Messages

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Costuming the Crew

« on: Dec 17, 2008, 09:10 pm »

i've worked on a show where the director (as i recall the director who made this decision) where the crew were costumed and were given a couple lines here or there to help move things that were onstage to offstage and vice-versa.  it was a crew of 3, 2 were actors that had to do crew to recieve college credit and the other was a sound major (he was a very good sport about having to wear a costume). the set changes were smooth and the audience seemed somewhat clueless about the whole scene change.  the other shows i've worked on all of the scene changes that needed to be done were done behind the curtain or preset and the set couldn't be changed except moving a couple furniture pieces.  so in other words, it is a show by show scenario.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Writing Standbys & Cues

« on: May 13, 2008, 06:21 pm »

i had the fortune of sm-ing two shows in school.  i do a similar process as scooter does.  pre-production i create the script how i like it and still the same according to the actor's script.  then when it's time for tech, i have a pencil and one of the 45-90 degree triangle.  i then draw line to the right, where the cue is suppose to right it in. i then write in a standby cue and do the same thing as the actual cue.  once all of the cues are finalized, usually after opening, i highlight the standby's in one highlighter (usually an orange colour) and then the actual cues in another colour (usually green) so that they stand out.  hope that makes sense. but it works for me.

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Tools of the Trade / Re: Headset Side

« on: Apr 07, 2008, 01:00 pm »

i prefer the right side.  for some reason i can hear my operators better on that side.  and the times that my actors needed to talk to me, they've been on my left side, so it's worked out perfectly so far.

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Tools of the Trade / Re: Breakaway Bottles

« on: Mar 21, 2008, 10:16 pm »

we used a breakaway champagne bottle recently for die fledermaus at my school. our props master made some and also ordered some.  however, the ones that they ordered were thicker than the ones that she made.  the guy whose breakaway bottle was hit on got hit on the head (we did go through a fight call of the actions). however we had one night that the thickness of the bottle was so thick that it didn't break.  the guy had a bump on his head, we did use an ice pack and took correct measures about filling out papers.  the overall lesson: make sure the thickness is the same throughout the run of the show so that it doesn't through anyone off. (the actor who hit him felt horrible and kept asking how he was everytime he came offstage and apologized profusely to the actor) the champagne bottles that we used did break into several large pieces and a lot of small bits of sugar glass. 

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Calling from a moniter

« on: Mar 02, 2008, 10:47 pm »

i just got finished asm-ing a show where the sm called the show based off of the book and a monitor.  we had to use a neutralizer for the monitor since we were using a really old monitor and the lights washed everything onstage. i also had to use a monitor during a show since i couldn't see half of the stage from the booth and there wasn't enough room backstage.  there wasn't any lag and could see perfectly.  you'll do a fantastic job!

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SMNetwork Archives / Re: Happy Birthday Kay!

« on: Dec 22, 2007, 10:47 pm »

Happy Birthday! I hope you had a wonderful and fantastic day!!!!

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements

« on: Nov 20, 2007, 09:11 pm »

our school did a year with frog and toad as the children's show last year.  the director asked the sound designer if one of his daughters would be willing to read the preshow announcement.  we did two public performances and his daughter did the reading (it was already pretaped since we did several school shows earlier in the week and the public performance reading was different than the school reading) and she asked everyone to turn off their cell phones.  it was quite cute and grabbed everyone's attention to listen to the announcement.

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Employment / Re: To tattoo or not to tattoo

« on: Dec 29, 2006, 11:02 pm »

there are certain make ups that are designed to cover up tattoos if you want to work at disney and get a tattoo. opaque makeup covers up some tattoos.  i'm trying to find where i saw a few brand names of tattoo makeup.  i'll pm you once i am able to find it with the names.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Calling/teching your first show, your experiences.

« on: Nov 20, 2006, 11:42 pm »

i remember teching my first show (a straight drama). my advisor was sitting close by to help with any problems during tech and in case i had any questions.  the lighting designer and i had sat down a few days before hand to discuss where he wanted the eq's to happen. then the sound designer filled me in on sq during tech.  fortunately he was a prof i've been able to work with.  needlessly to say it all went smoothly and my advisor left after an hour cause everything was going smoothly.  now i'm looking forward to teching my first musical the week after thanksgiving (which is bound to be interesting since there are quite a few eq's, sq's, and projection cues.)

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SMNetwork Archives / Re: Happy Stage Management Memories?

« on: Nov 16, 2006, 10:47 pm »

my happiest stage management memory would have to be working on blues for an alabama sky.  there were 8 people every night at rehearsals. (director, the cast of 5, my asm and myself.) we all were rushing in from different parts of campus into rehearsal.  so my director had us all get into a circle to focus and say a prayer for the first five minutes of rehearsal. the majority of us are religous in some way. he continued to do that through the run of the show. then after working on the show, i recieved a phone call from my director asking me to stage manager a project that he's working on next semester. (i am doing the project.)

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Stage Managers & Computers

« on: Jun 22, 2006, 01:35 pm »

just wanted to thank everyone for their input on the topic.  i was able to use everyones input.  thanks again!!! 

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Technology: Stage Managers & Computers

« on: Jun 14, 2006, 01:26 pm »

Hi.
I am a senior at PSU and I am doing a research paper about how stage managers and computers work together.  I would like to know how computers have helped you and a basic overview of what you have used them for.  I've used a computer pretty much for everything while stage managing.  I'd like to know others opinions about stage managers computers. Any inputs about how computers have helped you would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Sarah