Messages

1096

The Hardline / Re: AEA Rulebook

« on: May 12, 2008, 01:42 am »

You can be the messenger, handing notes to the actors from the director - but that doesn't sound like the prob.Do you mean, the director doesn't want you giving acting notes after watching a show and making observations of what isn't within the show's conceit/concept? If that's the case, you might want to take notes and run them past the director, handing out those she agrees w, and w her support. Why doesn't she feel the SM shd be giving notes? Is someone else (such as the AD) assigned to officially maintain the show for the run?

1097

The Hardline / Re: AEA Rulebook

« on: May 11, 2008, 08:03 pm »

Every contract has a rulebook, and you need to look at a specific contract or code to get the specific rules - are you currently working under or referencing a contract for work rules? That would be the one to pull from the AEA site.

BUT in all contracts there is a section called "stage managers" - and in there is fairly consistent language defining our role and what is and isn't allowed. If your director is simply trying to work under AEA rules for the sake of professionalism, I suggest you look at LORT, whose language is the most common among the majority of the contracts, and pull out that section.

Do you have specific questions?

1098

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Musical Suggestions for a limited stage.

« on: May 08, 2008, 02:02 am »

FWIW, I have recently seen TWO productions of Assassins produced in postage-stamp-size spaces - and that has a sizable cast. So you can actually do pretty much anything with some creative staging.

That said, most of the shows mentioned were all built around small spaces with little or no set movement or costumes -

Curious to know what you end up deciding to do!

1099

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Musical Suggestions for a limited stage.

« on: May 07, 2008, 02:00 am »

Fantasticks. Plaid.

1100

Tools of the Trade / !

« on: May 02, 2008, 12:34 pm »

This is a great discussion - and reinforces the 2-of-3 standard for so many other things

I worked in a theater where the (large) cast all had computers but the dept heads did not, so I had to make that nightly message w call times and scenes after every rehearsal and every tech day - and that hotline was a royal pain, especially as it always needed a second or third run at it when I was taping (for many reasons - office noise, tongue ties, running out of time etc) - when I got to theatres where email was king, I was in hog heaven!

I always make a hard copy of the daily schedule to post on the board, alongside the rough week. But I love that I get to type it once and print/email at the same time, only calling either non-computer folks or last-moment changes. It saves so much time and energy.

My SOP to see who didn't get the email is to require acknowledgment, just like on headset - all I need is that reply that says they got it, and I am a happy camper - I have a cast checklist anyway, and can note who is missing quite easily - and all those emails are deleted as they come in. The extra few moments of check/delete is worth it for the sharply reduced number of phone calls - saving me money and time (since my cell often ends up being the show contact phone).

1101

Tools of the Trade / Re: The Internet

« on: Apr 21, 2008, 01:54 pm »

Working with deaf actors, director and designers, internet is my saving grace! I get to give everyone the same info, there is no chance of misunderstanding, and I get clear responses too.

And I get to separate what I need easily and use cut/paste where appropriate instead of repeating the same info repeatedly on the phone.

1102

SMNetwork Archives / For discussions of actors and their underwear

« on: Apr 20, 2008, 11:20 am »

ahhhh - well, that's a different kettle of fish, eh? (puns intended)

no sep convo needed - just a slap to the forehead and a head shaking at the whole HUH? of that

best wishes w that actress, eh...

1103

SMNetwork Archives / For discussions of actors and their underwear

« on: Apr 20, 2008, 12:04 am »

(just to reply to the off-topic note - dancers usually don't wear panties under their tights/leotards, often none under their pantyhose due to lines and comfort issues - so when they are trained that way and then do musicals, they might assume no undies are SOP) (altho I did have one senior actor who just didn't like wearing undies and grossed out everyone in the front row, as well as all the crew, nightly - but as that was the least of the issues w her it simply became something we cd actually laugh about.....)

1104

Employment / Re: Changing lanes.....

« on: Apr 05, 2008, 05:12 pm »

I sent this to Erin but someone else in the changing lane may want to research it as well - this seems a good job for someone from our background.....it came in my neighborhood newsletter


FAA Hiring Notice
Pass it on.

