Messages

1141

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Sexist Scenic Designer... HELP!

« on: Jul 15, 2007, 07:07 pm »

I have had a couple of situations like that - in fact, I have had too many places where neophyte directors/designers/etc assumed I didn't know my ass from a hole in the ground just cuz I was female - so truly, I feel your pain. Here are a few things that worked (sometimes), depending on how obnoxious this person is being (does he ignore you or brush you off or say things or...?)

You need to put on your tech-week patience and good humor hat, and be as manipulative as you would be w a recalcitrant actor who needs to be ready to go on.

again, this is just a handful of things I've done that were successful, but it oughta get you started

- mention to said designer that a specific actor or actress (esp one he likes) really needs to understand how something on the set works, and you don't want to waste his precious and important time so if you can get the groundplan so you can tape it out, it will help that cast and/or crew member (and once in a blue moon, if it's someone you trust and who knows/sees the situation, you can bring that person into the mix so they can help you)

- ask for advice from him. Really. Sexist jerks can't resist teaching (even if it's something you already know) cuz it's a chance to show off how much they do, or don't, know. Now, don't ask something stupid, but maybe there is a gag that is a tad challenging, or a set piece that requires a little visual to make work, and you can ask abt it, relating it to a specific moment in the show - you can also ask advice/help for  something NOT play-related in which you both share an interest, like, I love that you worked at such-and-such a theater or on that/this show - tell me abt your experience, I want to work there/ do this and would love your input

- go thru the other designers - costumes, lights, props etc all need to know what the set looks like (and colors and etc need to be coordinated) so letting them lead, esp if they know this person's rep, will not damage yours.

- thank that person honestly but profusely when he does things that help you do your job. Show appreciation for even normally taken-for-granted help (like say, providing a groundplan).

- find something you both have in common (from other folks, of course) - that ALWAYS helps and removes you from "one more female SM who couldn't possibly know what she's doing" to "fellow kung-fu afficionado" or whatever

- chat w the director/producer and explain your problem, not from the perspective of getting the guy in trouble but explaining that you need your tools to do your work. Make sure they know, without blame or emotion, that you are trying to get your job done in a civil, polite, professional way.

<on edit> - oh yeah - never, EVER play the girl card - without saying anything, just be ready to work harder than any of the men, and don't let him assume (or, for that matter, know) you are on the rag at any moment

1142

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Changing Get Togethers to Regional Advice (POLL)

« on: Jun 30, 2007, 12:22 am »

(not that there are a ton, but you shd also include alaska and hawaii)

1143

Employment / Re: Novice stage manager wondering how much my rate should be

« on: Jun 20, 2007, 01:07 pm »

(amber k, is this you? I referred you to two plays, wondering if this is one of them)

Sorry - more qqs -

Assume, at 99-seat, this is not union (altho it may be) - [if you are getting health weeks there is MUCH more room for compromise on the rate].

Assume you are running lights? Are you also running sound? How complex is the show, AND how much experience do you walk in the door with. Props: are you shoppping for/maintaining/ purchasing during the run? Do you have a PA? Are the actors getting minimum 99-seat pittance or have the producers offered them significantly more?

I think, for 99, if you are an experienced SM you shd take no LESS than $50 per show and work out a fair rate for rehearsals and tech week based on how much work you will be doing aside from normal SM tasks. (And, do you have other work - a day job - you will be giving up?) Also, make sure you deal with parking issues before you make your decision, and think abt gas money. I base my 99-seat rate on what I can't earn in other ways because of the time and work commitment to the show combined with how far away it is and how much I want to do it. If there are perks - free adjacent parking, a great cast and director, travel outside of rush hour, acknowledgement of what I bring to the table (you'd be surprised at how far a "thank you" can get them), I am willing to compromise (within reason).

If this is a resume-builder, taking less is reasonable, but keep in mind your time and skills have value, and a good sm will save the producer a lot of money in the long run. Does this help?

1144

Employment / Re: Novice stage manager wondering how much my rate should be

« on: Jun 20, 2007, 01:04 am »

what is the house size? how many people in the cast? how many shows a week? what are you doing besides calling the show? all those things go into consideration, along with how much you want to work w this director and/or on this play and/or at this theater.

1145

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: calling cues

« on: Jun 19, 2007, 01:45 am »

Sometimes, the rail Qs can be done on a cue light which saves one set of calls. I had a really complex show with fly cues, special effects, pyro and a couple of other things in addition to lights, and I was grateful as all get-out to have the fly cues on a toggle, so I cd throw the standby and cue without worrying abt saying anything at all. Of course, that doesn't always happen, but you can find out if that's an option if the light and sound Qs come too fast and furious

1146

Tools of the Trade / Re: washable stage frosting????

