Messages

121

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Wedding Proposal on Stage

« on: Jan 16, 2014, 06:33 pm »

Matthew's answer, below, is the one I was going to give.  It's not up to me, it's up to the "Producer." As is collecting for BC/EFA. I would never initiate that either, without getting clearance first.

And I would only do it with the GM/Producers' blessing . . .

122

Tools of the Trade / Re: POLL: Paperwork Ownership

« on: Jan 15, 2014, 09:41 pm »

This has been discussed quite often in Stage Manager's Committee, when stage managers talk about being paid for their book and paperwork. We are indeed work-for-hire, and any paperwork we produce while employed, belongs to our employer.

However, the employer does not own the template, form, or style of our books and paperwork, only the show specific information. I believe we are free, as we wish, to share or not share our forms and formats. When I work with other Stage Managers on a show, they are all free to keep copies of all the show paperwork, if they want to, and utilize them in the future.  I have seen my templates replicated and improved on in several places, including on this site.  I only ask that if someone uploads or shares a template they got from me, that they do not claim they created it themselves. I really don't care if they give me credit, or not.

(On the other hand, I know Stage Managers who believe that the forms they create, are the reasons they get certain jobs, and these SMs are very proprietary about their work and don't share with others. And hey, that's OK too.)

Having just finished 9 weeks of copyright law so I can have a master's in Arts Admin, I wanted to point out that, depending on your tax status, there is a middling-to-strong chance that the theatre owns your show-specific paperwork under the work-for-hire section of the copyright code.

123

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Ensemble tracking

« on: Jan 15, 2014, 07:56 am »

For every production I do I make a document called a "Blocking Key." This document contains the actor's name, the main role s/he plays, or Ensemble etc.  I then devise a one or two letter code, sometimes the actor's initials, sometimes the first letter or letters of character name (it depends on the show) and that becomes the actor's designation for the blocking script, and for the calling script, if I am taking visual cues off that actor. For example, I am currently doing a show with the characters "Robert" =Ro, and "Harry"= Ha. In this particular production, all actors have a character designation, but in some shows I use the actors'' real name initials (John Smith=JS.) You can write your chosen designation anywhere in the script you need it, and it always will refer to the same person or character. And, I ask that all my assistants, if any, use the same designations. I've been doing this for years, and it works very well.

124

The Hardline / Re: Understudies for AEA theatres

« on: Jan 07, 2014, 07:09 pm »

(I love "no understudies" too, until someone goes out for whatever reason, and it suddenly becomes incumbent on the Stage Manager to figure out a way to keep the show going, when that should be up to Management, in my opinion.)

And Maribeth is correct about the Rep. stipulation.  Which means most LORT Theatres in this country are NOT required to have Understudies, and don't need a concession to not have them.

So, if YOU were negotiating the LORT rule book, what would rule would you ideally devise for a situation where management has decided not to hire coverage, but wants the show to go up, even when someone goes out?  What would you try and get management to agree to in your new rule? And what would you be willing to give up, in your negotiations, in trade for your new rule? Dream big. Be creative!

I think that many, many, many LORT theaters have negotiated their away around this rule . . . you can get a concession from AEA to not have understudies, and then go back through the specific contract and find out who, where and when the actors need to be notified.  I love no understudies . . . until someone goes out ill . . .

And, according to the LORT rulebook online, it only applies to A+ companies and B+, B, C, and D rep companies.

I do know of some companies who truly prefer to cancel a performance if someone is sick, rather than "compromise" the performance by putting someone else on. I rarely work at an SPT theatre that hires understudies unless there is a planned cast outage.

125

The Hardline / Re: Understudies for AEA theatres

« on: Jan 06, 2014, 09:50 am »

I work in a variety of LORT houses, and each of them handles the Understudy issue differently.

My most recent show had non-AEA/intern understudies, who also had smaller roles in the show. Only one of them ever had a costume fitting, and that was by my insistence. (I honestly don't believe we as SMs should have to rehearse Understudies if there is no plan to costume them, beyond "If one has to go on, we will work our magic..." After all, if you find out your Understudy is going on, where do you need them, in a fitting or in a rehearsal?) The trap of the above system, without Swings, is that if the Understudy goes on, there is a domino effect through the entire show structure, and although the Understudy is rehearsed, the rest of the the cast isn't practiced in how to do the show without that particular track. So...then you are in the position of rehearsing everything EXCEPT the Understudy, lol.  I was able to do three Understudy rehearsals in this particular situation, Act I, Act II, and a full Tech, run of the entire show, which was actually a lot of fun!

