Messages

106

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Staged Readings

« on: Mar 29, 2008, 04:21 pm »

You probably should get yourself a copy of the Equity Stage Reading Guidelines if you haven't already (available from the Equity online library).  It will need to be posted at rehearsals.

Good reading.

My favourite parts (which might be contrary to some people's experience with readings):

"Rehearsal hours are limited to a maximum of 15 hours (20 hours for musicals) for rehearsals and actual Reading(s), such times to be at the Actor’s convenience."

"No sets, props, wigs, make-up, or costumes."

"Book in hand, no memorization, only minimum staging with no choreography permitted."

Good times -- have fun!

107

Employment / Non-AEA Resume Semantics: Dishonesty or Acceptable?

« on: Mar 28, 2008, 05:37 pm »

For example, Non-AEA SM's who function as Production Assistants/Apprentices/Interns to Stage Managers in AEA theatres, and then put "Stage Manager" on their resumes to represent this work.

Completely unacceptable IMHO (unlesss perhaps if ASM billing had been negotiated due to the person's contribution to the production.)

Resume padding is foolish too -- this just came up in a production meeting in regards to a tenor, but applies equally to non-performers.  This business too small to escape detection for long -- almost every resume I receive has at least one name on it (or a venue/producer to easily leads to a name) that is at least a casual aquaintance.


(Edit: reuniting Scott's response with Ruth's original post, which relocated from the green room to Employment thread.  ~nmno)

108

Uploaded Forms / Re: Line Notes (for going "off book")

« on: Mar 04, 2008, 07:17 pm »

I loath line notes in a big way, so anything I can do to automate them I'm all for.

This is my newest attempt at a line note form.  It's a little labor intensive at the beginning to enter the script, but after that, the list automatically populates all of the information based on a line number. Even keeps track of how many times that line has been missed.

Entering the script actually didn't take me that long because it was sent to me as a .pdf file and I could copy and paste all of the text into a word file where I formated it as:
     [character] [tab] [line]
Then copied it into the excel file.

I have numbered every line in my paper script for reference.

I haven't used this yet (it's for an upcoming show).  My plan is to select the date, print it as a pdf and email it to each actor.  Saves on paper too!  Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

Sounds like a lot more work and less effective than making pencil circles in your book and reviwing with the actors at an appropriate time.

109

Employment / Re: Graduating soon..Job Help

« on: Feb 28, 2008, 02:45 pm »

I would reccomend applying to Theatreworks/USA if you haven't already.

110

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Do you call from house or backstage?

« on: Feb 12, 2008, 03:33 pm »

If God meant SMs to call from a booth, he would have installed them in theaters before the late sixties....

Do you think that a boom in installation of booths was related to the explosion of Off Broadway in the late sixties?  Many of the Off Broadway houses have booths -- backstage space is so limited as to make calling positions backstage sometimes inconvenient.  (The Cherry Lane Theate and The Actor's Playhouse come to mind.)

111

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Do you call from house or backstage?

« on: Feb 12, 2008, 03:23 pm »

Obviously 'traditionally' a show is generally called from stage left. Has anyone ever called from FOH?

Not sure how "traditional" it is to call from SL as opposed to SR

I'm guessing the "tradition" referred to here is from the terms Prompt Side and Opposite Prompt (being SL and SR, respectively).

Oh right -- that Brit thing again.     Thanks for the refresher -- I'd completely forgotten!

112

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Do you call from house or backstage?

« on: Feb 12, 2008, 12:49 pm »

Obviously 'traditionally' a show is generally called from stage left. Has anyone ever called from FOH?

EDIT: Merged this and the entire thread after it with the older thread from April of '07. --PSMK

Not sure how "traditional" it is to call from SL as opposed to SR -- it usually depends on the house (location of linesets, elec. tie in, dressing rooms, etc.).  Like KillerDana above, my impression is that I've probably called from SR more than SL.

113

Tools of the Trade / Re: i discovered the best SM/backstage shoes ever

« on: Feb 06, 2008, 11:00 am »

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I just go with black or dark tennis shoes.  Since the number of days that you are actually on your feet for 12hrs/day are limited, I'm fine with what I've got. Plus-- I got to look good backstage!

Ditto on tennis shoes -- black Reeboks seem to work well for me.  It's the extra pair of fresh clean socks to change into 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through the 12 hour day that makes all the difference.

114

Employment / Re: Seeking Stage Management Fellowship

« on: Jan 30, 2008, 11:04 am »

I'm working at Northern Stage in Vermont right now and I know they use a PA for each season (6 Shows) that goes from about September-June.  I don't know what they pay but since they're a LORT D, EMC points should be available to those interested. 


www.northernstage.org

How do you like working at Northern Stage?  They're always advertising for stage managers and they are close to my usual ski mountain (Killington).  I stopped in there once many moons ago and thought the venue cute but don't know anyone who's actually worked there.

115

Tools of the Trade / Re: Fire extinguishers on the catwalks

« on: Jan 30, 2008, 11:00 am »

A Dome operator droped a ball piont pen, from a Limes pulpit over the audiance

What's a Dome operator (assuming not the person who operates the dome on an enclosed stadium such as the Superdome) and what's a Limes pulpit (assuming not where margarita devotees go to preach)?

116

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Visual Cues--Who's Responsible?

« on: Jan 15, 2008, 12:32 pm »

The Stage Manager is generally responsible for the Q -- in the end, they are responsible for technical running of each performance.

If the board op. is consistently executing the Q on the stage manager's call, then it sounds to me like your Stage Manager needs to pull back the Q placements in the book in order for them to execute properly.

117

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Dropping Cards?

« on: Jan 11, 2008, 02:31 pm »

Barn doors are not old school  -- they're still used with modern fresnels.  And they aren't used to get different throw angles but used instead to cut the light beam -- like shutter cuts on an ellipsodal (which is what I think you mean by "mask" -- but if someone referred tot he masking on a fresnel, I would assume they meant a piece of scenery or soft goods blocking the instrument from sight.

They could also be talking about Rosco Cinefoil Black Wrap or a similar product.

Hard to imagine them getting "different throw angles" from black wrap.  Or are you referring to masking with wrap...?

118

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Dropping Cards?

« on: Jan 11, 2008, 08:54 am »

This is the grid. There will be over 130 lights on this grid - all the lights the facility we're in has without getting into their old-skool lights (the square ones that have the lenses that can be flip-flopped to get different throw angles... I forget the name, but it starts with a B)

They are 'BARNDOORS' mate - used for masking on a Fresnel [Soft edge] lanterns!

Ummm...think he may talking about what we used to call "beam projectors" -- ellipsodals that focus in that way he described.  (Maybe a Strand product...?)

Barn doors are not old school  -- they're still used with modern fresnels.  And they aren't used to get different throw angles but used instead to cut the light beam -- like shutter cuts on an ellipsodal (which is what I think you mean by "mask" -- but if someone refered tot he masking ona fresnel, I would assume they meant a piece of scenery or soft goods blocking the instrument from sight.

119

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Dropping Cards?

« on: Jan 11, 2008, 08:45 am »

Why not just call them "Kabuki Propmen" or just "Kabuki" or some-such?

Kabuki is Japanese.

Well, I don't think the idea is that the play is being set in China -- it's that they are using the person in black on stage moving props, which is a kabuki innovation (unless I'm forgetting my world theatre.) 

120

The Hardline / Re: Maternity Leave?

« on: Jan 11, 2008, 01:38 am »

LORT Rulebook.

Wow, talk about a horrible website.
Vernon, is there an online copy of that document elsewhere?

What's wrong with the Equity online document library?