Author Topic: Choosing your team?  (Read 2795 times)

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iamchristuffin

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Choosing your team?
« on: Sep 09, 2014, 08:56 am »
Hi all,

I'm CSM'ing an opera next year, and I'm having issues choosing my team.

The problem comes because the company did two shows in rep with each other last year, and so I had two DSM's (Showcaller/Rehearsal SM), one on each show. Let's call them Sarah and Emily for easy reference. Now they've reverted to just one, and so I can only ask one of them back!

They're both great friends of mine, both fantastic at their job, and very easy to work with.

Emily is perhaps slightly better in her role, while Sarah is more relaxed about the 'quirkiness' of the venue and the company. Emily is very confident at controlling a room, while Sarah is easier for new colleagues to establish a rapport with. Neither of them particularly enjoys propping, so offering one of them an ASM position is out.

Any thoughts on how to choose?! And, any tips on how to break it to the unsuccessful one?

Thanks!

C

PS. Mods- wasn't sure on the best board to post this on, this or Employment- so I'm sorry if I got the wrong one!

KMC

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Re: Choosing your team?
« Reply #1 on: Sep 09, 2014, 01:51 pm »
Sorry if this is a cop-out answer - last year you had two DSMs and (presumably, based on your post) were able to delegate each to a particular show.  This year, one DSM will (again, presumably) take on more of both roles.  Have you given any consideration to who is the better "juggler"?
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iamchristuffin

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Re: Choosing your team?
« Reply #2 on: Sep 09, 2014, 04:53 pm »
Last year, they each fulfilled the role of DSM on one production, with no overlap. This year, the one DSM will do the same work as they did last year, as there is now only one production.

I hope this makes sense, and I hope that I understood your answer!

C

MatthewShiner

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Re: Choosing your team?
« Reply #3 on: Sep 09, 2014, 11:40 pm »
Picking a team is hard.

Look at other considerations as well, cast, director, your needs for this specific job.

What concerns is the comment - they are both friends - throw that out, and pick the team member that do the best for the show, and the best as a member of your team - and heck, sometime that maybe a non-friend.
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