Topics

1

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.

2

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.