Student Stage Manager's Challenge #3: SMs Everywhere

[gbriner]

Don't forget about stuff like concerts and fashion shows too!

[MelanieZastrow]

I actually just went out on call with a pyro-technician to see some behind-the-scenes stuff at a minor league  baseball game. There happened to be a stage manager there for the game, for the things that went on between the innings. It was kind of amazing to watch him work, he actually had only moments to get everything done that he needed to get done to make things run flawlessly.

[LCSM]

What about a politician's campaign manager? If you think about it, the whole campaign is a type of production. They're there to make sure it all runs smoothly, all the schedules work, stay calm when things hit the fan, etc.

not to mention all the fancy office supplies they get to use!

[PSMKay]

OK, opening this up to the more experienced SMs now. 

For the record, there's a big one that I haven't seen.  There's a major, unconventional event requiring lots of stage management coming up this summer.  In Asia.  Any takers?

[JenniferS.]

Olympics?

[RuthNY]

Oh, I'd work the Olympics in a minute if I had a connection there. Although from what I understand they HIRE very few people and count on volunteers for most of the positions.

OK, opening this up to the more experienced SMs now. 

For the record, there's a big one that I haven't seen.  There's a major, unconventional event requiring lots of stage management coming up this summer.  In Asia.  Any takers?

[Katie ~]

Completely outside of the Theatre world:  a friend called and asked my help for her wedding.  It was outdoors and the wedding party dressing area was a 10 minute walk from the ceremony area.  She (the bride) asked me to be on walkies to cue the wedding party when the guests had all arrived and cue the musicians when the groom's party was in view to start the wedding music.  They specifically asked me (as opposed to lots of other friends--mostly actors) because they knew I would stage manage their wedding just as efficiently as I would do any show.

damn! you stole mine! I was gonna say that you can stage manage a wedding!

Not gonna lie..
My backup plan for life is being a wedding planner.
haha

[ariadne]

a formula 1 race strategy coordinator? I guess.

[gillyweet]

National Day Parade for Singapore.

There's a lot of marching, parading, formations and mass dance. They used to use "cue callers" who were army soldiers on duty. But this year, they hired professional stage managers to organise the show.

[katherinesifuentes24]

A stage manager could be useful in the world outside of theater for many jobs and/ or responsibilities.

1. Substitute, you have to be able to control people. (and you have to have a voice)
2. Daycare, sometimes people can act like children, daycare could be excellent pretheater experience.
3. At home, sometimes families get a little crazy and they need a calm, cool, and collective person to keep them in check.
4. When you want to here really funny theater jokes... or is that just me?

[asmusser]

I've worked front of house quite a bit and I've used my SM experience a lot. Coordinating between box office, ushers, patrons and the stage manager backstage can be quite a feat! One of the hardest things is to deal with many issues while still remaining outwardly calm and friendly to every single audience member.

[Thespi620]

I just have to share...

Went to Christmas Eve mass tonight with the family, a children's mass at 4pm.  These are always very well managed for the number of people who attend, but can get a bit unruly.  About half an hour in, no major traffic problems, etc, its time for communion.  One usher walks over and tells my section of seats we're 'section 4' for communion...and then section 3 starts to get up before section 1 is done, and they run out of wafers on our side of the church and an usher has to get someone else to pass them out, so we're the last ones to receive communion, finishing ~3 minutes after everyone else...in silence.....and the traffic patterns for communion were awful....

Needless to say, I'm sitting there the whole time thinking of the 3449797 ways I could've prevented an awkward silence throughout the Church tonight 

On that note, Happy Holidays to all!