Messages

1

College and Graduate Studies / Undergrad schools for SM

« on: Jan 14, 2006, 05:38 am »

I went to Rutgers. I transferred there from a community college, and similar to you, I had varying theatre experience, and realized I wanted to stage manage when I was thrown into it at the community college.  It's a great program, because you end up with a BFA in Production, but if you emphasize in stage management it's basically a BFA in that.  It's almost nonstop stage management, but in addition to that you have to put in time in all the shops, and they have small classes.  I had to take everything from ligthing design with MFA designers, and costume construction, prop construction, acting...and the SM professors put as much emphasis on those courses as on the stage management assignments because they are things that would only help you in the long run as a stage manager.  Tom Kelly taught there (at the time), and after him a another top stage manager was the SM advisor, and there's tons of great people there.  You probably would realize in the first couple years if it's not for you, and the best way to find out is to go somewhere where they throw you right in.  I did, and realized it defenetly WAS for me, but I know some people who did change their minds.  And you CAN change your mind if it isn't, but at least you'll be well rounded in theatre production, and you might find your niche in the process.

2

SMNetwork Archives / Interview question

« on: Aug 04, 2005, 02:29 pm »

The last 4/6 jobs I've gotten have been through phone interviews, so I didn't have to worry about how I was dressed, and the focus was more on the conversation itself. However, for the other two interviews I dressed nicely, but not to the point where it overshadowed everything else.  I wore something like nice pants and a nice polo shirt.  I think it has to do with your own personality, though.  If you normally like to be more dressed up, then you can show that.  However, I'd say my style is very casual, so I dressed dressy casual. Show them you took some extra time to get ready for the interview.  Comb your hair nice, tuck in your shirt, etc.  It really does matter what type of environment you'll be in.  For example, I once interviewed for an opera company, and I knew that I would have to be more dressed up, since their crew there wears dressy blacks, so I actually wore a skirt and heels. It really does matter on the situation.In a lot of cases though, a button down shirt and slacks I think would be good.

3

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / I may sound like a complete ignoramus for asking this...

« on: Jul 26, 2005, 09:02 am »

Katie,
If I'd never done a prompt book, I wouldn't submit one applying to schools.  Mostly because they want to see what you did use during shows, not something you made afterwords.  It's good to show them an organized presentation of things you have done, and show them you have good writing and computer skills.  Also show them you're well rounded.  When I first got accepted into undergraduate school, a lot of these things sounded like french to me.  I went to Rutgers, and they didn't expect ready made stage managers to come into the program, but they did expect them coming out.  You're there, after all, to learn.  They made us take classes like music theory, laban (dance) notation, rotated us in the different shops (scene, costume, electrics,etc).  It wasn't until later on in your sophmore year and on, that they expected you to know blocking and cue notation like the back of your hand.  They may even like the fact you've worked in some lower budget productions, since a lot of theatre out there is low budget, and it takes a lot of creative thinking to get through shows where you have very limited resources.  If a school absolutely won't consider you without a  prompt book for a bachelor's degree, and won't consider where you're coming from, then that's probably not the school you want to go to.

4

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / I may sound like a complete ignoramus for asking this...

« on: Jul 24, 2005, 02:05 pm »

Well, I can only speak from my experience, but I was in a similar situation when I was applying to colleges. I had very little stage management experience, and no book.  I did have the desire to learn, though, and I think that was more important to them at the end.  I was upfront with them, and sent them information about what I had done, and tried to showcase that, everything from acting to hanging lights to running crew.  I felt it was really important for them to see that.  I also sent them a couple pages of a "make-believe" show, just to show them how I thought I would notate the blocking and cues, and a preliminary prop list of a script. I'm not saying that schools wouldn't prefer a book, but in my case I didn't have one, and everything worked out.  
But when you do them, the main thing to remember is that everyone has their own style and process for it, and the more detailed and organized the better.  Someone should be able to come in and run the show without you, just with information from the book.
Good luck with your quest for a program!