If you have or know kids between the ages of 18-31 with a high school diploma. The Federal Aviation Association is taking applications for air traffic controller school. We all have kids and know kids in the right age group (under 31) and with some effort they could reach a salary of over $100,000 with benefits in about 3 years! . You need only a high school diploma to apply and credit is given for college on the exam. They need to go to http://www.faa.gov/jobs/job_opportunities/airtraffic_controllers/ for details and to fill out the application immediately - even if they don't know if they'd want to attend immediately - it's the federal government and it may take them months to call. The key is to apply NOW.
There will be a lot of retirements coming up rather quickly and they need! to line up training to accommodate these openings. It's my understanding that the FAA rarely has an open application such as this and that the jobs are coveted. The person who shared this has a 28 year old daughter who is well into 6 figures and has plenty of time for travel/recreation and has started another career on the side. This is a great opportunity and it should be noted that choosing a site like Anchorage or Indianapolis to train is a likely acceptance into the training program - after-which you can transfer anywhere in the country that has a tower. I hope you pass this information on to family, friends, etc.



 

1105

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Co-Stage Manager Rant/advice

« on: Apr 05, 2008, 05:09 pm »

What VSM said. Trust me, I made a living for a while stepping in for other folks on no notice - and you need to make the show yours.

And now, ask your dept head for rehearsal time in the booth. Go in when no one is in the theater and, without turning on the board, run the show - If you are calling rail cues or hitting toggle switches, put them in your hands - physically run the cues. I mean, hit the buttons, everything. And then take time to turn on the board, take the house to black and see what each light cue does, so you know what ought to happen. Watch with an eye to what's happening at the moment the cue is meant to hit, then adjust your book to reflect where it makes sense to YOU to call it so it hits on time.

Everyone else got one - you deserve a rehearsal too - take it and make the show yours.

1106

The Hardline / Re: Do you agree with Equity representing Stage Managers

« on: Apr 04, 2008, 06:58 pm »

wow - thanks for the info - I have worked w IA crews in CA and AZ who assured me that rule was national, rather than individual contract-based (since not every gig I did was an AEA job) but I certainly have no issues being corrected (as I said, I didn't know) - also these are guys who do AEA theater all the time, so perhaps their local made appropriate adjustments to match...and see, I always thought our 6-hr rule was to match theirs.....

1107

The Hardline / Re: Do you agree with Equity representing Stage Managers

« on: Apr 04, 2008, 02:24 am »

(just a note on the IA rules - I have followed these rules in at lesat 4 states but perhaps they are different where digga is.....)

IA requires a meal break after 5 hours UNLESS 6 hours is the full day. But they will walk out the door - or be in OT and meal penalties - as soon as the 6th hour hits

1108

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Trouble Finding Support.

« on: Mar 25, 2008, 02:25 pm »

There was another discussion on this topic on the old site (someone more web-savvy than me can link it) but frankly, even fellow theater pros, including the actors we spend hours with for months and years on a show, sometimes don't understand our job - which always amuses me.

My dad didn't get why I couldn't find 10 minutes to call him during tech week let alone what my job entailed until one day, when he actually came to a tech-heavy show and, while waiting for me afterward, watched me run around to do the close-out, give some tech and actor notes, ask my asm to do xyz, have actors check out w me and (not planned) express appreciation for solving this problem or that problem - all of a sudden he had a "click" - from that point forward, he began to chat up stage managers at every show he attends and ask questions, and now he at least sorta kinda understands and totally approves.

1109

Tools of the Trade / Re: Breakaway Bottles

« on: Mar 22, 2008, 02:35 am »

While it's true that w anything glass or ceramic, there are no absolutes, I have had a couple of shows where we had to break plates, glasses and other stuff on stage every nite, including a bottle that had to shatter from a gunshot and all within 10 feet of the front row of house. As these were mostly in small-ish houses, we were concerned as much about the audience's safety as the actors'. Our best solution was pre-breaking and gluing back together all the pieces we needed - and we would prep a week's worth at a time. Amusingly, there were a couple of nites when a plate didn't break at all, and a couple when they broke NOT along the pre-scored lines, but most of the time it worked beautifully, and best of all, minimal shatter and almost never did anything leap out into the house.

Glass items had to be thick enough, and ceramic cheap/thin enough to work, and we had to plan on losing a little over 1 each nite (since the pre-scoring sometimes broke a piece beyong repair) , but generally speaking, it was a great solution.

Good luck, and do your geometry to make sure the angle it's being broken from doesn't send flying pieces into the house, nor in the direction of the actors. (Wow, math in daily life...!)

1110

Tools of the Trade / Re: Condom reference??

« on: Mar 20, 2008, 12:46 am »

condom depot - they will send them in unmarked brown paper boxes and have good mail-order time frames - they are cheap, too