« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: British DSM checking in!  (Read 5097 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Plabebob

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 22
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Equity
  • Current Gig: Opera North - Ring Cycle
  • Experience: Professional
British DSM checking in!
« on: Feb 15, 2016, 04:10 am »
Hi Everyone,

I'm  a stage manager from England, mostly specialising in DSMing. It seems to be mostly American SMs here so if anyone wants a rundown on British designations drop me a PM!

I mostly work on  drama with a smattering of musicals & some new writing thrown in. I also do a bunch of corporate charity balls & outdoor events & suchlike, as well as a yearly panto.

The guidance for intro threads tell me to tell you a story so I'll just leave this here.... this year on panto one of my dwarfs broke his leg 10 minutes in to Act I (in the dressing room, not on stage luckily!) so I had a 6' dwarf for 3 performances. I have seriously not laughed so much during a show for a long time, especially when Snow White changed her lines to say.

"And I must know your names. You must be Brainy, you are Moody, you are Goopy, and you must be Understudy!"

I came here looking for some opinion on prompt books and have so far discovered that US prompt copies are very different from the UK kind. I will definitely be stealing a lot of your ideas!

Thanks everyone, and see you around :)
« Last Edit: Feb 15, 2016, 08:30 am by Plabebob »
Logged

loebtmc

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 1574
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA, SAG, AFTRA, SMA
  • Current Gig: Caroling, caroling now we go — and looking for my next gig!
  • Experience: Professional
Re: British DSM checking in!
« Reply #1 on: Feb 15, 2016, 01:49 pm »
welcome! There are several UK SMs on this site - check in the regionals - and some specifically opera folks too you will meet as you wander around and check out the topics.

Your double-page system is interesting. Since I like my scripts on the right, with blocking on the left, not sure it'd work for me but like all that blank space to write in. FWIW I box the actual cues vs underline or just jot down standbys, since many of my shows involve tight calls and I need to keep space to a minimum. Makes identifying clear and easy.
Logged

Maribeth

  • Superstar!
  • *****
  • Posts: 1063
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: British DSM checking in!
« Reply #2 on: Feb 15, 2016, 07:53 pm »
Hi and welcome! Always interesting to have perspectives from other regions. Looking forward to your posts!
Logged

SMMeade

  • SM Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 117
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA
  • Current Gig: Asst. Company Manager, HVSF
  • Experience: Professional
Re: British DSM checking in!
« Reply #3 on: Feb 15, 2016, 08:54 pm »
Hello and welcome! Working at the NYC Fringe I've met a few international SMs and I'm always really thrilled to learn about different ways of going about things. I've heard British DSMs do a lot more work with props, sometimes building them. Is that true? I might have to immigrate if it is.  :)
Logged

Plabebob

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 22
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Equity
  • Current Gig: Opera North - Ring Cycle
  • Experience: Professional
Re: British DSM checking in!
« Reply #4 on: Feb 16, 2016, 07:46 am »
Not quite, the ASM & SM do a lot of props that are found or easy makes such as paper props. The DSM pretty much stays in rehearsals, makes the book & calls the show. They also make a whole lot of paperwork likes scene change plots & props tracking so the SM & ASM can be ahead of the game when tech starts.
Logged

iamchristuffin

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 270
    • View Profile
    • www.christuffin.co.uk
  • Affiliations: UK SMA, UK Equity
  • Experience: Professional
Re: British DSM checking in!
« Reply #5 on: Feb 16, 2016, 10:49 am »
Hi, and welcome!

Another Brit here - how's Leeds going?

C

PS - I'm one of those who have the script/score on the right!
Logged

Plabebob

  • New to Town
  • **
  • Posts: 22
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Equity
  • Current Gig: Opera North - Ring Cycle
  • Experience: Professional
Re: British DSM checking in!
« Reply #6 on: Feb 23, 2016, 01:36 pm »
Quote from: iamchristuffin on Feb 16, 2016, 10:49 am
Hi, and welcome!

Another Brit here - how's Leeds going?

C

PS - I'm one of those who have the script/score on the right!

Not there till April, but my digs are all booked up...

Script on the right?! Pffft, next you'll be telling me you cue upside down :P
Logged
Pages: [1]
« previous next »
 

riotous