Messages

1

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Definition of Production Stage Manager

« on: Jul 07, 2008, 01:11 pm »

http://www.playbill.com/features/article/98021.html

found this article recently, so feel free to read. But otherwise..
PSM roles pretty much vary from my understanding, depending on who you're working for. If you're PSMing a National Tour, it is definitely different than working for any one theatre NY/LA bound or not.  I guess the PSM pretty much becomes the director once a show starts, as the director no longer comes to shows. He manages the production... and all the questions or changes that may go occur or need to be made.  All the departments of the show feed to him, with as well as his SM's and ASM's. I'd check out the internet to see if you can get in touch to talk with one... I met The PSM of a broadway tour last week,and shadowing/talking with him helped very much with understanding his job. If you can't find it anywhere online, I'd say go shadow one.. the experience will help you understand the job having been able to see it done rather than just reading of the job. Hope this helps..

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: "Shadowing" Prior to a Tour Performance??

« on: Jul 04, 2008, 02:17 pm »

wordd...

I actually have recently seen a few shows at the carousel, all of which were fantastically designed. I took your advice, and went to see who i might be getting in contact with staff-wise there, and it turns out the Production Manager of the Carousel is actually from my city, and graduated from a high school right down the street from my house, as well as graduated from the university i am currently interning at... it's a small, small world...

 

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: "Shadowing" Prior to a Tour Performance??

« on: Jul 03, 2008, 05:36 pm »

first off, i appreciate your advice. i apologize if i sound over my head... chances are i probably am. i currently am interning for a technical theater scholarship at Kent State Univ. for their Summerstock program.. and i have to admit it was alarming to go from working on a summerstock stage to observing an equity stage full tilt for a day...  i figured going beyond shadowing a call was nigh impossible, but i'd rather that i'd have asked for opinions about it here, before i went about trying it!!! thanks, nonetheless..

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Shadowing: General Q&A

« on: Jul 03, 2008, 01:21 pm »

I'm a senior in high school, considering pursuing a collegiate education in Technical Theatre/Stage Management with hopes of one day acquiring a professional career in the field. While I had a rough understanding of what such a job entails (all of which I'm amenable to..) I gathered that there was simply tons of responsiblities that I didn't know about the job. I didn't want to get get an education for something I'd find only after attaining, that it wasn't my "thing".  So to cure any false conceptions about the job, I recently shadowed the PSM of the National Jersey Boys Tour for a performance during their run in Cleveland. It was a phenomenal experience to say the least, and many of my ideas about professional PSM/SMing materialized, as well as aspects of the job i wasn't familiar with. I was exceedingly greatful for the opportunity, but I now find myself again in the dark about a few things...

For one, I realized I only saw a GLIMPSE of the PSM's job while he called the show, and to truly understand all the perameters of it, one would just have to be there from the beginning. No, I don't mean the rehearsal process, because I rather think that'd be both impossible and tedious. Or vice versa. But to be there from the tour's arrival to the theatre, when nothing is set up, and you've got only a few days to set up for a 5-week run, before you pick up and leave again. I'm writing to inquire if anybody has ever heard/done of this?? I figure if you can learn so much in just watching the calling of one show, there has to be so much more that one doesn't see, until it's actually you there doing it for a living.  So i guess what I'm trying to relate is -- "shadowing" days before performances even begin.. Is it possible? Unheard of? I know there may be scenarios where extra bodies around would only inhibit the setting-up process, for a tour show that opens in only a few days time. I feel as if organizing a "shadowing" session as extensive as this, would be almost impossible to happen.


So...What do you think? I need thoughts/opinions/possible outlets...
and preferably in Cleveland, as I am still in high-school, and only an hour out from the city... but i think to do this would be worth it. Cleveland's Playhouse Square is offering a full season of Broadway Tours.. so it's just something to think about...

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PRODUCING: Musical Suggestions for a limited stage.

« on: May 06, 2008, 10:10 pm »

Alright so here's the deal: I've been involved with a local community theater throughout this year both on/off stage. Currently a director friend of mine is looking to do a musical for November, but is having a tough time in the selection process. A.) Our 160 seat theater was built about 50 years ago with a 30 foot-stage, 20 foot ceiling at highest point, but inside the shell of a metal air-craft hangar structure. So our staging is extremely limited to doing shows that are not paramount with flybars, ceiling drops etc. simply because we don't have them  and B.) it's community theater, so there is no flying and definitely no outfitted track systems.  I'm looking for suggestions on shows with a preferably small cast (6-12 people), and of course a musical, that can be adapted to fit our stage,  but with no monstrous set changes during acts (Beauty and the Beast/Sound of Music example included).  I know it's tough.. I've suggested Light in the Piazza ( Adam Guettel)  but am still open to any ideas you might have experience, or just suggestions you know other theater's have done. Any input would be great!

Shows i know this director has already done in past years include : The odd couple, fiddler on the roof, annie, hello dolly, the fantasticks, musical comedy murders of 1940, oliver, the king and i, my fair lady, nunsense, damn yankees, dracula the musical, you're a good man charlie brown, jesus christ superstar etc.

Much thanks if you can help :]

Katie.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Trouble Finding Support.

« on: Mar 20, 2008, 11:54 pm »

As a soon-to-be high school senior, i've been looking at College options for Stage Management/Technical Theater for the last few months now, but i'm having trouble convincing my parents that working Technical Theater is something that I really want to do for a career. The biggest challenge that i'm facing is that I'm the first person in my family to ever pursue any interest in Theater, so relating my love of the craft is getting harder and harder. My father mostly supports me, but my mother "doesn't really see a career" coming out of the Field, which i think is largely due to the fact of her almost nonexistent theater attendance history, resulting in little appreciation for it all. It sounds childish, but she constantly tries to turn me towards other careers (coincidentally with LARGE paychecks) convincing me that it's only a hobby, and that i could do better things. I know that money is important, but i don't want to let it be The Priority when it comes to pursuing careers. I'm happy SMing or doing whatever's needed to get a show going (which is perfect for a person like me who values authority, detail, commitment, and organization).

i'm sure there's been a post about this before, because i can't be the only one this has happened to before. i just need some suggestions for the situation i'm in, or even your own experiences, relative or not. The solution may be so simple, but Anything would help, really.