Author Topic: Professional SM for a Community Theatre?  (Read 2650 times)

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Nwb001

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Professional SM for a Community Theatre?
« on: Oct 11, 2013, 04:50 pm »
I recently graduated from college with my BFA focused in Stage Management and for the past six months I have been employed as an SM and education assistant at a local theater. This theater's education department for which I work also has a community theater company where I am the SM. This company, as you might expect, does not have a design team, proper facilities, or even skilled labor to assist with builds. I am currently battling with myself over two options I see. First, I would like to push this company to create a more professional atmosphere in which to create theatre and teach the youth of the area because the performance space is amazing and this is a great area to make a professional theatre. Second, to put my head down and get through this season, build the resume, and move on. As much as I would love to stay with this company several other issues are making me question the legitimacy of this work. For instance, as I have been working with this company I have, on several occasions, found myself needing more paid hours to get by. I understand that building my resume is important but earning $1000 for a three month production just doesn't cut it. Basically I am wondering the following:
1) How can you introduce professionalism to a theatre who doesn't know how to accomplish that.
2) Is this crusade worth the struggle?
3) (Slightly off topic) As an SM do I have the right in my contract negotiations to request to be compensated for rehearsal time?

Thanks for any input on my situation. I hope everything makes sense although to be honest nothing about this job really makes sense.

PSMKay

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Re: Professional SM for a Community Theatre?
« Reply #1 on: Oct 11, 2013, 05:30 pm »
This is something I encountered a lot as a younger SM.

For the most part if a community theatre wanted to become more professional they could certainly do so. Many of them don't want to do that. They want to retain the openness and excitement that comes from seat-of-the-pants productions. They don't want their fundraising team to have to be larger than the cast in order to survive. And, in many places, they don't want to make the artistic sacrifices necessary to generate sufficient income to support a transition to a more professional environment. If the company's been around for more than a couple of years, you might as well be trying to push a river. They don't want to be pros. They are happy where they are, and have probably heard everything you have to say before from other ambitious young artists.

IMHO a teaching environment should be close to the real thing. Many of the kids you're teaching will never have the opportunity to work in a "professional" house, and may not have the money to attend shows in pro houses, but they will have access to community theatre. Why set them up for disappointment? It will only scare them away from enjoying and participating in the arts.

As for asking for compensation, you can certainly try. Go in knowing the minimum that you want, and don't back away from that number. Make sure you are willing to walk away from the job if you don't get it. Bear in mind though: if the theatre is dark during rehearsals as many small theatres are, then you have to consider where the money could possibly be coming from to pay you. I know even my college theatre department at a well-endowed school only got uni funds to cover them through the first 1.5 shows of the season, with the remaining 10-15 productions being financed entirely off of ticket sales. They didn't have to pay salaries, just build costs, and even then they only barely managed to break even by directly soliciting alumni donations. Most community theatre groups struggle to stay in the black and simply can't commit to paying for rehearsal time until opening night. Even then it would be just a stipend.

More important to ask yourself is, are you dead-ending your career by staying with a company that cannot propel you forward? Or are you, like the company, happy to remain a big fish in a small pond?

juliec

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Re: Professional SM for a Community Theatre?
« Reply #2 on: Oct 11, 2013, 11:42 pm »
1) Introducing "professionalism" - It depends on how you are defining "professional", nwb001.  There is some truth to what PSMKay says, especially if you are equating "professional" to having a larger budget.  Most organizations (not only the arts ones) have a particular culture and before you are employed, it is important for you to get a sense of whether that culture is one that you will enjoy.

In terms of creating change, it is very possible if there is a willingness of others.  Most organizational change requires you to socialize an idea and get buy-in from your participants.  That's why it's harder to change big companies - there are more people who need to buy in.  If you are defining professional as higher quality for the same pay, you need to get people to share a common vision of what that looks like - and that leadership usually comes from the top, or from someone who is very influential (and either is committed to staying or has already been there for a while).  It is almost impossible to create change as a new person to the organization.  You need to earn their trust and understand the politics of any organization you join.

That's not to say you can't create small change that can have ripple effects - but just take it a step at a time with the things you can control.  If you do want to create change, I would start with some small but meaningful things that express your standards - perhaps making sure that everyone is there on-time for every rehearsal or simply making your own behavior more professional to lead by example.  If you're hoping that they'll hire different staff or designers though, that sort of change takes years of commitment.  In any case, complete revolution may be unlikely.

2) the struggle and crusade - it's up to you to determine if it's worth it to you.  This whole business is a struggle (which is something I've been thinking a lot about).  to me, changing an organization is not worth a crusade.  training new behavior is worth it.  for my particular situation, this lifestyle is worth it right now (but it may not be in a few years).  this is one of the few professions where your own values are routinely challenged (every time you choose to take a new job).

3) contract negotiation - as *anyone* who is negotiating on their own behalf (i.e., anyone who does not have an agent and is not part of a union), you have the right to ask for anything you want.  it doesn't mean you'll get it, but you can always ask.  there may already be some precedent, but if you never ask, you'll never get it and at least it opens up a conversation that might suit your needs.  (recognize also that being paid for the actual time you spend working is unusual in the theater, *especially* community theater).

 

riotous