Author Topic: Best mentions of a stage manager in the press  (Read 8539 times)

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ddsherrer

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Best mentions of a stage manager in the press
« on: Mar 04, 2010, 08:29 pm »
Matthew Shiner's link to an article about his current production made me think back and giggle at the few and far between times that I've been mentioned in an article about a production.  I couldn't find a thread on this so here we go:

What are some of the best/silliest/worst/completely wrong/etc. mention's in the press of the work stage managers do?

Here's mine:

"Assistant stage manager Debra Sherrer brings the simple piece of furniture into the center of Studio 4 in Point Park University's spacious new dance complex. It immediately becomes a magnet for the cast members, whether relaxing, checking notes or simply chatting -- a clear-cut case of life imitating art."

AKA-I moved a bench...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09344/1019744-325.stm
If all the world's a stage, where's my stage manager?

missliz

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Re: Best mentions of a stage manager in the press
« Reply #1 on: Mar 12, 2010, 04:28 pm »
I was mentioned in a review as orchestrating "pretty much the COOLEST DEATH SCENE EVER." Having a blood gun was awesome. Plus, it was fun to do, so it was nice to get recognized for it.
« Last Edit: Nov 29, 2010, 11:59 am by missliz »
I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the least. -Ionesco

MatthewShiner

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Re: Best mentions of a stage manager in the press
« Reply #2 on: Mar 12, 2010, 09:13 pm »
Search myself and came across this review quote "The talents of costume designer Murell Horton and stage manager M. William Shiner really emerge here: The lavish looks are cultural references that articulate and underscore the absurdity of the con, and the fast, frequent costume changes are almost a performance in themselves."

I have to say, this will age me, there was an AMEX commercial for the Vegas show of EFX (with Tommy Tune at the time) where the SM was on TV.  Probably the most famous stage manager ever at the time. 
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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.

JMagill

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Re: Best mentions of a stage manager in the press
« Reply #3 on: Nov 28, 2010, 11:14 pm »
"Assistant stage manager Debra Sherrer brings the simple piece of furniture into the center of Studio 4 in Point Park University's spacious new dance complex. It immediately becomes a magnet for the cast members, whether relaxing, checking notes or simply chatting -- a clear-cut case of life imitating art."

AKA-I moved a bench...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09344/1019744-325.stm

OH how I love the Post Gazette some times... Are you still in the Pgh area?

DeeCap

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Re: Best mentions of a stage manager in the press
« Reply #4 on: Nov 29, 2010, 11:43 am »
The stage manager for Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark is getting some nice write-ups.

The intermission began at 8:19 p.m.; it was still under way 34 minutes later when some in the audience began to clap in unison, as they passed their two-hour mark inside the theater. Mr. White, the production stage manager, then said over the microphone, “I know, guys, I know, I beg your patience,” and the clapping stopped.


Someone buy that man a drink.

SMLois

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Re: Best mentions of a stage manager in the press
« Reply #5 on: Nov 29, 2010, 05:43 pm »
I used to be contracted by a local film acting school to stage managing their final semester projects twice a year.  Basically I'd show up at load in, get them set up, tech the show, run the show and oversee strike.  All in all it would be less than a week's work, but they had money.

On a particularly bad production, a local reviewer wrote "This was a fine production. The set was well-designed, the light and sound cues were well-timed, and all in all, from the evening performance full houses, according to Willes, this production was well-received. Congratulations to the cast and production staff for a job well done, and I look forward to seeing their future projects."  The review basically ignored the entire production, but was sure to mentioned that the light and sound cues were well timed.  HA!

http://www.reviewvancouver.org/th_memory09.htm

JMagill

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Re: Best mentions of a stage manager in the press
« Reply #6 on: Nov 30, 2010, 01:02 am »
The stage manager for Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark is getting some nice write-ups.

The intermission began at 8:19 p.m.; it was still under way 34 minutes later when some in the audience began to clap in unison, as they passed their two-hour mark inside the theater. Mr. White, the production stage manager, then said over the microphone, “I know, guys, I know, I beg your patience,” and the clapping stopped.


Someone buy that man a drink.


I just saw the 60 minutes segment on Spider man from Sunday night and even though I feel like I am having a horrible Tech right now I know that he is have a worse time with all that I have heard that has been going wrong.  from now on if I think I am having a bad day I will think of the poor person calling that crazy show 

Thespi620

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Re: Best mentions of a stage manager in the press
« Reply #7 on: Dec 01, 2010, 08:52 am »
Another one from Spider Man, not necessarily an SM: "Spider Man took off just a little bit, and got stuck....three rather large stagehands, with their little technical things on their heads came out and tried to grab his foot to bring him down"
~From Today Show Video http://www.playbill.com/playblog/2010/11/today-looks-at-spider-mans-first-preview-video/


"little technical things"? I believe, sir, those are called headsets.
[The SM is] a very gifted, slightly eccentric master mechanic [keeping] a cantankerous, highly complex machine running at top efficiency by talking to it, soothing it, & lovingly fixing whatever is broken. 
-J. Michael Gillette

loebtmc

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Re: Best mentions of a stage manager in the press
« Reply #8 on: Dec 01, 2010, 12:59 pm »
Much as I sympathize, honestly, I think I'd be willing to pay good money to see previews like this....! Once it opens, eh...but now, with everything that could happen going on right in front of me - well, those are talking points for years to come!

 

riotous