Organizing Work Space in Small Rehearsal Hall

[BLee]

When I'm setting up my work station before rehearsal I'm wondering what everyone does to fit all the stuff we need in such small spaces. There are so many different style of spaces that it is hard to find a solution for space. For example, if you are in the theatre for rehearsals and are sitting in the audience, how do you set up your laptop, prompt book, paperwork, kit, and anything else I might have forgotten? I've seen sitting in the aisle, dragging in as big a table as will fit, or a specially fit work top built to sit over two rows of seats to provide ample workspace for stage manager, light, and sound board. How do you work it?

Or, even more basic, how do manage to have a laptop (for note taking, line or director notes, etc) and also follow along with the script/prompt book? Do you use an assistant (if available) or some kind of set up you have found works well?

[kmc307]

Is there an apron on the stage or some area down in the front of the house that isn't being used?  This could allow you to put a table there.  Another option would be to use tech tables if your theatre has them, but this can be fairly restricting for an SM, as we need to be able to jump up at a moment's notice.

[Nbayard]

Yeah, my theatres thats I've been working with have tech tables, and are a big pain in the ass! But I also have my ASM on book and ive come up with a handy little system for line notes, because if the actors dont have the note in their little hands, they forget them... so.. I've got message book with carbon copies of all the line notes, and have rearranged them for myself. The actors love it!  They also have to look up what they missed.

Sorry went on a tangent, but the point is. I use tech tables. BLAH!