Messages

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SM Authority: Designers & Production Team refusing to acknowledge reports.

« on: Mar 14, 2014, 06:56 pm »

The floor is mopped after Act 1. The issue is even after the floor is dry again, the tape won't stick to the floor (after being mopped over again and again, the paint is messing with the adhesive). It WAS being re-taped every night, but once the actors walked on the taped down cord, it came up again. I understand that safety is my responsibility, which is why after the speaker fell on the actress, I removed the tape and the speaker (and the cord). I had mentioned in several reports that the cord wasn't staying down, and that we needed to find another solution. I didn't get an answer from the design team or the producer until I removed the speaker. I was then accused of overstepping my bounds as a stage manager and giving my position more authority than it ought to have. My question is, was she right? And if so, what was I to do when I wasn't getting any answers from my sound guy?

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SM Authority: Designers & Production Team refusing to acknowledge reports.

« on: Mar 14, 2014, 11:56 am »

The show closes in two weeks, so there's little to nothing I can do to change anything as far as safety is concerned at this point.

What issues with safety are you having?

First if all, we didn't be a fight choreographer until the first day of tech, for a simulated rape scene. Second, there is blood. There is also a cord taped down I the playing space where this fight happens, connected to the speaker that is in this table center stage. Because of the blood and having to mop it up off the floor every night, gaff won't stick to the floor. The cord came loose, actress fell on the floor, speaker fell on her face.

There is also a crazy amount of left over lumber backstage that the producer is refusing to have moved. It's blocking entrances and exits.

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Introductions / Re: There is no Dana, only ZUUL.

« on: Mar 13, 2014, 04:08 pm »

As far as amusing stories go, I once greeted Bryan Batt (Sal from Mad Men) while holding a laundry basket full of dirty dance belts. He was super sweet, even if he didn't want to shake my hand. I've also met Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero (twice!) from The Room. Tommy Wiseau is shorter than he looks in "the movies," and also looks more like a football.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SM Authority: Designers & Production Team refusing to acknowledge reports.

« on: Mar 13, 2014, 04:04 pm »

The level is non equity/union, storefront professional theater. The kind that is oh-so-popular in Chicago. It's definitely not a company I want to continue working with, as there have been a plethora of other issues with the show that were completely out of anyone (except the producer and director's control). Because the designers don't have a technical crew of their own, they are responsible for fixing certain issues as they arise.

My biggest concern going forward is making sure I'm not overstepping my bounds and giving my position more authority than it usually has (which I was accused of when I kept POLITELY and then once not so politely asking the designers to just respond to my messages). The show closes in two weeks, so there's little to nothing I can do to change anything as far as safety is concerned at this point.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SM Authority: Designers & Production Team refusing to acknowledge reports.

« on: Mar 13, 2014, 12:01 pm »

There are only 9 shows left in the run, so I'm not even sure it's worth it other than it isn't fair to the audience or the actors that our production and design team have given up on the show. They do have other projects going on, but it seems excessive that I need to ask for something as simple as a basic communication from the producer.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / SM Authority: Designers & Production Team refusing to acknowledge reports.

« on: Mar 13, 2014, 01:26 am »

I've been searching pretty hard for an answer to this specific question, but if I totally missed it, I apologize.

Some back story:
While I have ASM'd, called boards, and generally run a stage before, I am in the midst of calling my first show completely solo (I have no ASM or other crew). There is also no production manager. The show is small, only 5 actors, and has very few cues.

Since the very first rehearsal, I had little to no contact with the designers, but not for lack of trying. I would have to ask 3 or 4 times via rehearsal reports, calls, and texts before I could get a response to the simplest of questions. Sometimes, I wouldn't even get an answer at all, so I'd have to go to the producer and ask her to contact them. When I expressed my frustration with this system, she explained to me that because I didn't have a relationship with the designers the way she did, they were refusing to answer to me. She also mentioned that it wasn't a reflection on any poor job I was doing, just that they preferred to answer to her. Of course, not coming in contact with me directly has lead to some problems (like when a 10lbs speaker fell off a shelf and onto an actresses' face).

I've worked with several professional companies and I've never had to go through the chain of command quite like this. Am I wrong to think that this is unusual, or does it really just differ from company to company?

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Introductions / There is no Dana, only ZUUL.

« on: Mar 13, 2014, 12:54 am »

Hi, all! I go by Zuul. I'm a stage manager/assistant stage manager/costumer working in the Chicagoland area. I'm still a novice as far as stage management goes, but I've had some great mentors and a little college experience (though my degree is in costuming), and I'm hoping to continue growing.

My favourite movie is Ghostbusters, my favourite cereal is Peanut Butter Crunch, and I have a cat. Hiiiiii!