TYA Questions to Ask

[MarcieA]

There's been some talk of TYA lately, and I actually have an interview coming up for a TYA tour so I thought I'd run some thoughts by you TYA folks here, as I have touring experience but absolutely no TYA experience.

I'm wondering what the biggest surprises were for you on tour as far as responsibilities or job expectation went.

Is there anything in this interview that I should be prepared to ask about that you know now that you didn't know then?

As far as touring goes - for anyone who's done another type of tour in addition to TYA, what are the major differences, if any? Is there anything in the contract/rider that I should be on the lookout for in either a good way or a bad way?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[Jessie_K]

I believe in TYA tours, the SM (even AEA) will have additional duties and be responsible for a lot more technical elements than on typical AEA contracts.

Theatreworks?

[MarcieA]

Not Theatreworks, it's the Kennedy Center's TYA Program.

I had 3 interviews over the last week, the third being a quick assessment of my Sign Language skills because the show is simultaneously signed and spoken/sung.

From what I understood in the interview, there will be a TD and a lighting/sound sup on the road, so really what would be expected of me outside of the typical SM duties that I'm used to, in say a LORT setting, are load-in/strike participation and some company management work: petty cash, check in at hotels, etc. though everything is advanced by the tour supervisor back in DC.

I'm pretty excited at even the prospect of this job, and I should hear either way by this coming Friday.

[centaura]

I didn't work TYA contracts, but I did work children's theatre.  The main thing is flexibility, and you will end up acting a lot like a company manager.  You'll have to set rules for vehicle usage, and enforce them.  Hotels, even when the reservations have been made in advance, can be very interesting.  Just remember - if they can't find your reservation, ask them to look at their page for the day's reservations and look for the block of multiple rooms.  Worked every time when they couldn't find me in their computer - though they'll start asking you if you work for a hotel.

At venues, while you'll have a tech person, you'll end up working out the day's adjustments and making final decisions.  As well as being the point person with the locals.  If you can talk the talk, even though you have a person doing the tech work, it will help you get along with the locals.  And remember to stress this with your performers - never bad talk a town while in that town, and always at least pretend to get along at a venue even if they hate each other's guts.  You never know if the TD whom annoyed you that day isn't sitting in the booth behind you at the restaurant you go to for lunch, and bringing bad attitudes into venues is picked up on by the locals and can influence whether your company is welcome back there or not.

This all sounds like things that reasonable adults will automatically do anyway, I mention it because there's nothing like touring to take the reasonableness out of any adult.

-Centaura

[MarcieA]

So I should follow up and say that I've gotten the job! I actually found out on June 23rd and have been pretty excited about it, I can't believe that I forgot to post something!

I did get some more details about what some of the 'additional duties' are, and I think I'm pretty lucky because as part of our touring company we have 4 technicians: TD/Sound, Lighting Dir., Costumes/Props, Open Captions (non-union ASM). I looks as though a lot of my responsibility on the road will be related to company management and backstage adjustment at each venue. And of course the unexpected.

The show is called Nobody's Perfect - it's a musical that is simulatiously spoken/sung and in ASL, based on a children's book by Marlee Matlin. The show was performed at the Kennedy Center in 2007 (i think) and is now going out on tour in 2010. Additionally, it's going to be option captioned as well. I think it's the first show of this nature to be live captioned.

We'll be in Washington, DC for 3 weeks of rehearsal and then a 14-week national tour - I'm especially excited about the travel, even though I know there won't be much tourist time - I've never been west of Dayton, OH.

Our tour stops are:
Washington, DC            
Atlanta, GA               
Texarkana, TX                  
Gilbert, AZ         
Irvine, CA                  
Poway, CA         
La Mirada, CA                
Las Vegas, NV                
Queen Creek, AZ          
Cerritos, CA               
La Crosse, WI         
Lincoln, NE               
Springfield, IL                  
Paducah, KY               
Des Moines, IA      
Junction City, KS      
Memphis, TN         
Columbus, OH         
Elyria, OH         
Sylvania, OH            
Greenville, NC               
Washington, NC      
Spartanburg, SC               
Punta Gorda, FL         
West Palm Beach, FL         
Orange Park, FL            
Sarasota, FL               
Pembroke, NC         
Staten Island, NY      
New York, NY            
Brooklyn, NY         
Flushing, NY                     
Buffalo, NY   

Outside of NYC and DC, I've only been to Sarasota and Columbus, so feel free to let me know where to go and what to do! And come see the show!

[VSM]

Looks like you asked the right questions!!
Congratulations !!!

[LCSM]

Congratulations!
I sounds like you'll be having fun...good luck!

Lucia