I've worked in LORT with no Understudies, where the Producer went on with book in an emergency, or where roles were combined and staging changed at the last moment to cover for the lack of a actor (injury during Act I to an actor with a big sword fight in Act II...)

In LORT, doing a show with no Understudies, I guess what we do is hope and pray that no one gets sick, injured, or has a family emergency, huh?  Look, the Producers say, at the Negotiating Table, that they will cancel if they are in a situation where they have an outage and no Understudy, but no Producer wants to cancel a show. They will go to any lengths to keep that from happening, including going on themselves, as above.

I am happy to rehearse and put on Understudies. But I believe the Artistic Staff of the show need to come up with the solutions for outages, that I am to rehearse. Although I'm great at these types of in/out puzzles, I've always felt the SMs job was to rehearse them, not create them. And yes, after a few weeks of the run, we do know the show better than anyone (except the cast, actually, they know it best.) But still, isn't the Understudy planning someone else's pay grade?

The LORT house I work at most frequently stopped hiring understudies a few seasons ago unless they were doing a show with planned outs.  For years they had been hiring folks, frequently non-AEA, but if push came to shove they would almost never put them onstage.  You created an uproar if you tried to schedule a costume fitting for understudies.  They weighed the odds and decided they'd rather risk canceling a single show a season due to lacking a performer.

126

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSALS: Giving line notes

« on: Jan 06, 2014, 09:24 am »

I have a line-note form (discussed here many times.)  I use the same form in rehearsal and performances. Usually if an actor gets a line note from me during performances, it means s/he has made the same error two performances in a row. I don't give line notes during performances for one-off slip-ups, only for lines that have clearly been re-created somehow. The line note form will be on the actor's dressing table when they arrive to prep for the show.

Some shows, I notate the line error in my script and email the notes to the actors after rehearsal. Other shows, i transfer the line notes from my script to slips of paper to pass to the actors when the director is giving notes.

How do you go around doing line notes or what is your method? what about performances?

127

Uploaded Forms / Re: !! - Request Forms Here - !!

« on: Jan 03, 2014, 05:40 pm »

This is your own work to do as a Stage Manager. Every single show. Not only just to get the work done, but to allow you to become familiar with the show,. Doing this work is what prepares you to stage manage the show properly.

It's a paperwork-heavy career! Get used to it now!
 

Does Anyone have a French scene breakdown for "All My Sons"
Thanks so much!

128

The Green Room / Re: Trivia Tournament IV: Trivia's Revenge!!

« on: Jan 03, 2014, 12:31 pm »

Hardly anyone played this month except you and I, Pat. I've just chosen categories for January, and they're very different from the last two months. Hopefully that will encourage more people to play! I use this trivia game, the New York Times Ken Ken, and a word game at The Problem Site as my wake up exercises over my first cup of coffee every morning. Once I've done all three very different puzzles, then my brain is awake for the day....

19 WINS? HOLY COW RUTH!! - well, thanks for allowing a few of us to win occasionally, it feels nice! So generous.....<g>

129

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Stage managing negative shows . . .

« on: Jan 02, 2014, 07:55 am »

I've noticed all these things to be true Matthew, on a show that has had a negative atmosphere.

BUT, I usually find that no matter what environment the Stage Manager tries to create, that the fish stinks from the top. If the DIRECTOR has not provided strong leadership, specific characters, specific moments, specific staging, mined every laugh out of a script, and given EVERY actor in the show at least one moment to stand out, "star" or be special, the situation can deteriorate very quickly.

All the things you mention happen when actors don't feel supported, or feel like they had to create the play themselves. We as Stage Managers do the followup leadership. The tone and the quality of work, has to be set in the room and the rehearsal by the Director by his or her own tone and quality of work.  If that's not there, it's always difficult to keep the cast's noses out of the rulebook, have them not call out for tiny ailments, or aggressively go after other employment so that they can out in for MRE or even give notice. Directors have a huge responsibility in keeping their actors happy in a show, and it starts on Day One of rehearsal. 

