Author Topic: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)  (Read 32649 times)

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Jessie_K

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #30 on: Jun 05, 2012, 11:32 pm »
Does the audience see the content of these emails?  If so, are they work related or spam? Can we get sponsorship from Viagra if the content is spam? What email provider does she use? AOL? Do we have rights to use the phrase "You've got mail."  Can we fake the receiving of emails by having the artist simply play a .wav file on the computer? Or should the whole email scene be run as a video on the computer monitor complete with sound effects and emails opening?  How soon can we get the video to the actress so she can practice timing her typing and mouse clicks to match the video?   More importantly, I'd like to add the obvious question, why can't the monitor be facing away from the audience and the actress simply ACT like she is receiving email?  It's what we're paying her for afterall.

Note: When Martha takes the LSD is Scene 4, all the furniture onstage should disappear.

On_Headset

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #31 on: Jun 06, 2012, 02:59 am »
What sort of disappearance effect is desired?

Are we aiming for inter-dimensional transportation? (Has the production office approved the budget necessary to replace the set at every performance? Have the denizens of these alternate universes been warned of the impending deluge of bedroom sets? [We don't want a repeat of the King in Yellow incident: Equity is still hopping mad about the performance where we had to give all of the actors flamethrowers to hold the temporal ravagers at bay for long enough to make it through the matinee. Besides, the production office would never approve the danger pay.])

Would time travel work better? (Do we have enough plutonium? Does our electric department have enough jiggawatts? What period is the furniture from? [International treaties on time travel will only permit us to make the furniture appear in an era-appropriate setting: ferns and plant stands must be sent to the Victorian era, shag carpet to the 70s, etc.] Have all running crew been given adequate training on how to contain a temporal loop event? Have all running crew been given adequate training on how to contain a temporal loop event?  Have all running crew been given adequate training on how to contain a temporal loop event? Have all running crew been given adequate training on how to contain a temporal loop event? Have all running crew been given adequate training on how to contain a temporal loop event? Have all running crew been given adequate training on how to contain a temporal loop event? Have all running crew been given ad

FORUM ERROR

TEMPORAL LOOP DETECTED

TRUNCATING POST

RESUMING POST


NEW NOTE: The Director has asked that, for the sake of authenticity, Scene XIIV be performed by actual cats.

lauria

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #32 on: Jun 06, 2012, 07:41 pm »
How many cats are required? What kind of cats - Domesticated house cats, lions, tigers, panthers? If house cats, what color? Orange? Tuxedo? Tabby? Calico?

Does the American Humane Association need to approve this project? Do we need to have warnings in the lobby that "no animals were harmed..." What are we going to do for the actress that is allergic to cats? Do we need to have warnings in the lobby for any patrons that might be allergic to cats?

How are we going to contain the cats from leaping from the stage?

Do we have a cat wrangler? Do we have the budget for trained cats? Where will the cats be kept when offstage? Will we need cages? a cat room? Who will be feeding the cats on the days off? How will we keep the cats quiet backstage? Will they need someone to come in and play with them? How will we cue their entrance?

Will we be recording their lines for voiceover or do we need to find speaking cats? (Can we get that cat that says "nononononono"? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKI-tD0L18A ) How will the cats open the refrigerator to get to the ham, as noted in the stage directions? Do we need a foot petal operation as (as far as I know) cats have yet to master opposable thumbs?

Are we sure that we can't go another route? Mechanical cats? (who would program them and do we need to add additional crew to operate / maintain them) Stuffed cats and having actors perform over the video screen? Actors in cat costumes? (Memooooooooooooooooooory!) Actors carrying cats (real, stuffed, puppets, or mechanical)?

Will the cats get program credit? Do they need bios? Are any of them union? Ditto for the cat wrangler / additional crew / cat feeder / cat player.

Are we going to get bad press from PETA for this?

You do know that there is no such thing as Scene XIIV, right?

NEW NOTE: Stanley will need a green umbrella for pg 39 (the scene with the hippos).

Maggie K

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #33 on: Jun 07, 2012, 10:19 pm »
What kind of umbrella?  Golf, rain, sun shade, chinese?  What color green?  Forest, lime, grass?  Is it one color or is there a pattern on it? Is the whole umbrella green or just the canopy?  Is it a straight handle or a hook?  Does the handle need a grip?  Is it open or shut?  Does it need to open or shut onstage?  If it does, does it need to be automatic (button push) or manual?  How large is the circumference of the canopy?  Is it a double-canopy or a single?  How long is the shaft?  What kind of material is it made of?  Plastic, metal, wood, paper, canvas?  Does it need to fasten shut?  What kind of fastener would be best?  Velcro, snap, or tie?  How is it used?  Is it swung?  Danced with?  Sat on?  Used as a sword against the hippos?  If so, will we need a fight choreographer?  Does it need to be padded or altered in order to not injure the hippos?  Will we need extras in case the umbrella is broken or damaged?  Does it get wet or need to appear wet?  Is anything attached to it at any time?

