deck crew member who knows the backstage responsibilities of the ASM and fills their spot.

Starter530

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Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« Reply #4 on: Oct 10, 2009, 12:32 pm »
well, i guess if its an emergency i would call my director, but other than that, if i just know i'm going to be running late, for this show, i'd call the A.D. who is a friend of mine and ask him to show up early and kinda take over.

lalaa0822

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Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« Reply #5 on: Oct 11, 2009, 08:11 pm »
Had this happened to me once on a school play.  One of the actors car overheated and the actor was giving another actor a ride so I had to go get them and was 15 minutes late.  I called the director and texted the actors to let them know since I didn't have a full time rehearsal ASM. 

As for a performance that never happened and I've been lucky for any of that not for that to happen.  But in case:

FOR REHEARSAL: I'd call my ASM, a crew member, or director to let them know, so one of them can take it over... but would prefer an ASM to do that.

FOR A PERFORMANCE:  Call my ASM and Board Operators... My ASM can carry out calling cues and the board operators would have enough practice to get a feel for when the lights/sound come in.  Same with the crew, they would have a sense already.  Whenever I SM, I always gave my crew members there own copies of the script so they'd know when quick changes, prop handoffs, and scene changes took place as well as specific cues on when they occur.  Same with the board op's... even though I call the cues. 

But as a SM, it shouldn't be a problem for any of us to arrive "too early" to a show. 

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stephaleph

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Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« Reply #6 on: Oct 15, 2009, 04:16 pm »
Yea, this was an issue for me recently actually. I don't have an assistant and I have only one stage hand that's working on another play (not available for rehearsals usually). So, when I was running late for our rehearsal I had enough faith in my cast to just have them start without me. Now, this is a small One-act show with 3 actors, so this is kinda special circumstance. In general my entire plan for rehearsals was to have the same pattern, so that the actors could almost run it themselves- then this came in handy when I was a few minutes late.

Also, with the same show someone wound up having to work and would be a half-hour late. So, instead of changing rehearsal we just rehearsed a different part of the play. It worked pretty smoothly, then when the actor arrived I had someone go run lines with him. Then we rehearsed his section later and everyone ended up getting extra rehearsing time!

Anyway in general if anyone or yourself is late a call on the phone or a text message is definitely required. One of my original cast members had a heart attack on his way home from our first read-through (he's alive don't worry!). So, after that scenario, whenever someone was late I make it clear I don't mind I just need to know their ok!

bemalk

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Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« Reply #7 on: Nov 08, 2009, 02:33 pm »
So, after that scenario, whenever someone was late I make it clear I don't mind I just need to know their ok!

Agreed!  In the most recent production I SM'd I had a few actors who would not answer the phone when I called them when they were past call time.  After a while you start getting nervous!

When it comes to running late for a rehearsal or performance I start by calling my 1st ASM to make sure they can get there a little earlier to unlock doors and set up, depending on how late I will be we might discuss any beginning of rehearsal announcements or changes for the day.  Then, depending on the situation I might call the director and let them know what it going on.
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athfaas

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Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« Reply #8 on: Nov 12, 2009, 12:12 am »
I'm that kind of person who burns his hand before he learns the oven is hot. I was late for one rehearsal and it was a disaster. To combat the issue of lateness my only solution was to show up 90 minutes before rehearsal began as opposed to the normal 60. That way if I was running late, I had those 30 min of spare time to fix the issue and still nothing would go wrong.

The only other solution is to tell your ASM to start the rehearsal with or without you and call them to forewarn them when it actually happens. As long as your ASM is as up to date as you are it shouldn't be too impossible.

If I didn't have an ASM my only other thought is to call the nearest SM or SMlike person in the vicinity of the rehearsal hall/theater to snatch up my prompt book from wherever I'm storing it and stand in for me, this could be the director or one of the actors. If no one answers their phone, there's nothing left to do but get there as soon as you can, and keep calling people, letting them know where you are...That and apologize 'till your blue in the face to your superior

BeccaTheSM

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Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late
« Reply #9 on: Dec 18, 2009, 03:18 am »
My general solution to this problem is to strike preemptively. As Stage Manager for my collegiate productions, I generally ask my ASM(s) to arrive 30 minutes prior to rehearsal start times (of course, depending on the set-up procedures). In addition to that, I arrive at least 15 minutes prior to that. Since my travels to rehearsal are generally only across campus with no driving involved, I am only detained by perhaps a class running over, or weather conditions (I go to school in Rochester, NY: the SNOW BELT). The 15 minutes allots this buffer, but in the event that I am on-time for my personal call, I have time to 'zen out,' and have a built-in break in my otherwise hectic day. I look forward to this time every day. Often, it is my time to have a 'relaxed' dinner, at least compared to my lunches which generally occur as I walk between classes.

Similarly, I make sure that I call myself at least 30 minutes, if not 60 minutes, prior to the earliest call for actors or crew during a performance run. Again, I give myself a buffer of 'Oh crap, my car won't start' or traffic or weather or whatever, but I also give myself time to relax and get myself into the right frame of mind for the show.

As to the specific challenge of running late for a performance in an emergency-type situation, I would definitely call my ASM(s) to instruct them in what was needed to check/set-up/call/etc. Hopefully, I would be able to give them a time estimate for my arrival, and hopefully, I make it in time for the scheduled curtain time.
However, this has provided me a new insight (learn something new every day, huh?). I have never installed a 'back-up' system in my chain of command, such as training an ASM to cover the prompt book and a crew member to take over for the ASM. I am going to incorporate this into my upcoming projects.
Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos. - Stephen Sondheim