In this corner... [gesture] ... the stopwatch. Along with the clipboard and the headset, it is one of the three sacred symbols of stage management. Be it Omega or Radio Shack, new school or old school, it is doubtless a crucial part of our industry. We time scene shifts and quick changes. We time french scenes to ensure the actors aren't getting too creative. In rehearsals we time the work segments and the breaks. We use it to time verbally paced fades. Oh yes, the stopwatch is a mighty competitor in this tournament.
Aaaand in this corner... [gesture in opposite direction]... the call button. Separate from the headset and often neglected, the call button allows us the freedom to get off the leash when running a backstage track. In a pinch it can be used as a substitute for a cue light on the rail. It's the hooked boomerang that brings our board ops back into the fold, provided they haven't dozed off at their desk.
Only one will make it to the sweet sixteen. Which will it be? We'll find out when voting closes on Friday at midnight, CST.