NEW NOTE:  Timmy will be feeding his pet snake onstage in Act 3, Scene 2

I like the ephemeral thing about theatre, every performance is like a ghost - it's there and then it's gone. -Maggie Smith

JessB

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #34 on: Jul 10, 2012, 09:16 pm »
Is this a real snake? Will we need to feed it mice?  Do the mice need to be alive?  Would lab quality mice be acceptable or do we need pet store mice?  Do we need to clear this with any animal activist groups?  If the snake is fed at the matinee, when will it be hungry again?  Do we need more than one snake so it actual eats the food?

Will Timmy be holding the snake when he feeds him? Are worried about getting mice guts or snake spit on the costume?
 
Will a fake snake do? If it is a fake snake, can the mouth open and close so the food is inside the snake?
Or does the actor need to palm the food and hide it in his costume? 

Shouldn't the stage manager ask all these questions of the director before it ends up on a rehearsal report?   ;)

NEW NOTE: In Act II, scene 1, the actor will place a teapot on a stove and it will need to boil by Act II, scene 2

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #35 on: Jul 18, 2012, 05:29 pm »
What kind of tea pot? Size? Color? Material? Do we have confirmation about whether the stove actually works? Will the actors prefill the teapot or should it be done backstage? Is tab water OK, or Evian (as per lead divas request)? Do we have enough budget to fill the teapot? Does it need to be actually used for tea or can we trick out the stove to just look as if it is getting hot? Could we employ a boiling sound effect? Are all the other sounds recorded or would that be out of place?

What kind of stove is it and will that affect how the audience views the boiling of the water (gas, electric etc.)? If we use real stove have we checked fire codes? Where is the stove onstage? Is the teapot within the sightline of the audience? What time period is this? If not modern, who is doing the research into the heating times of water per the electrical output and warming of vintage stoves?

How long between when the teapot is placed on the stove and when it should boil? Who is in the scene, have the been briefed on the dangerous of teapots, stoves, and cooking? What kind of tea do the prefer?

Is anyone in the cast allergic to tea, water, fire, stoves, or teapots?


New Note : The actress cast for the role of stripper in Act III, Scene 2 turns out to be anatomically male. Director insists on full nudity.
-Brianna
Stage Manager - Dramaturg - Director
newbielink:http://briannamarie.yolasite.com/ [nonactive]

MatthewShiner

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #36 on: Jul 18, 2012, 07:48 pm »
I don't see a problem with this.

NEW NOTE:  Last scene, that takes places in "the wilderness", now, according to the Director, wants to take place in am 8-bit video game world.  (Corrected the typo . . . . )
« Last Edit: Jul 18, 2012, 09:31 pm by MatthewShiner »
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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.

loebtmc

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #37 on: Jul 18, 2012, 08:03 pm »
Quote
8-but video game world.

(what the heck is that?)

PSMKay

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #38 on: Jul 18, 2012, 09:12 pm »
(I think that should be question #1?)

MatthewShiner

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #39 on: Jul 18, 2012, 09:32 pm »
Corrected unfortunate typo.
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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.

PSMKay

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #40 on: Jul 18, 2012, 11:31 pm »
8-bit games = video games made for early gaming systems that could only handle 8 bits of data for single command. Graphics are blocky and 2 dimensional, and colors are limited. Think Mario Bros, the original Legend of Zelda, or Oregon Trail.

loebtmc

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #41 on: Jul 19, 2012, 02:40 am »
Quote
8-bit games

I had the feeling that was what he meant, but 8-but games just seemed so ... interesting after Matthew's accommodation of the nude actor <g>

missliz

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #42 on: Jul 20, 2012, 04:42 pm »
Is there a specific game being cited (Mario, Zelda, etc) or is it simply 8bit inspired? Black and white or color? How large a pixel are we working with? Will we be using projections, or 3-d renderings of 8-bit design? If projections, will the actors be interacting with them? How will projections affect the lighting? Do we need to bring in a gaming consultant? A graphic designer? Can we get a Nintendo as a sponsor? Will sound need to be translated to MIDI or Chiptunes? Can we get the rights to that great Super Mario coin grab sound?



For David's entrance into Act 2, he'll come through the house with the wedding cake and serve audience members.
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

On_Headset

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #43 on: Jul 20, 2012, 04:55 pm »
Sadly, we cannot accommodate this request: the Rentals policy of the Upper Lower Barnstaple Community Gymnatorium, Nursery, Spaceport And Arts Centre expressly forbids us from having catering by anyone other than a licensed, registered provider. As the actor playing David is not employed by any of these registered providers, he cannot "serve, or appear to serve any food or beverages" on the premises. (Additionally, we would need to purchase the cake from a registered provider, which would run us nearly $200 per show.)

We could employ one of these registered providers, but it would involve hiring a chef, two waiters and a bartender for a four-hour minimum--and it wouldn't even include alcohol, which is what we really need.


New Note: During the final pass of the lyric, "Money makes the world go 'round", the director has asked that the entire auditorium revolve 360 degrees.

On_Headset

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Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)
« Reply #44 on: Jul 25, 2012, 06:47 pm »
Perhaps an easier note?

NEW NOTE: Due to the difficulty in procuring insurance, the horse in scene VI will be replaced by two actors in a horse costume. Please make all necessary arrangements.

 

riotous