TEAM BUILDING - Part One - The Assistant

[MatthewShiner]

So, now that I am freelancing, I am in the position now, where I am getting to "choose" my assistant - sometime from a list, sometime from out of the air.

I am trying to form an idea of what I want in a dream assistant - I know it's sort of long term relationship in some ways - the best PSM/ASM relationships are one built over multiple shows.

What do you look for in an assistant?

[Tempest]

I look for just three things.
1) Do our personalities mesh?  Can we make each other laugh when we're ready to kill everything and everyone else?  Can we yell at each other in a heated moment and both realize it's just the stress and not take it personaly or hold a grudge?

2) Can they learn and learn quickly?  Can they follow detailed instructions, and infer from those instructions what to do if an unexpected situation arises?  I can work with a totally un-trained ASM as long as they're someone with a good head on their shoulders and who is good at "learning by doing."  Don't get me wrong, trained is great, trainable is very doable.

3) Can they be trusted to work unsupervised?  Can I go to the booth every night and know that backstage is going to have someone on top of it?

If I can have those three things, everything else is negotiable.

[cserendipity]

Being able to pick your dream ASM is like picking your own superhero sidekick.*

I second what tempest gypsy said.  I would add the following:
1)  Your personalities should not only mesh, but compliment each other.   You want them to bring something new to the table; their strengths should supplement yours, not necessarily be identical. 

2) The ability to take constructive criticism, as well as learn from and own their mistakes.  They should be proactive in fixing the problems, not the first to pass blame. 

3)  You have to trust them as well their work.  They should be watching your back while you are watching out for everyone else. 


*cool costume and awesome nickname are optional

[BayAreaSM]

Aside from the skills that are necessary to do the job, I look for:

1. Ability to manage themselves on a task
2. Ability to follow complex/multi-step directions for a task
3. Communication skills
4. Proper etiquette with theater staff/crew
5. Must be compatible with me

All of these things describe my current ASM - and as I work with others, I realize just how important #5 truly is to me. I don't need to be BFF's with my ASM, but being able to talk about things other than work, laugh with each other, and be genuinely interested in each other is very helpful for a positive working relationship.

[ScooterSM]

In addition to all of the great suggestions above, I also look for someone who has strengths that I don't.  Since being an SM and an ASM are very different jobs, I try to work with people who are strong ASMs, and not just biding their time until they can step up and be the SM.  For example, my current (awesome!) assistant is really good with the small details of props tracking and paperwork, and I am better with the big picture and people management.  It makes us a more well rounded team and better serves the shows.
The longer I work with someone the better team we are.  We learn the other person's strengths and weakness, and can better tell when the other person is having a bad day and can pick up the slack.

I do LOVE the idea of cool costumes and awesome nicknames!!

[BayAreaSM]

Taking the angle of ScooterSM - complementing each other. While working at the ballet for the past 8 years, the SM team has always been a "Mom & Dad" situation. So far, I've always been the "Mom" role - a bit softer, more loving, but I still stand by what "Dad" says. While I was the ASM, the PSM was always male, and was able to fill the "Dad" role really well - being the heavy and coming down on the dancers when it was necessary.

When I got promoted to PSM, my ASM was female, and she assumed the "Dad" role. It works out well. Someone has to be the heavy, and someone has to be the caring one, but both stand for the same rules.

[MatthewShiner]

I am finding that my list is getting longer and longer, as I get older and older.

1) I do want our styles to mesh - but most important - I want our sense of humors to mesh.  Spending 12-16 hours together, I want us to get along.  I want out communication style to get along.  I want out attitude toward the job to get along.  At the end of the day, I would prefer2 a B+ stage manager who I get along with then an A+ stage manager I hate working with.

2) I want an ASM who has experience PSMing.  This is vital to me now - if the ASM doesn't know what it is like to sit in my in seat, I am not sure how they are going to know what I need, or anticipate what I need or don't need.

3) I need an assertive, leader, who is also a team player.  Passive aggressive or passive managers need not apply.  Seriously, I don't have time for that style of communication or management.  If you can't manage people, in my opinion, you have no place in stage management.

4) TEAM PLAYERS - once we start work until the day we close, we are team working together, with our focus being to put the show up - there should be no internal competition, trying to outshine the other team members or put down other team members.  THAT ONLY MAKES YOU LOOK PETTY, CHILDISH AND NOT MANAGEMENT MATERIAL.

5) I want a manager who knows what to do.  I never want to hear "What should I do next?", I want to hear "I have these three things to do on my list, what do you want me to do first?" The first makes it seem like you have no idea what needs to be done.

6)They need to compliment me (not the "hey, you look nice today", although that is nice), but we need to work really well to together.

I have a lot of other little things . . . but those are big ones.

[NomieRae]

What a great topic! I recently was asked for a reference for an ASM I use and adore and had to finally verbalize why I just like her so much and most of the reasons listed above applied.

When I look for an ASM I carefully pick through people I know and enjoy working with and who will best fit the show, I firmly believe that one SM team cannot do every kind of show. I have very different people I'd pick for a straight play versus a musical, etc and it's important that their skill set meets the show ahead of us.

Conversely, I find that while I PSM on most of my projects, lately I have really enjoyed being the ASM and getting a chance to be the ASM I would want if I was in that PSM's shoes. My current show has our PSM abroad with the cast and creatives until 48 hours before tech begins and I've been holding down the fort and setting up everything while being in communication via email and while I do miss some things that come with being the PSM (I will really miss calling the show!) I think this is a great opportunity to create a new bond with another SM from a different angle.

[Maribeth]

Someone I can trust to bring important situations to my attention, but knows the appropriate time and place.

Someone who can be trusted to handle things on their own- backstage, in another rehearsal room, if something comes up and I'm not there.

Someone who wants the responsibility of being an ASM, and doesn't shirk from any duties I assign them. Different shows have different needs, and an ASM who complains or is unhappy about given tasks is not someone I want on the team.

Someone I get along with, whose company I enjoy, and who I can stand to be around all day long. A good sense of humor is essential.

Someone who takes responsibility for their mistakes. Mistakes happen, I make them too, but I don't like to have an assistant who tries to push the blame off on someone else. I have a lot more respect for someone who can own up to mistakes, and move right on to fixing them.

The most important factor for me in taking any SM job is that I want to like the people I work with. The theatres that I want to go back to are the ones where I enjoy working with the theatre staff, in general. So, people who share my work ethic, have good communication and a similar manner to approaching a production, as well as a compatible manner of dealing with problems and challenges, are people I want to work with again, and I think those things count double for someone I work with as closely as an ASM.