Hello and welcome to SMNetwork! I'm your host and, for the time being, the moderator of the Introductions board.
About the site & meSMNetwork is a global community for stage managers. We welcome those of all skill levels from around the globe who are interested in advancing the craft and discussing the practice of stage management. We've been around since early 2000 in assorted forms. Our members range from high school & university students to community theatre volunteers to professionals working in Broadway, West End, touring, industrial, regional, opera, cruise, ballet, fashion, liturgical, educational and circus, and many more that I'm sure I've omitted. We are mentioned in multiple stage management textbooks.
I was a stage manager until 2003. I specialized in new musicals. I've been designing websites since 1998. I currently live on the north side of Chicago with my
cat. I have moved on to other careers but have continued to keep this community running, both out of necessity and a sense of history. True to form as the communicators of the backstage industry, we were one of the first interactive bulletin boards for technical theatre. Despite the evolution of new communication technologies, our members and dedicated moderator team have continued to keep SMNetwork both vital and relevant as the years have progressed.
SMNetwork is supported entirely by donations and staffed by volunteers. We do not accept advertising and do not permit commercial interests to market their products without giving something back to the community first.
Quick navigation guideThis site is large and has a ton of information! If you're newly registered you have received a Personal Message (a "PM") explaining some of them. For those who haven't registered yet and for those visual learners among you, I've done a quick guide.
We have 5 main features here:
- Forums - The core of the site. Take some time to familiarize yourself with our 11 top level boards and their many child boards. Teachers and educators should be aware that we also have a hidden board, "Teachers and Trainers," which you can gain access to by request. Each board has its own moderator(s) who have nearly complete control over the content, so the atmosphere of each board will vary. Find a few that suit you and make yourself at home.
- BTDT - Been There, Done That. Our member index of who has worked on which productions and in which venues. Looking for help on a particular show? Or advice on working in a particular location? This is for you.
- Internship Reviews - Internships have become a requirement for getting started in the industry, but they can run the gamut of quality from extremely useful to slave labor. We want to know which ones are the best and which let you down. If you've done an internship or are in the process of seeking one, make sure to check out the SMNetwork Internship Review project.
- Forms - I know this is why a lot of you come here. Our repository of forms and paperwork templates for stage management has been a mainstay of the site since day one.
- Resume Database - Available to members only, the resume database provides sample templates you can use for crafting your own resume and/or CV. It is not for self-promotion. A jump link to this part of the site is available at the bottom of the forums.
Say hello!Given that our membership consists almost entirely of stage managers, this is one of the more orderly and well-behaved communities on the internet. You'll find our members to be friendly and calm, although we're not beyond some
silliness. Many folks lurk on the site but to really get the full experience we invite you to join in the conversation. This introductions board is a great way to get started.
It can be tricky to come up with something to say as an intro, and without much guidance introduction posts can get a bit monotonous. I'm not going to make you play improv games but if you're new here I would like to see you post a new topic, including either:
- A tip - Any shortcut, technique or skill that you've found makes your backstage life easier.
- A tale - Be it funny, poignant or just plain bizarre, tell us a quick story about something that happened to you on the job. (Please do not use real names or companies for your own safety.)
- A bit of trivia - Teach us something cool about the world! It can be history, science, a link between you and some famous person - doesn't matter. Many of us love trivia.
Added Jan 9 2014:
Rules are important to us on SMNetwork. This site offers one of the most trouble-free and well-organized communities on the web, but it's largely due to a pretty extensive site of
rules. We're also really big on self-sufficient folks here, so we prefer that people use the
search feature in order to avoid asking repetitive questions. I know I can't force any of you to read the rules. However, I'd like to be able to tell right off the bat which members are the type to read instructions and which ones aren't.
So, if you're the type of awesome stage manager who has read our rules & knows how to use a search function,
please signal as much to me by making sure that the subject header of your introduction does not include the words "Hi" or "Hello"!Thanks for joining us! Hope to see you around the forums.
