Messages

121

The Green Room / Re: Is permanent marker okay?

« on: Mar 24, 2011, 12:18 pm »

Another think I learned after doing drops with permanent marker awhile back - the smell never goes away. it can be overwhelming while you're doing it and it will always linger in the fabric. Yuck.

122

Employment / Re: Free Lancing Tactics: How Far in Advance

« on: Mar 20, 2011, 04:53 pm »

I constantly am wondering if I'm overbooking myself and missing out on last minute opportunities (my best paying gig of last year came up with literally 3 days notice) but overall I have found comfort and stability in booking about 6-8months in advance when possible.

Also, while not an ideal situation, I have had myself booked and then been offered MRE and taken it on several occasions. My initial worry was that I was burning a bridge with the company I left behind, but when done graciously I haven't had any problems.

So, overall, I'd say book as far ahead as you can, and if Broadway calls you can always take it.

123

The Green Room / Re: Just a reminder . . .

« on: Dec 28, 2010, 11:16 pm »

Great way to put it into perspective.

Although I would love to work on a show on Broadway, I'm not about to gauge my entire career's success on it. I

I'm also a big believer that not every stage manager would be best suited on a Broadway show. Depends on your strengths and weaknesses and the show involved.

Now back to my off-off broadway holiday show with me

124

The Green Room / Re: Spiderman's Stage Managers

« on: Dec 19, 2010, 12:18 am »

Maybe it's the holiday season, but this article gave me the warm and fuzzies. Sounds like the show is in some great (stage management) hands. With all that is being said about the show I am still pretty excited that it is employing so many people in our industry, including these 7 stage managers.

Now the next question...will they ever be allowed to have people shadow them?? I'm so curious....

125

Tools of the Trade / Re: Gifts!

« on: Dec 09, 2010, 11:48 pm »

I'm going on tour this year and my family is all chipping in on a new luggage set and carry on. My current set is a hand me down from 6 years ago and if I'm going to be living out of a suitcase for most of the year it might as well be a nice one

126

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: BFA SM Students or Students who entered college knowing they wanted to be a SM

« on: Dec 01, 2010, 05:27 pm »

I'm out of school, but also entered a BFA program (one without a SM track even..) knowing I wanted to be a stage manager

127

The Green Room / Re: "Multi-tasking" actors and designers

« on: Nov 10, 2010, 04:00 pm »

I've always had this happen on shows in NYC, even on (what I considered) well paying Off-Broadway shows.

Designers and actors are in high demand, especially good ones. In some instances I'm almost glad when I don't have a lot of well known actors or designers on a show cause they generally have less conflicts. I had one show where we had to cancel and reschedule 5 performances because of MRE for an actor who got a film shoot, and we got through it but it wasn't an ideal situation at all.

At the end of the day it is a job and a business and it's up to the producers evaluating the final product on whether or not the scheduling conflicts were worth it. Oh the joys of being middle management.

128

Tools of the Trade / Re: BITE LIGHTS!

« on: Nov 03, 2010, 05:43 pm »

Manhattan Wardrobe Supply to the rescue!

http://www.wardrobesupplies.com/store/bitelites.html

I've always ordered my bite lights through them and never been disappointed (they're cheap so if one dies/gets ruined its not the end of the world)

Also just seeing on the website they have one that's a little ear piece which I would love if I was still doing wardrobe

129

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: cell phones onstage

« on: Nov 03, 2010, 05:39 pm »

Had a similar problem on my last show where the actors didn't wish to turn in their phones because while they trusted ME they didn't trust the theater company/patrons/run crew etc to be around their valuables. When I showed them the locker where I put everything each show and mentioned only the SM team has keys they all started giving me their valuables.

Might not be applicable in your circumstances, but just a thought!

130

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SCENERY: Video

« on: Oct 30, 2010, 03:29 pm »

Does anyone have experience running video off Isadora? I hear it is a fantastic program.

All of the best projection/video designs I've seen or had in shows I've done have been through isadora. It's an amazing program which is able to literally do almost anything.. the big caveat: you have to have someone who knows how to program it. It's not a point & click user friendly software that is fast to learn like Qlab is. It's all programming, and it takes about twice as long to program, scale, keystone, and troubleshoot as you think it will.

