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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Blocking Script vs Calling Script

« on: Jul 23, 2011, 02:00 pm »

I've been working on my calling script while reading this post and watching the concerns and possible problems present themselves. I personally use post-it flags because I can designate a color for each group (Lights=chartreuse, Projections=Teal, Deck=Pink, Important Raft Moves=Green, Warnings=Primary Blue, Stand-by=Primary Yellow). However after reading about the concerns of cues running away I started to look for fixes. So far the best I've come up with is that I use the post-it labels , which are sticky all over and thus less likely to fall out, to list my warnings and stand-bys on. This way I'll be at least aware that something in a sequence is missing.

Something else I did this time was to use reposition-able glue dots on the post-its that were normal. They were a bit of a pain at the start but after a few dots I got used to the process and it became less time consuming. I'm still trying to figure out a way to be sure my flags are more stable, but so far this has been my solution.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: University of North Carolina School of the Arts

« on: Apr 11, 2011, 03:23 pm »

I just thought I would share this experience. I interviewed there this past weekend, and the woman whom I interviewed with was really impressed when I mentioned this website. She said she sends her students here all the time to help them stay informed.

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Tools of the Trade / Re: [FAQ] What goes inside a SM Kit?

« on: Aug 24, 2010, 09:50 pm »

While I was ASM for Come Blow Your Horn this previous spring I had a set of plastic boxes separated into office supplies and first aid stuff in my cubby in the technical directors office. I had several types of Band-Aids including Hello Kitty, Spider Man, and several types of flesh tone one. Apparently at some point during Act I the actor playing Alan cut his finger on an exposed nail, or something (I really don't know any of the specifics because once tech week started I took off my ASM hat and put on my Lighting Designer/Board Op hat). During Intermission the SM was running around like a chicken with her head cut off because she was unable to find any Band-Aids in the theatres first aid kit. The actor reminded her of my stock pile of first aid and she started franticly rummaging through my box, which I am still a little resentful about because it was all out of order after that. All she was able to find was the spiderman ones that were in a mini first aid kit. Some one passing by and noticed the insanity in the office pointed out the several boxes of the fleshy ones. She handed the actor one of those and he started pouting. He wanted the spiderman ones and was certain it wouldn't be a problem because Stan Lee was alive in 1961.

Goodness that was a long winded anecdote. I guess the point of it was that the absurdly bright and colorful Band-Aids are a huge pick me up for the inner 3 year old of any injured actor.

As for my SM kit, it is currently made up of the 2 previously mentioned boxes over flowing with medical supplies and office supplies. As well as a travel toiletry bag (the kind that roll up and have a hook at the top) that I fill with this things I am most likely to need during a rehearsal, things like post its, pencils (for actors), white out, bobby pins, hair ties, erasers, dry erase and wet erase markers, sharpies in various shades, mini first aid kit, and a mini sewing kit. I hang it on the back of my chair for easy access during rehearsal. There is also an other smaller make up bag of sorts that I carry along with me everywhere (mostly because I hate to feel like I'm not ready for anything, and I'm a little OCD) that has post its, pencils (for me), highlighters, pens, sharpies, tissues, and hand sanitizer

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROMPT BOOK: Organization?

« on: Feb 22, 2010, 09:27 am »

I am, like I am sure many of you are, very proud of the way my prompt book looks. To me the order makes sense, and I thought that was the more important part. However, the other day my SM (I am ASM-ing currently) told me that the order of everything else didn't matter as long as the script was in the back. She said this is how a what a previous SM had told her. While I can see the use of this, I prefer my script to be the second thing in my prompt book, right behind a contact sheet in a page protector.

I guess what I'm really asking is: Is having my script somewhere other than in the last position considered back prompt book etiquette?

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: ESCRIPTS Archive June 09-Dec. 10

« on: Jan 28, 2010, 12:12 am »

If anyone has an electronic script of "Come Blow Your Horn" by Neil Simon I would be incredibly grateful. PM me please.

Thanks in advance.