Author Topic: Prompt Script Etiquette  (Read 12592 times)

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malewen

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Re: Prompt Script Etiquette
« Reply #15 on: Apr 08, 2011, 10:30 am »
I'm basically in agreement with Matthew.  I want my script to look reasonably clean and I do it for pride if for nothing else.  Now I don't mean that I spend countless hours meticulously going over it, but I do try to rewrite the incomprehensible notes I write during tech.  And I try to do that normal "cleaning up" right after we open so my ASM can read my book.  Almost all my ASMs write the cues into their own book but I want to have my copy be clear enough to make it easier for them.

The other reason I would cite for cleaning up the script is the possibility of my doing the show again (or rather my production being remounted).  This has happened to me at least five times and I'm not talking about a LORT Transfer where the two productions are closely linked.  A couple of times that I had no idea the show was going to be remounted (and the remounts were over a year after the initial production). I found myself alternately very happy with some parts of the script that were clear 16 months later and also cursing myself for not being more careful about cleaning up the blocking or whatever.

I did do one Broadway show where the producer passed along a request from the company that was going to publish the script to give them an annotated version of my script but I refused to do any work without the payment.  Needless to say they didn't pay - I think they used the stage manager's script from the original British production...

Anyway, I vote with the clean up the script group.

tonythenose

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Re: Prompt Script Etiquette
« Reply #16 on: Apr 27, 2011, 12:43 pm »
As for the proverbial "getting hit by a bus" I was mid-run of a show and wound up in the hospital getting my appendix removed.  The sub SM came in and called the show.  I was told she said, "good book."  High praise from another SM.  Show went off without a hitch.  My feeling is keep a clean book.  We are there to serve the production.  There are too many others who depend on the show going on.  JM2C

Cherie B. Tay

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Re: Prompt Script Etiquette
« Reply #17 on: Aug 31, 2011, 03:26 pm »
I'm working on a show that was already on an AEA tour last year. We're the 2nd nat (Non Aea) tour.

Our creative team is exactly the same.

The SM team asked for paperwork from the 1st tour, but the producers said there might be an AEA rule against giving us the paperwork. Is this true? Is there a way we can get our hands on the props list, checklists, etc?

BayAreaSM

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Re: Prompt Script Etiquette
« Reply #18 on: Aug 31, 2011, 04:27 pm »
CBT - I am only familiar with the LORT rules regarding transfers of a show to another theater, while your situation seems to be falling under another contract/situation entirely. Here's what I can find regarding transferring from one LORT to another:

(G) Other Productions. Should a Stage Manager and/or Assistant Stage Manager, during
the time that he is under contract for a LORT production, perform services related to the
transfer of that play to another Theatre, the Stage Manager and/or Assistant Stage
Manager shall be compensated not less than 1/6th of contractual salary for such additional
services, unless the Stage Manager and/or Assistant Stage Manager is moving with the
production.

and

(J) Production Script.
(1) It is agreed that it is the duty of the Stage Manager to assemble and maintain
the production script for the actual technical and artistic operation of the
production and that the production script remains the property of the Theatre.
(2) No Stage Manager or Assistant Stage Manager will be required to prepare
any additional production script or book for publication or archival purposes or for
use in any other production of the play or musical.
(3) In the event the Theatre does request a Stage Manager or Assistant Stage
Manager to prepare an additional script or alter the script for any of the above
purposes, the Stage Manager or Assistant Stage Manager may agree provided
that he is paid no less than $350.00 for each such preparation.

Hopefully that shines some light on things. The Producers should review the AEA contract that the SMs are on to see what needs to be done/paid out to get you the proper paperwork.

babens

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Re: Prompt Script Etiquette
« Reply #19 on: Sep 01, 2011, 01:50 am »
The key word I have taken from the Production Script rule is "additional."  The prompt book belongs to the theatre and can be pretty much used in any way.  The rule about additional compensation, as I have understood it, comes into effect if the theatre requests the SM to actually create a second prompt book or additional paperwork actually related to a transfer/subsequent production/remounting.

I did a show a few years back that was a remount from a different company.  The original production (while a co-production between two theatres) was not originally intended to be remounted by the company I was working with.  Included with the rental was the original prompt book and all of the paperwork, as the original company had kept it in their archives.  As far as I know the original SM did not receive any additional payments for this as he was not asked to make any changes, updates, additions, etc to the book or paperwork before it was sent out.

The same goes for scripts being edited for publication.  Many acting editions are created from the original prompt scripts.  The SM would only receive payment for this if they were the ones asked to make the edits for publication, not just if their book is pulled from the archives to use as the reference for somebody else to do the work from.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Prompt Script Etiquette
« Reply #20 on: Sep 01, 2011, 11:21 am »
Which is why a lot of Stage Managers, not naming names, don't keep really "neat" calling scripts, and make them so really only they can call off of them . . .

if someone else needs to call . . . they they would need to pay an additional amount to clean up the script.
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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.