So, this has come up in sort of an ongoing conversation with a colleague.  One of the most important things about stage management can be setting a positive, upbeat and professional atmosphere . . . but what happens when your attempts fail – either the are aspects of the production out of your control, or the show was doomed to failure before you start – and the atmosphere turns negative – bad rehearsal environment, heinous tech, bad reviews, or small houses – can lead to a negative buzz about the production.

What I have noticed over my career is how much more difficult is it to stage manage a production that has a “negative” buzz.    Has anyone else noticed some of these things?

1)   Performers will call out sick quicker and let understudies go on more often if there is negative buzz.
2)   In AEA situations, the productions with the negative buzz, seem to be the one where the deputy or the cast is throwing up every rule in your face.
3)   In contracts with the MRE, actors are much more like to MRE out the show.
4)   For longer runs, actors are much more likely to “get out of their contract” anyway possible.
5)   It’s also harder to maintain / note these type of shows.
6)   Actors are much more likely to play those onstage games to keep them some entertained.

Anyone else notice these or other things on these "Negative Shows"?

130

Employment / Re: Dear Abby: advice on how to choose between offers

« on: Dec 30, 2013, 09:05 am »

First of all, congratulations!  You have two jobs offers, so there is no WRONG choice, only two DIFFERENT choices.These kinds of decisions come up for us, all through our careers. Although no one else can really tell you which decision is better, as it all depends what you want out of your life/career at any given moment, there is a technique I use to see if I'm about to do the right thing for me. Picture yourself calling one company and accepting, then hanging up the phone. Then picture yourself doing the opposite.  Which phone call leaves you most satisfied and confident that your future will be bright? Which decision allows you to walk away from the phone with no regrets, and move on without second guessing yourself? This visualization (and I'm not a New-Agey person at all..) will serve you well with all kinds of decisions in the future!  Good luck, and let us know what you decide!

131

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: calling cues

« on: Dec 28, 2013, 08:30 am »

I just did a show that had 6 of these, having to do with the lighting and snuffing of a candle, as other cues were being called.  I simply said "Standby for lighting visuals." I always opt for the fewest words possible.

What would you say or how do you word it if you want your operator to take the cue off a visual/action onstage or word instead of saying "go"? For example if an actor turns on a light switch, answers a phone, or if the lights bump up when the actor screams "lights" (scripted, of course).

132

Tools of the Trade / Re: examples of good calling sheets for shows with fly cues

« on: Dec 23, 2013, 08:44 am »

My rail plot INFORMS the calling of the show, and tells the rail crew what to do, but is not what I call FROM. Send me your email address and I'll send you samples of a simple one, and a very complicated one.

133

The Green Room / Re: Your Paranoia/Obsession

« on: Dec 16, 2013, 09:56 pm »

I usually have the Box Office proofread the calendar before I publish it.  But, even that's been known to fail...  Yes, this is another legit paranoia, I'm afraid...

I'm paranoid about not having all the performance dates correct on my performance calendar.

134

The Green Room / Your Paranoia/Obsession

« on: Dec 13, 2013, 06:50 pm »

So, I admit, I have a Stage Management obsession/paranoia.

I'm never satisfied that all my actors are in the building. I check the sign-in sheet several times to make they're signed in, as I tend to do shows where I never see all of the actors prior to curtain, and indeed sometimes see none of the actors prior to curtain. I always worry, not that they haven't signed in, but that I've read the sheet incorrectly and someone is actually missing, no matter how careful I am.  It's like going back into your home and checking to see if the iron or oven is off, even when you know they are. (I don't do THAT, by the way...)

Do you have a Stage Management obsession/paranoia? And, what should I do about mine, lol?

135

Tools of the Trade / Re: Ergonomics and the Tech Table

« on: Dec 05, 2013, 08:12 am »

Glad it's working Matthew. Are you using you folding Amazon desk on top of a Tech. table, or something else? If yes to the Amazon table, are you standing between rows of theatre seats?

Also, there are hundreds of gel anti-fatigue mats out there.  Does anyone have a link to or a recommendation of a fairly inexpensive one, that worked for you?