Messages

1

Tools of the Trade / Re: Cue Lights

« on: Apr 13, 2008, 01:50 am »

Mac, I am curious as to how much that cue lighting package runs. I was just recently tasked with making a report and comparison on different cue light systems to my producer. I found one that is pretty similar from a British company for about 2,900 US and was wondering how this one stacks up.

Also, do you run this system? I am interested to hear about the experience if you have. I am used to the old fashioned home built models, but if the producer wants to throw money at me, why not get something spiffy?

2

Tools of the Trade / Re: [FAQ] Scheduling and Calendar Applications

« on: Feb 18, 2008, 02:14 pm »

Where I am right now, we use a database based calendar application called Now Up To Date over our network. It actually works out really well as I can see everyone's schedule when I am scheduling meetings, calling rehearsals, or if I just can't find someone in the building...

3

Tools of the Trade / Re: Should I become a Mac-er?

« on: Aug 12, 2007, 05:12 pm »

My macbook pro is 2.16 Core Duo with 2 gigs of Ram. I don't offhand know the speed of the processor on the HP notebook, but it did have 2 gigs of RAM also.

I'm not rightly sure if the speed discrepancy still exists between Intel Macs and PC's, but I do remember that my 2ghz powerbook's processor was much faster than a 3ghz single core Intel. I don't even know where AMD used to get their numbers... That's right, I get bored and run benchmarks. What?

4

Tools of the Trade / Re: Should I become a Mac-er?

« on: Aug 10, 2007, 06:36 pm »

I have run vectorworks on both Mac and PC and haven't noticed a difference.  Though I haven't gotten into any rendering or anything like that, for that I could certainly see a Mac being superior.

Oh man, it is far superior... In my runnings in with windows VectorWorks, my mac is just over a minute faster on really complex ones.

5

Tools of the Trade / Re: Should I become a Mac-er?

« on: Aug 10, 2007, 09:04 am »

It really depends on what else you do. I am a Mac person, and I wouldn't change it for anything. If you are simply using word and excel, don't spend the money on mac. However, my degree is in design, and I run VectorWorks, photoshop, painter, and lightwright. I know that most of these are on the windows platform nowadays, but I will never be convinced that they run well enough (exception being photoshop) to really not be frustrating.

6

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Bows

« on: Aug 03, 2007, 04:38 pm »

Still, in the equity handbook, it says "appear in curtain calls as directed." The director staged a curtain call within his/her vision, and changes to that vision are still beyond the normal growth of a show. I have no problem with a gesture, as long as it was directed to be there. If not, I don't believe that we are doing our job properly if we allow it to stay...

7

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Bows

« on: Jul 19, 2007, 09:47 pm »

Regardless of how common or professional crew recognition during the curtain call is, if it was added by the cast, the SM really should put a stop to it. We put a lot of work into maintaining the integrity of the show, and I believe that we shouldn't let the curtain call ruin that work.

8

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Problem Actor...

« on: Jun 13, 2007, 10:55 pm »

Alright, sorry for the delay, currently I am doubling up, spending my days in rehearsals for Grease, and evenings in performance for Cabaret... The conversation was had, and she has not missed an entrance again. She has also given up the electronics after half hour for now. I asked if there was personal issues that she needed to attend to, and apparently there wasn't. She just seemed to think that she was above the rules of our theatre, which our conversation, and some peer pressure by the company convinced her that she wasn't. I think realizing that the whole cast, as well as the production staff, took issue with her behavior was all the reality check she needed...

9

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROFESSIONALISM: Problem Actor...

« on: Jun 10, 2007, 11:32 am »

Minor rant/stream of thought warning...

I am currently in performances of Cabaret right now, and for the most part it is going great. The set is wonderful, the lighting is brilliant, my crew is flawless, and I love my acting company. However, there is one problem child. The woman playing our Fraulein Schneider has consistently had off shows, and I could never figure out why. So far, there has not been a night where she has not flubbed lines, gone up on lyrics, or all together not been in the scene.

Last night I found out that it was in large part due to the fact that she spends most of her offstage time during the show on her computer in the dressing room. I have told the company no less than three times that ALL electronics are to be turned off at half hour, and the only thing that I allow are IPods in the rehearsal hall (where my "office" is) while they are stretching. Well, after I was approached by another actress to inform me of the computer usage, I told her to turn it off, and that I didn't want to hear about her on it again. I got the diva attitude that I expected but she did go and turn it off. Well, fast forward twenty minutes and the lights come up on Act 2 Scene 2 which is a two person scene between her and Schultz. She isn't there... She was almost a full minute late to that entrance, because she was chatting on her phone! I am beyond livid at this point as I had to go retrieve her from the dressing room. Then I was approached again after the show because after the missed entrance, she came back to the dressing room and was on her phone yet again!

Tonight she will be turning over her computer and her phone to me as she walks into the theatre, and in return I will be handing her back a copy of the libretto so she can study her part when not on stage. I'm not even sure what else I can do to impress upon her how inappropriate it is to blatantly disrespect the rules of our theatre, and her fellow performers by not taking her job seriously. The Artistic Director and I have scheduled a meeting with her today before our matinee but I'm not sure what to expect as she appears as though she has no idea that she is in the wrong...

10

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Anyone willing to be interviewed?

« on: Feb 15, 2007, 06:57 pm »

What is the focus of the research paper? I would be more than willing to help out if I can.

11

Employment / Hiring and references

« on: Nov 27, 2006, 11:00 am »

I would be interested to see what all the hirers have to say about this...
I am still currently in school, but have reached that happy point where my professional SM experience can completely fill that section of my resume (and then some). Is it a good idea to bump off the educational shows in favor of the professional ones right now? If it matters, the director that I work with in University, I have also worked with several times professionally.

Thanks

12

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Actor Calls

« on: Nov 02, 2006, 01:15 pm »

My last gig was for a season in the round, which was wonderful, because from my booth I could see the lobby and was able to judge pretty accurately when to give places before I got the house. I am going to miss that level of awareness....

13

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Red and Yellow and Blue and Green

« on: Oct 31, 2006, 01:03 am »

The last several shows I did, it ended up being mostly glow tape. Almost all of the scene changes for the season were done in complete blackout in pretty much a dead sprint. I don't remember a BO longer than 15 seconds. Granted it was the round, so there were no walls to contend with...

14

SMNetwork Archives / No, really they said this..

« on: May 26, 2006, 05:50 pm »

I am currently in my third year at a theatre in the round, and people having trouble hearing isn't always an actual audio problem in this kind of setting. So much of what we hear also comes from the visual, and it becomes difficult for people to understand, even though the decibal level may be there. They seem to get used to it after seeing a few shows this way. I don't think it is so much that the audience needs to be trained, as much as they need to adjust.

I'm curious, what show was it? Because I have noticed that I have heard that particular complaint more often on new musicals (we deal predominantly in musicals) and not things that people have seen a lot.

15

SMNetwork Archives / Calendar Programs?

« on: May 11, 2006, 09:22 pm »

Google calendar has a really nifty sharing function that I am going to try out with my next show. If anyone needs an invite to Gmail (so you can get at the calendar) send me a PM and i will get you one.