Messages

106

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PMs responsibilities during a run

« on: May 01, 2015, 09:38 pm »

I am currently on a commercial show, and the PM's responsibilities are as follows:

Oversee all technical aspects of the show (except wardrobe and costumes)
Oversee and "supervise" all crew (except wardrobe)
Hire, fire and find subs for all crew (except wardrobe)
Do major repairs on the set crew can't get done during work calls.
Represent us with all rental houses for rented equipment.
Approve all crew requests for leave (With PSM and CM)
How problem solve issues with scenic, prop, sound and lighting.
Review all production related costs on a weekly / monthly / yearly cycle, and propose costsaving or more efficient solutions.
Be a resource for all on-site crew and stage management for technical issues as they arise.
Be our representative with the theater management and maintenance in the theater - anyplace the show connects with the theater building.

(I am sure there are other repsonsibilities to General Management and Designers I am not aware of)

107

Employment / Re: Websites part deux

« on: Apr 30, 2015, 09:37 am »

Yeah, but my husband wanted to make sure stagemanager.nyc didn't get snapped up by anyone else.

108

Employment / Re: Websites part deux

« on: Apr 30, 2015, 03:27 am »

Working on a new website . . . trying to rebrand myself to work more in nyc

thus

stagemanager.nyc

still futzing . . . .

109

The Green Room / On the importance of a clean calling script

« on: Apr 30, 2015, 01:05 am »

So, on my current show, I took over the day after opening, and we are in the middle of US training, cross training crew, training crew subs, and trying to locate a new PA to sub on the deck so the ASM could learn the call - since both the original SM and PA were going to unavailable for most of the month of May.

Thursday of last week, I had to stay home from US rehearsal due to a very quick fever, cold and chills, but was able to come in for the show.  Friday, on my way into the show, felt like I was internally stabbed.  Made it to the theater, talked my ASM through the calling of the hard parts (this is a four person show, no automation, no may to hurt anyone) - and then went to the hospital - for six days - and will most likely be out another two.

Not an ideal situation at all - but important to note

a) have a plan to train someone to call the show, and talk them through.
b) make sure you calling script is clean and someone else can call from it.  There are actually two schools of thoughts on calling script . . . one is to make it so clear anyone can call from it and two is to make a calling script you can call from . . . but maybe not anyone else.  (This is an old school method of job security . . . )
c) Make sure not only you have someone who can call the show - for example your ASM . . . but someone to sub for you.

Even for a short run, think of this plan . . . something like this can come up instantly . . . not hit by bus, but a very angry gallbladder which needs to get out . . . can side line you for a bit.

110

Tools of the Trade / New Drop Box Feature

« on: Apr 29, 2015, 09:37 am »

Ram Across this press release . . .

Dropbox rolled out an update Tuesday that makes it easier for users to collaborate on shared files with a new commenting feature that allows people to have conversations within individual documents.

more at http://mashable.com/2015/04/28/dropbox-comments/

111

The Green Room / Re: Employment after a Career as a Stage Manager

« on: Apr 20, 2015, 06:46 pm »

There are two ways to take this thread . . .

What to do after stage management?

How does one stay in stage management long term?

The answer to the first question is ANYTHING.  Depending on your personal interests, your time as a stage manager will develop huge amount of skills, that with the right spin, could be an asset to almost any field.  There are some things that are more a direct line - project management, production management, general management, theater admin, etc - but really the world is your oyster.

As far as staying in stage management - that's more complicated, and perhaps better suited for an post not 15 minutes before curtain - but it's about longevity, thinking long term, making personal sacrifices, being educated, selling yourself, running yourself like a small business.  But more on that later . . .

112

The Green Room / Re: Employment after a Career as a Stage Manager

« on: Apr 20, 2015, 03:16 am »

I have been stage managing for 27 years, and plan to do so until I retire.

113

Employment / Re: Production photos on Website

« on: Apr 15, 2015, 02:36 am »

Again, professional web sites for stage managers are few are far between . . . but I think web sites showing paperwork reeks of being a student - no one has ever asked me before hiring me for a job - let me see you daily call form.

Photos are nice for awhile, but I realized they were more for me then anyone else.  Again, I have a web site for a long time, and besides for students reaching out to me - it is usually just a place for someone to grab my resume.

114

Employment / Re: Production photos on Website

« on: Apr 14, 2015, 06:02 pm »

You have to be careful and make sure they are professional quality - the show should reflect the quality of productions you WANT to work on.

The tricky thing though is making sure you have rights for all the photos . . .

115

Self-Promotion / 39 Steps NYC

« on: Apr 13, 2015, 08:37 am »

So, 8 days ago I closed Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Menken/Schwartz musical at Paper Mill Playhouse, tonight is opening night for 39 Steps in NYC at Union Square Theatre - the show that brought me to NYC five years ago, is allowing me to remain in NYC for the time being.  Another SM has rehearsed it, teched it and opened it - and I get the show handed off to me on Wednesday.

116

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SAFETY: Real weapons on stage?

« on: Apr 07, 2015, 03:33 pm »

A chair can cause an injury.

The act of theater itself is dangerous.

You can dull the blades and make the gun unfireable.  And then you have something that is relatively safer then the item you had before.

117

Tools of the Trade / Re: Google Docs.

« on: Apr 06, 2015, 11:51 pm »

I think there are still downsides for having multiple people editing the same document.

But, that's a personal opinion.

118

Tools of the Trade / Re: Google Docs.

« on: Apr 06, 2015, 05:13 pm »

Yeah, but also think about the disadvantages of having the ability of multiple people editing the same document . . .

119

Introductions / Re: Excited to join the community!

« on: Apr 03, 2015, 11:50 pm »

Welcome to the network.

120

Employment / Re: Job was Re-posted

« on: Apr 03, 2015, 11:49 pm »

If you already applied . . . and they re-post, I can imagine the following possibilities . . .

1) The posted was already paid for, and automatically reposted.
2) They could not find anyone qualified in the first posting.
3) The found someone qualified, made an offer, and then that person passed on the job - or accepted and then back out.
4) The qualifications they posted for changed.

I don't think it can hurt to re-apply, unless you are pretty much "under-qualified" . . .