Messages

121

The Green Room / Re: Hurricane Irene and your Company's plans

« on: Aug 26, 2011, 03:05 pm »

We've decided to cancel the 2 shows we have Sunday and are playing Saturday by ear - we're located in N. RI.  People seem to be calling and rescheduling on their own, which saves us the trouble of calling them.

We're also considering the possibility of not being able to perform next Wednesday, given the chance of damage, power outages, etc... We'll have to wait until Monday to evaluate. For now, we're just going to batten down the proverbial hatches and hope for the best!

Anyone have any good storm plans?  I know a good friend who is planning a hurricane party. I know that I'll be sitting at home enjoying the sounds of Irene and a good book...I love a good storm...

122

The Green Room / Re: ARTICLE: 5 Reasons To Keep A Work Diary

« on: Aug 02, 2011, 01:42 pm »

I really like the idea of a work diary...it's just the time requirement.  I've thought about starting one, but the time required to actually sit down, remember, think about it and analyze seems too much. Some days you just want to forget (like today, hence the SMNetwork procrastination...)

I do realize how big of a BS excuse that is though, so maybe we'll try again and see how it goes...

Anyone actually keep one out there?

123

The Green Room / Re: Office Supply Vending Machine

« on: Jul 09, 2011, 03:21 pm »

hah! Very cool.

124

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SOUND: Sound Effects for QLab?

« on: Jun 30, 2011, 12:06 am »

Agreed.  Freesound.org is a great f/x resource.

125

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Onstage as an SM

« on: Jun 18, 2011, 03:01 pm »

I've been onstage as an SM a couple of times before at my current gig. Although here, it's a bit more tricky...I have no board ops.  We have an old Palm Pilot that my predecessor configured to fire a cue in Qlab on our computer via bluetooth.  The program is called 'sailing clicker' and is very useful.  Although it can be very nerve-racking trying to click a button while executing blocking and hoping for the best.  Not the best system, but it's interesting to work with and everyone seems to be intrigued by it.

My advice would be to know all your blocking and lines to the best of your ability.  It's a very distracting responsibility and you definitely don't want it to take away from your SMing duties or the show.

126

Employment / Re: lighting design?

« on: Jun 01, 2011, 10:32 pm »

Like many others, I have lighting experience, both design wise and board op-ing.  BUT, those experiences a LD does not make.  Although I've taken lighting classes, seen many plots and worked with plenty of lights, I wouldn't know where to start with a lighting design.

I've noticed in my interaction with lighting designers, they are some of the most dedicated designers.  I've worked with set designers who are costume designers, sound techs who are carpenters, but rarely lighting designers who are anything else.  They tend to have be very dedicated and behave in a manner different from other designers.  If you want to SM, I wouldn't suggest getting into a serious lighting design career.  If you want to do a community theatre design every now and again, that can't hurt, but I would avoid anything big.

127

The Green Room / What would you do, with a grant for SMing...

« on: May 29, 2011, 01:33 pm »

As a segue off a recent thread about grants and their recipients...

Hypothetical: You've been awarded a grant for, say, $5,000. Hooray and good for you!

The grant is not detail specific in what it must be spent on like some grants, but it does require that the money must be applied to a Stage Management endeavor(s) (and not your salary...). You could spend it on your personal tools as an independent SM contractor or at your current theatre if you hold a management position.

How would you utilize this grant?

128

The Green Room / Re: Who are we, anyway...?

« on: May 28, 2011, 06:27 pm »

That said, I think the whole of this discussion (far beyond the original grant question) will never have a solid black and white answer because there's always going to be a grey area. I personally believe that art and craft lay in how we maneuver in that gray area which is often filled with scheming ideas and crazy personalities. 

Art has never had a black and white definition, nor will it ever...part of it's wonder. But back to topic...

I love this discussion thread. Great topic but I've resisted until now.

Personally, I do not consider myself, when I am solely SMing, to be an artist, so the decision not to consider a management position an individual artist was not that shocking.  We are, imo, managers with artistic mentalities.  But if you feel like fighting for it loebtmc, I wish you success!

In my current position (Operations Manager) I consider myself an artist because of the different things I have to do in order to further the success of the theatre. Like paint, light, act, build, etc... I don't think I could be a manager in a non-theatrical sense, only because it's the art for which I started doing theatre in the first place.

129

Tools of the Trade / Re: Spike marks on peat/bark floor?

« on: May 20, 2011, 11:20 am »

The photo seems like a good idea, especially if accompanied by measurements to something stationary.

Could you put a flower in the moss that would mark the position? Maybe mark the ground with paint under the moss?  Strategically place a piece of bark?

I'm intrigued now....what's the production that uses a 15cm deep peat moss floor?

130

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: House is Open or Closed?

« on: May 05, 2011, 10:43 am »

"Half Hour: House is open."

Ditto

131

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROPS: Is there really an easy way to break glass on stage?

« on: Apr 28, 2011, 02:57 pm »

All audience safety issues aside....

Does it specify glass jar? Could you use a hard plastic cup or jar? Or some other type of hard, non-glass material?

132

The Green Room / Re: Stage managing and relationships

« on: Apr 18, 2011, 12:30 pm »

I've been with my girlfriend for 8 years (we're HS sweethearts).  We've made it through High School; through college in different states; myself working professionally and she going to law school at the same time; and when she graduates this May, I'm sure we'll make it through 2 professional work schedules too.

I have found recently that it's not my romantic relationship that's been suffering from the career, but my friendships with the people I have known since HS.  These people are very important to me and it's difficult to only see them three times a month.  I need to put in more work seeing them. I love my theatre community, but it's not the same.  I'm sure others can relate to this.

133

Tools of the Trade / Re: Fight certification

« on: Apr 16, 2011, 03:04 pm »

I am also not certified, but I have taken 3 years of fight classes in college. I feel very confident with hand to hand, quarter staff and any rapier/dagger work.  I find it helps to know what's going on as a stage manager and to be comfortable with any combat situation. But certification seems to be excessive unless you're going to be acting-combating or choreographing yourself.

I'd still say go ahead and do it since it's so much freakin' fun. I know I'd like to someday.

134

The Green Room / Re: Sanity is Evasive

« on: Mar 26, 2011, 04:54 pm »

This American Life (NPR)
Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me (NPR)

Love those 2 programs...I would recommend, for those of you who are nerds like myself and love some dry British humor, My Word from the BBC.

135

Tools of the Trade / Re: FX: Smoking Hair

« on: Mar 25, 2011, 03:26 pm »

If you're protecting against corrosion, could you try dry ice? I imagine the protection would be adequate enough, not to mention corrosive and toxic seems much more dangerous than a small frost burn.
Either way, be safe and let us know what you come up with.  Sounds like a great gag.