« on: Jun 18, 2007, 07:56 pm »

I had a wardrobe mistress with a brilliant series of solutions for this - will try to find her notes - cuz we needed foam that wouldn't stain either (for a different show) but our problem was that the actor needed to ingest as well as get costumes dirty with the foam. In the meantime, since I don't recall this needing to be edible in Bullshot, try whipping soapy water/soft soap into a froth and use that - and clearly it won't stain since it is soap, after all.

1147

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SMing a Shakespeare

« on: Jun 13, 2007, 01:23 am »

TRACKING - entrances and exits are really important in this one. There can be a couple of nasty quickchanges (depending on how your director is casting and blocking). And make sure they plenty of time to choreograph and rehearse the sword fights - plan time for the nightly fight rehearsal in your calls for the run. This is an easy show for young folks to get carried away and hurt by playing with the swords and/or not taking the swordfights seriously, cuz there are a lot of them throughout the piece, top to bottom.

And oh yeah - check the ladder (or however Romeo and Juliet hook up in your production) for safety every nite, unless you have the rare set designer who builds it into the set in such a way that it can't become loose. And before you lock the set, check the sightlines.....

1148

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Problem Actor...

« on: Jun 10, 2007, 08:15 pm »

(I actually wrote, then deleted, just letting her miss the entrance - cuz scoot is right, it rarely happens twice.....altho I did have one actor for whom, well, by week 2, part of the ASM's job was to find him abt a page before his entrance and keep an eye on him until he got onstage....)

But scootersm has a much more compassionate point of view, and I applaud that thinking. It's worth checking, at any rate.

1149

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Problem Actor...

« on: Jun 10, 2007, 03:48 pm »

I assume this is not a union show? if this company has any pretensions of professionalism you might want to post the AEA "responsibilities of an actor" sheet, highlighting the one where they are responsible for knowing their lines and cues, for maintaining the directors vision - and for being on time for entrances and exits once places has been called - it ain't your job to go find her and haul her ass on stage, you know?

1150

The Hardline / Re: Tech Week Bumps II

« on: Jun 05, 2007, 01:19 pm »

fwiw, in my experience AEA is actually quite reasonable when dealing w a pre-existing payroll system like a university and will usually allow concessions on that, as long as things like OT and tech week bumps are dealt with properly monetarily (if not time-wise) - I have been told ahead of time when those situations existed and the company has always given either advances or personal check cashing to get through the week where necessary

1151

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Is part of being a Stage Manager being an artist?

« on: May 23, 2007, 02:29 am »

I was always taught that the SM is the "5th actor" - for the show to run smoothly, we breath with the actors to call the cues, and in the old days adjust the sliders to the feel of that night's beat/transition.

And as the link, the pin, between the artistic team and the technical team we must be as creative as they are, whether we are talking stage- or people-related ideas/skills

1152

Tools of the Trade / Re: I need help with a prop....please!!!

« on: May 04, 2007, 11:52 pm »

You absolutely want breakaway glass, since you can never guarantee real glass will break, let alone in the direction you want without endangering everyone with flying shards.

However, until it is swept up or melted, breakaway shards are still sharp and will fly - you need to try a few in order to show the actor exactly in what direction and wiht what force to drop it so nothing goes flying into the house or into the actors onstage - and no one gets injured until you have a chance to clean it up.

Have a blast! Breaking stuff onstage (deliberately) is fun!

1153

Tools of the Trade / Re: Do you prefer Word or Excel?

« on: Apr 09, 2007, 05:08 pm »

I think I've said this before, but the reason I use word has nothing to do with my preferences and everything to do with the personnel at the theater. Most of the time, when I am out in a regional space, I am luck if they have dial-up, let alone excel, and a percentage of the office isn't extremely computer facile. My primary consideration is that most of the departments and the house can open Word when they can't open much else

1154

Tools of the Trade / Re: Anyone have to pre-rig milk cartons?

« on: Apr 05, 2007, 12:46 pm »

Let's just say this is a high-maintenance actor.....one whose requests we have to at least attempt to fulfill.

1155

Employment / Re: Job Reference

« on: Apr 05, 2007, 12:31 am »

no reason to get nasty - just explaining that you telling someone else who they should and shouldn't hire by saying that is considered slander since it is opinion and therefore defamatory - and is in answer to the qq abt slander and libel in the legal sense. Saying "you shouldn't hire tham" can be considered the type of phrasing that could support a lawsuit. Trust me, this is info I wish I didn't know, but I do, and have watched fellow artists dig holes for themselves that cost them big to get out of. It is not our place to tell someone else how to hire. Being careful with language is part of the job, and knowing stuff like this can save you a world of hurt on the flip.