Messages

1

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PRE-PRODUCTION: Rights & Royalties

« on: Nov 19, 2011, 05:45 pm »

Also--- with music it is sometimes very helpful to have your venue secured so you know the capacity of seating-- AND the actual seats sold for the past several shows. Lots of composers and houses will give a break if your capacity is 3000 seats and your average house is 1000 people~ I've only ever secured rights for music w/ a ballet company, not sure if this idea translates to theater.....

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Designer Cue Lists

« on: Oct 06, 2011, 06:05 pm »

I'd think the concern is when the cue information isn't showing up- only bubbles! If this is the case, then ask for a hard copy or a cue list. And make sure the problem isn't in the software!

No, I've never gotten a digital script w/ Cues~ I also rarely get cue lists from designers at all! 

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The Hardline / Re: AEA MAternity Leave

« on: Aug 24, 2011, 03:28 pm »

Your sense is wrong~ I'm not angry. I am disappointed in my union.

Also, (though it has been implied that it is) this not a personal issue for me- but an issue I think the women in particular and all the members in general of our union should discuss and think about.

I'm not willing at this time to say that it's ok for our union not to acknowledge that people have babies or to protect those members who do. Or to throw up my hands and say "oh well, it's always been this way, so what can I do?"

I don't think it's ok that a man can take up to 10 paid days off for every 12months he's worked for illness, but women can't do the same to have a baby.

What you've found in the LORT book is NOT found in the SPT book.

We acknowledge that people get sick and that people die, and we allow our members paid leave with guarantee of not being fired for both of these~ but not maternity.

I would really like to hear more from the female members of our group~ what are your thoughts?

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The Hardline / Re: Stagehand Wages

« on: Aug 24, 2011, 02:53 pm »

Our rough estimate in Ohio is $50 per night- 4hour max. Or $300 per week.

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The Hardline / Re: AEA MAternity Leave

« on: Aug 24, 2011, 02:51 pm »

Sure. But all these 'expenses' and inconveniences are managed by every other job in the world everyday.

The check out lady at the grocery store has a union, and that union has a maternity leave policy. The bank teller has a maternity leave policy, the police officer, the school teacher, the nurse, the secretary, the McDonald's fry cooker, the brain surgeon etc....

It seems strange to me that there isn't a single word about maternity/ paternity in our by-laws etc... Are AEA actors & stage managers 'not allowed' to have babies?

Clearly, it's best to plan a baby when you're independently wealthy and also laid off due to lack of work.

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The Hardline / Re: Going Equity 'Young'

« on: Aug 24, 2011, 10:13 am »

I think most everyone joins young~

isn't there a statistic out there somewhere about the how most working AEA ASM's are under 35-?

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The Hardline / AEA MAternity Leave

« on: Aug 24, 2011, 10:11 am »

Is anyone else concerned that the words 'maternity leave' do not appear anywhere in the AEA handbooks? I'm doing some research and the only thing  I can find even vaguely applicable is sick leave. Not exactly the same thing.

Surely after 4 years working close to 50 weeks a year for the same company I'm entitled to some kind of maternity leave? I will be calling my Business Rep to find out the real skinny! I can't possibly be the 1st AEA SM who wants to have a baby?!



 

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Self-Promotion / Re: Candide in Boston

« on: Aug 01, 2011, 05:26 pm »

Will you have TJ Gerkens as your lighting designer? He's fantastic!

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SHOWS: How many times have you Stage Managed the same play/musical?

« on: Jul 27, 2011, 03:27 pm »

WOW! Five TITUS? I thought it was crazy that I had done it even once!!!

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Labtop vs. Pencil and Script/Notepad

« on: Jun 02, 2011, 07:01 pm »

I write everything down in pencil and with big erasers! Each and every move and some times I do 2 columns- 1 column of blocking the director gave, one column of blocking the actors has been doing- then I get to discuss with the room which is the final shape.

I agree- using the laptop in the rehearsal studio is distracting. To the actors, director and ME! I always feel like I should be looking over the shoulder of the PA double checking... of course that's just my own control issue!  But I can echo a hundred times- YES- the person typing is NOT paying attention to what is happening in the room! Either that or they're not paying enough attention to what their typing.

11

Employment / Re: Civilian Jobs?

« on: May 08, 2011, 09:44 pm »

I agree with what a lot of you have said-- no back up plan is the only way to go! I went to a BFA program, and have been CONSTANTLY employed since 1999 - With 1 5 week lay off in the summer of 2000 and 1 10 week lay off in the summer of 2010~ other than that I've been employed nearly 52 weeks a year (47 weeks per year since 2007) as a professional stage manager. The work is out there -but you do have to hustle and be willing to make cross-country moves!

12

Employment / Re: To Break or Not to Break

« on: Apr 22, 2011, 06:51 pm »

I've been lucky in that whenever I've left a job I had a replacement lined up already- when I left the ballet I worked for (8 years!) I hired an ASM who I knew would be my replacement for the season before hand- no I didn't know a season prior that I would absolutely be leaving- but I knew that within the next 2 years I would!

Now when I need to turn down a contract I always make sure I have good people to recommend in place of me!

I always choose shows based on if they're right for me & my family- I might not take the BIG show if it means I'm away from my family for 3 to 6 months~ I'll take the 2 SPT or LORT contracts that are local! 

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The Hardline / Re: Reports

« on: Apr 08, 2011, 05:28 pm »

We're considering instituting a policy of all Deputy & SM paperwork that is sent to AEA passing through the Company Manager on it's way out in the mail-- so the company manager has a copy of all video riders, accident reports- etc...

(we've had a couple of accident reports get lost in the Chicago office's move- they showed up 4 MONTHS later!)

However- what about safe & sanitary reports and other paperwork that could potentially reflect poorly on the theater? Would the Deputy be less like to be 100% honest knowing that theater staff could potentially see their comments? I think probably yes~

Please weigh in!

14

The Hardline / Reports

« on: Apr 04, 2011, 05:35 pm »

Do you keep copies of the reports you or the Deputy file with AEA?

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: AEA Actors as ASMs

« on: Mar 27, 2011, 06:04 pm »

It totally depends on the actor!

If they're actually interested in being a good ASM it will be a much better experience-- I've also had the experience of an actor/ASM who DID NOT want to do the job- and it was awful!

Yes, I second the vote to have them focus on actor-centric tasks- but a word of warning that if they've never done paperwork, it will take you more time to tech them how to do it than if you just did it yourself. Of course that's true for all assistants!

Mostly- you will do a lot more teaching than you would traditionally do!

MERDE!