Messages

1

The Green Room / Re: Catchphrases

« on: Nov 06, 2013, 01:20 pm »

I use "please" & "thank you", along with "we'll figure it out" and finally- as we start the show "let's rock, let's roll - let's rock & roll!"

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The Green Room / Re: I like my theatre like I like my men...

« on: Aug 21, 2012, 05:15 pm »

I like my theatre like I like my men....challenging!

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The Green Room / Re: What Kind of SM are you?

« on: Aug 16, 2011, 02:18 pm »

I've been reading all the posts- trying to decide how I would define myself...I agree with Matthew Here's the real secret .... You need to be the actor stage manager to the actors..... and do all these without seeming two face, or eight faced . . . Or whatever the case might be. I did have an actor recently tell me how happy they were to see me at the table. I like to think I take care of business...

4

The Green Room / Re: Do you add a personal touch to your booth?

« on: Apr 06, 2011, 03:59 pm »

I used to always add a show specific item to my booth until a production of The Seagull...I added Sergei the Seagull (a lovely stuffed seagull - a gift from the director) to my booth after Opening Night. We subsequently had the worst show of the run...actors went up on lines, props went missing, the samovar leaked onto the floor, the doors in the set would not stayed closed and one scene shift ended with walls reversed. We never had any of these happen during our runs prior to opening. As a result - Sergei was banished to the trunk of my car and was released in time for our strike party.

5

The Green Room / Re: Funnest Tech Run Ever

« on: Mar 01, 2011, 01:55 pm »

The Full Monty....the whole tech was rolling along beautifully - music, dance, scene changes...all just about perfect...we come to the final number...the guys are prepped to go the full monty...final moments come...perfect execution of the LQ. My light board op was sooooo excited to that the LQ was perfect - she jumped up and hit the go for next LQ - which was the curtain call light. I almost fell off the bridge laughing at the guys' expression. I did apologize profusely and made my board op put her hands behind her back after execution of the LQ going forward....

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The Green Room / Re: 10 things actors can do to get off to a good start with a stage manager

« on: Nov 05, 2010, 04:43 pm »

10.  Please and thank you are the magic words. 

And the occasional Pumpkin Spice Latte doesn't hurt either...

7

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: What to do when you're sick?

« on: Oct 20, 2010, 01:07 pm »

Years ago- when I was producing for a community theater...the SM contracted food poisioning. It hit- in all it's glory- at the top of Act I. She held it togther thru the act...with a trash can nearby but collapsed at the end of the act. WE had someone take her to the emergency room- she was so sick. I knew the show- had ASM'd once on another show, there was experienced crew on the fly rail and her book was complete  - so I stepped in and called Act II. It was terrifying & exhilarating. The cast was great. When our SM returned the next night- still shaky- I was happy to turn the show back over to her...but it whetted my appetite for stage managing.

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The Green Room / Re: Are there any AEA SM moms?

« on: Jul 07, 2010, 11:37 am »

I am not AEA - but I do SM regularly. I am the mother of 3 girls- now ages 29, 27 & 23. I took a break from working in theater about 18 years ago. I was out for about 6 years.  We had relocated south. My husband traveled for his job. It was just too hard to balance our schedules. I ended up working part time for a talk radio station. I was occasionally on the air and even voiced a few commercials. It worked for everyone. I returned to theater when the kids were older...they came to rehearsals..learned all kinds of theater stuff. One went on to earn a BFA in Performance. I will most heartily agree that your priorities do change when you have children- but you can make any situation work. There are always tradeoffs. I remember one "Take Your Child to Work Day" when I was in tech on a show. I took my oldest. She wrote a very funny essay about the process. Her teacher returned it to her with the notation that "theater is not a REAL job"...Yes- the teacher & I had some words- yes the teacher was educated...My daughter learned all kinds of lessons from that experience!

9

The Green Room / Re: The Stage Manager's Nightmare

« on: May 26, 2010, 01:45 pm »

My nightmare: I get to the theater early- unlock and open up the backstage spaces. Pre-set is going perfectly. Lights, sound, props & set are ready...the actors are given places. I walk out the stage door, get in my car and drive to a local restaurant. I park the car. I am seated for dinner.  As the waiter hand me my menu - I wake up with my heart racing....I have had this nightmare twice....

10

The Green Room / Re: THOUGHT OF THE DAY: What's your day job?

« on: May 18, 2010, 09:49 am »

I work as an Accounting Manager for a regional theater company.

11

The Green Room / Re: Finish this sentence: "If all the world's a stage..."

« on: May 13, 2010, 01:49 pm »

If all the world's a stage....can I call the show from Bali?

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The Green Room / Re: Best showing of appreciation from a cast?

« on: Mar 23, 2010, 04:59 pm »

I just closed Chicago and the cast gave me a flask - engraved with my name & the show.

13

The Green Room / Re: Favorite Easter Candy

« on: Mar 19, 2010, 03:07 pm »

Brach's Spiced Jelly bird Eggs...yumm

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: What's the most controversial show you've ever worked on?

« on: Feb 26, 2010, 10:15 am »

Love! Valour! Compassion! It was a community theater production in a 117 seat black box theater. The play's subject matter and the full frontal male nudity on occasion prompted audience members not to return after intermission.  The crew & I  kept a tally sheet of how many audience members left and what gender & age they were....it is a small theater & an interesting sociological exercise. We did have one funny incident. This theater group had a children's show with Saturday morning performances before our Saturday evening shows. The police arrived right before the childrens' show was about to start one Saturday morning to investigate a complaint of lewd & lacivious behaviour.  It had been made by an audience member in attendence at the evening performance the previous night. Interestingly- that was the one Friday evening we had no one leave at intermission.

15

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Tech Questions

« on: May 02, 2008, 04:06 pm »

I agree- I prefer to sit in the house for the inital tech - to easily confer with directors & designers. I move to the calling location after the initial tech(s). This is really what you are most comfortable with.
I also find it very helpful to have a 'chat' with the director about the mechanics of the tech rehearsal...stressing the 'tech' aspect & asking him/her to refrain from giving any artistic notes so as to allow me and the tech staff enough time to do our jobs completely. I have this chat prior to the tech rehearsal. I also let the cast know what the mechanics of the tech will be....Q-Q or a stop & start run....explaining exactly what we will be doing and what my expectations of the  cast will be.
Unfortunately- you will always find directors who feel that 'tech' time is lost time artisitically. I try to remember not to work with those directors- given the option....however, I discovered last night that am going into a scheduled 6 hour tech for House of Blue Leaves in two weeks - with no ME and a novice lighting designer who does not know how to hang lights....it's always a challenge....break a leg...