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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: Musical number where I can't hear....countdown software?

« on: Dec 01, 2009, 10:00 am »

I could probably manage either way.  I tend (due to IT background) to be somewhat of a tech geek.  This number for me is a little involved, with a lot of calls intermixed with the drum line entry and, yes, flying drummers.  (OK...maybe not flying....we've got a few rigged into harnesses....more like "lifted" than flying.  Flying would be cool look....would give me a stroke however.  We did have a cast member literally "break a leg" on stage last year and leave by ambulance....but that's a different story.  Let's just say there is a reason we tape steps and edges but it does no good if cast members exit in the dark without looking down.)

Anyway....my thinking was if I'm away from the score for more than 10-15 secs then keeping count by bass drum beat and recovering position in the score would be pretty tough...especially if I was away from the score resolving a problem.  With a stopwatch I'd have to get time from stopwatch, find nearest timing point in score, figure out exact spot.  Not hard, just not extremely fast.  With software, I could have both a running digital stopwatch to get back to the score and a countdown timer to next cue.  So worst case the software might be off a beat or so (due to conductor timing) and I can visually call the cue as long as the software gets me "close".

I should mention....most of what I've learned about stage management I've learned from this website.  You guys have been a HUGE HUGE HUGE help.  This is an annual church musical/drama production with a cast/crew/choir of about 250, an audience approaching 20,000, and a budget for a pro stage manager of zero.  I usually direct on Sundays so get drafted to do this each year.  Live video direction is quite a different world and I probably would have been in completely over my head without some of the pointers and help from posters here.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: Musical number where I can't hear....countdown software?

« on: Nov 30, 2009, 04:55 pm »

Normally, working with the calls noted on my score plus visual I can get very precise.  The problem on this number is that if I glance away from the score (let's face it....I've gotta watch) it's really hard for me to quickly regain my spot since I can't hear any of the music other than the bass drums.  I'm thinking that I'll just stopwatch the timing for "approximate" placement and then use visual (dance moves or conductor motions) to get back on track.  I guess I could even mark every 5-10 measures with a time.  I was just curious as to whether there was anything that would allow me to time the cues in rehearsal and then countdown to each in sequence.  I can always try one of the apps like Q-manager.....

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / CALLING: Musical number where I can't hear....countdown software?

« on: Nov 30, 2009, 02:36 pm »

You guys were an enormous help in the past....so a new question.  I'm calling a combined musical/drama Christmas festival near Atlanta.  Let's just say we have an "untraditional" Little Drummer Boy number where the cast/orchestra is suddenly supplemented by a local university drum line.  You've never had fun until you suddenly have a full drum line in the room....including multiple huge bass drums within about 10 feet of me.  I'm usually calling from a marked up score....but in this number due to the proximity of the bass drums my hearing is reduced to BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM and it can be impossible to follow.

Is anyone using any software for situations like this that could give me countdowns based on rehearsal cue timing?  I guess I can always call from a stopwatch program if I can't find anything better.

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SMNetwork Archives / Anyone working in Atlanta first few weeks of December?

« on: Nov 27, 2007, 01:58 pm »

OK....strange request but I need your help....I've been "volunteered" to direct a fairly large Christmas production and I'd appreciate an opportunity to watch a pro in action (primarily in calling).  I've been directing video/cameras but this is a mixed musical and stage event and that is an entirely different ball game.  Is there anyone currently working in the Atlanta area who wouldn't mind an "observer"?