I've had a great experience with it where we had a bevy of programmers, an extraordinary designer and plenty of time and money. I've also had a terrible experience with it where we had one designer, no time, no money, and ultimately it didn't look as nice.

131

The Green Room / Re: Performers & Safety - would you walk off a show?

« on: Oct 30, 2010, 02:53 pm »

I find this most off-putting that a member of your own stage management team didn't your safety into consideration.

I found it quite off-putting as well...lesson learned not to work with certain people.

another interesting article on the event


http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/another-actor-speaks-of-spider-man-injuries/

I think this might be the best article thus far since it paints the picture of how dangerous ANY Broadway show can be, and all the accidents that we don't hear about. Will be an interesting thread to keep an eye on as the show opens...

132

The Green Room / Re: Performers & Safety - would you walk off a show?

« on: Oct 30, 2010, 01:47 am »

Thanks everyone for the replies--

7) But here's the thing, if it comes down to you having to walk away from a show, I might argue that perhaps you should just keep on walking form the career.  This is a basic SM duty, to deal with these sort of issues, and if you can't deal with them - short of the creative team being sinister villains, perhaps you don't have the tools in your arsenal to be a successful manager and deal with these serious issues.   Or maybe, you were dealing with issues that perhaps were above your experience level.  I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but what does walking away a do?  Are you just trying to protect yourself?  Are you just throwing a fit because they won't do it you way, so you aren't going to work with them?  I just think we have a lot of tools in our little SM Kit of management skills I don't think it should come to walking. And all that is going to do is pass the problem onto someone else. 

For full disclosure--the times I left a show for safety concerns they also directly affected me as the ASM running the deck tracks. Went up the gamut of SM, GM, CM, AEA, and they were still not willing to address my concerns for the safety of the actors and myself... so rather than do something I was ultimately uncomfortable being able to execute safely every performance I decided to leave. For the money and time involved it wasn't worth the anxiety and possible injury to myself or others.

I don't feel that it makes me a ineffective stage manager because I can recognize my physical/emotional limitations. To each their own-While some SMs may salivate over it, I now know working on a Cirque show would probably give me ulcers.

133

The Green Room / Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark

« on: Oct 29, 2010, 06:03 pm »

Hey All--

I've been told I'm such a worry wart when it comes to these things but these two posts regarding accidents over at SPIDERMAN have ruffled my feathers.
http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/theater/spider_man_safety_scare_Z4StFsGWzAGL5ByuimKGzL
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/144474-Spider-Man-Actor-Kevin-Aubin-Injured-at-Group-Sales-Event

And after hearing similar accounts from shows like XANADU and TARZAN it just constantly makes me wonder what safety measures are really in place, what research into long-term effects on the performers' bodies is being done, etc. I know that accidents can, and do happen, but at what point do you say "it's not worth the risk?"

In my career I've reported to AEA, then walked off two productions when I felt that some of the things they were doing were unsafe to the performers. Some people said it was a little too extreme, but I don't want to be a part of a company/project that values the bottom line over safety.

....maybe this is why I don't like working in commercial theater.

So I ask my fellow members here at SMNetwork - do you have stories of where you stood up for safety of your crew, yourself or your performers and got some resistance?

I'd also like to hear what people's thoughts are on the SPIDERMAN accidents. I really don't even want to see the show after reading the articles--sorry Miss Taymor.

134

The Green Room / Re: Convolution Creep

« on: Oct 28, 2010, 12:53 pm »

I remember working on a show that had such a tight budget one week that my ME had to use the same bulb from the ghost lamp for a practical on stage....

135

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: What to do when you're sick?

« on: Oct 23, 2010, 07:55 pm »

I have do admit I used to be in the camp of "the show must go on" but have since come to the other side....

On a project I just finished up, we know we are going to be touring for several dates next year and as the ASM it was very important to me to keep up with the PSM's prompt book, understand everything that goes into calling the show, and even shadowing him in the booth for several performances/rehearsals. It's a rather cue heavy show, but my track is much simpler as the ASM.

While our PM or producers never asked me to do this I just never want to be in the situation while on the road that if something happens and our PSM is out for a performance that we have to struggle to put the show up. The peace of mind knowing the show can and would go on without you there is (I think) a mark of a very good stage manager.