Do you add a personal touch to your booth?

[dramachic5191]

An actor came up to the booth to visit me before a show and was surprised that I hadn't added some sort of personal touch to the booth, much like the actors decorate their dressing room mirrors.  I had never really thought about it before.  Do you decorate your booth in anyway?  Hang/post a picture?  Have a special item that you must have with you in the booth when you call a show? 

[BeccaTheSM]

My dad recently remarried a woman who I adore as a stepmother. When they came back from their honeymoon in Mexico, they brought me a tiny hand-carved fish whose tail bounces like a bobble head. It only takes up about 1 or 2 square inches, so it's space efficient for those crazy tiny booths, but its a wonderful tiny reminder of the support of my family. Plus the fish is bright and striped, so it instantly adds a bit of fun to the booth.

Since I'm freelance, I don't have a booth that's all mine -- if I did, I would probably decorate a bit more. But I've found that just a little token of familiarity or of sentimental value can go a long way to help comfort and relax me, which I always look for right I call the first standby.

[Thespi620]

I tend to bring something small that either relates to the show or to something going on in my life--for my most recent show, the lead actor gave everyone a little, 2'x3' picture frame with a clip art of flowers in it--that sat right next to my notebook. Another time, I taped a lucky poker chip from a production meeting to the top of my call box.  I tend to work in black box or other non-conventional spaces, so I rarely have a real booth per se--but those little trinkets are always comforting to have around, I find.

[Mac Calder]

I have Hailey the Hilarious Monkey. If I am going to be oping in one position for a while, Hailey comes to work and attaches herself to a monitor, lighting desk, sound console or vision mixer somewhere.

[Balletdork]

I keep show gifts in the booth for the full run~ which was awesome this past December- we did 8TRACK: The Sounds of the 70's and the cast got me a lava lamp!!! 

[On_Headset]

Surely my sharpies count!

This one's named Doris, and this one's named Charity, and this one's Peter... why are you looking at me like that?

[SMLois]

I have Cue, the headset duckie who tours with me to ever booth.  He's adorable.

[VSM]

wow...

[lsears]

I had to actually think about this question for awhile.  My call script and my little box of must-have supplies with the certain stopwatch and flashlight feel so personal already that I don't feel the need for anything more.  Except my coffee cup.  Surely that counts as a personal touch. 

I guess I also am almost never in an actual booth, just at a call desk backstage, s there isn't a whole lot of opportunity for personal stuff.

[ShaneGU]

I have Cue, the headset duckie who tours with me to ever booth.  He's adorable.

Like SMLois, I also have a SM rubber ducky. I also have a vampire rubber ducky and a light up ghost sitting on the table with me.

[bex]

I have Cue, the headset duckie who tours with me to ever booth.  He's adorable.

I actually saw your blog a few months ago about the rubber duck, and bought one for the rest of the SM team at my theatre for Christmas, so now all 3 of us have matching Headseat Duck booth buddies!

[SMLois]

I think we've actually bought the store out of duckies! I went online to buy one as a gift for a friend and they didn't have them available anymore. SAD.

[loebtmc]

lots of places to buy in bulk (cheapest is 1.30-1.80 per, sold in minimums of 50-100) - but if you give these as gifts all the time it might be worth getting 50!

here's one of them - they'll send a sample for $1.80 with $20 shipping deducted w a future bulk order

http://www.imprintitems.com/custom/spl/4114896?utm_source=google&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=SPLfeed

[missliz]

I have a silver Buddha charm taped on the wall (a very zen actress gave it to me). Right now I have some racy pinup-girl cards hanging around- a gift from my current (all-male) cast.

[MatthewShiner]

besides the tequila bottles?  no.