Messages

121

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SHOWS: How many times have you Stage Managed the same play/musical?

« on: Sep 10, 2010, 02:58 pm »

I know how you feel there.  My last tour with Theatreworks (Seussical), the majority of that cast was in that age range, while I was celebrating a birthday that was a good few years past that age range.  It actually made me quite happy to no longer be part of that age demographic 

Im just now 22, and after spending a summer with about 30 19-22 year olds, I'm realizing, even I am older than the demographic. I'm bummed I'm technically still a part of it.

122

The Green Room / Re: Kids say (and do) the darndest things!

« on: Sep 01, 2010, 05:27 pm »

This wasn't a personal experience I witnessed, but I have heard the story from the people there.

The theatre I'm working at now has a children's theatre program. We were doing "Jack and the Beanstalk," and in the very first scene, Jack and his mother hide under the kitchen table to avoid paying rent to the landlord. Because the table was so small, and these were two 20 year-olds, Jack's mom couldn't really fit underneath. So her butt was sticking out the side. And the kids in the audience had been prompted to tell the landlord to "go away", "they're not home", etc. It always made an amusing bit as the landlord walks right past Jack's mom's butt without noticing a thing.

After the show, the cast always met with the audience. And one little girl (who happened to be British) came up to the girl playing Jack's mom and said "How come the landlord couldn't see you and Jack under the table? Your big fat bum was sticking out the whole time!" When Jack's mom was too stunned to speak, the little girl ran over to the landlord and asked him instead.

123

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: How Many times have you stage managed?

« on: Aug 11, 2010, 09:12 am »

I have ASMed 11 shows (9 professional, 2 college; 9 musicals, 1 opera, 1 play) and SMed 7 shows (2 professional, 5 college; 4 musicals, 3 plays). And this has only been in 3 years.

124

The Green Room / Re: What did you learn today?

« on: Aug 05, 2010, 10:20 am »

Today I learned to just go for it. Hey, I'm still young, right?

125

The Green Room / Re: What did you learn today?

« on: Jul 18, 2010, 06:02 pm »

Today I learned to trust my instincts.

FRIDAY, I learned that I can't be everywhere at once. And I have the bruise to prove it.

126

Employment / Re: is this normal?

« on: Jul 15, 2010, 09:56 am »

Unfortunately, this is often normal, though it shouldn't be.

From the employer's end, they often get 'caught up' in dealing with paperwork and information regarding the replacement, that they seem to 'forget' about the replaced. I've had similar experiences, though not necessarily being replaced in a position I was already intending to have. Mine have been in the interview process, where the company seems incredibly eager and then suddenly, all contact disappears.

It is frustrating, but (hopefully) it can inspire you to work harder and keep trying.

127

The Green Room / Re: Thread to vent about / Actors behaving badly / As haiku only

« on: Jun 05, 2010, 12:43 am »

Two times to touch props:
If it is yours, or if you
Want your blood on it.

Places NOW, children.
Why are you not in costume?
STOP talking backstage!

128

The Green Room / Re: Best one-liner from a performance report

« on: Jun 03, 2010, 06:37 pm »

"The boys can start wearing their heels for rehearsal starting next Monday."

"There was toilet paper thrown, but not large rolls and only a few. The phantoms all seemed to wear the toilet paper as a scarf."

"Intermission was held long for a search in the crowd for a water bottle filled with alcohol. It was never found."

"The audience cheered for Frank skipping rope with the whip."

"They cheered a LOT for the bowl [of pot]. I think I heard someone asking if she would share."

"Frank's Floor Show appearance, {poop}, and reappearance received applause."

"Eddie's wig and scar both came off as he died/was kicked into the fridge. He recovered well."

All for a production of The Rocky Horror Show.

Funny story, the alcohol search was called on because before the show starts, the Phantoms roam around the house, talking and messing with the audience. One of the guys went up to someone and drank from their water bottle. This guy, having never had alcohol in his life, came back stage complaining of a burnt throat. Find out later, it was my roommate's mom, with a sports water bottle with a straw, filled with ice and pino grigio, which by the time the phantom had gotten to it, it was mostly water. He never lived that down.

EDIT: profanity redacted. - PSMK

129

Employment / Re: Child Wrangling

« on: May 30, 2010, 06:04 pm »

This summer I'm ASMing at a summerstock, and we have a few shows with kids. Right now we're in the middle of performing Annie Get Your Gun. There are 4 kids. I have a 12 year old girl, two 9-year old girls, and a 10-year old boy. We have a "backstage parent" but they are mostly there to keep the kids quiet/entertained in their dressing room when not onstage. None of the parents know the show enough to get them anywhere on time. So it's now my job. I don't really mind, since it miraculously works out that my track follows their entrances almost exactly. And the few times I have to drop them off by the wing and run somewhere else, I know I can trust the 12-year old to keep them in line. Self-wrangling children....


The biggest problem I have is that the director has created a comic bit where Little Jake (the 10-year old) is eating chocolate cake almost every time he appears onstage. The SM and I anticipated this being a sugar rush issue, so we cut small pieces (about 1-inch squares) which he eats 4 times during the show. During tech, the director asked for double the cake each time. So this kid eats 8 pieces of cake each show. And there are several days during the run with 2 shows in a day. By the end of the second show, the kid is bouncing off the walls, driving me insane.

The girls are great, though...

130

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SHOWS: What's the most controversial show you've ever worked on?

« on: May 14, 2010, 05:12 pm »

I just finished up working on The Rocky Horror Show. We took our production to the level of an ultimate rock show. The phantoms (5 girls, 3 boys) were constantly paired, leaving a female couple at all times. Beyond that, the direction was that the aliens experienced the world through sex, so the phantoms were continuously touching each other, often incredibly suggestively. For 20 minutes before curtain, they were released into the house to mingle, explore, and rock out.

To give a basic idea, the opening number (Science Fiction, Double Feature) was performed by our usherette in sequin shorts, a tuxedo jacket, suspenders and pasties. The jacket came off half way through the number. (This was the toned-down version. The director originally wanted her entirely topless with suspenders.)

The show was incredibly sexual, with blatant sexual acts onstage beyond those called for in the script. The local crowds (and specifically the older season ticket-holders) were not prepared for the madness which was our show.

The director asked me to count the number of walk-outs during each performance. The most startling was the family who left after the first number.

131

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: ESCRIPTS Archive June 09-Dec. 10

« on: Feb 04, 2010, 12:38 am »

Does anyone have an escript of Stephen Gregg's One-Act "This is a Test" ??

email: becpick88@gmail.com

Thanks so much!

132

Tools of the Trade / Re: SET & PROPS: Water

« on: Feb 04, 2010, 12:15 am »

Does it need to look like its running?

You could do a paint treatment on some kind of wood or other surface, and either pour a clear-drying epoxy over it for sheen or perhaps (a cheaper treatment) clear-drying glue.

Long shot--you might get the sheen with carefully placed Saran wrap. This could look tacky, though.

Just throwing out some thoughts!

133

Tools of the Trade / Re: Prop: Drugs on stage

« on: Feb 04, 2010, 12:07 am »

I did a production of Sexual Perversity in Chicago, where we had a dimebag of 'coke.' We used a combination of baking soda and granulated sugar. However, it wasn't ingested at all, just waved about.

If it's going to be ingested, I would suggest adding some granulated sugar to the powdered sugar. It might look a bit better.

As for pot, the flavored tobacco is a great idea.

134

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Interview questions

« on: Jan 06, 2010, 09:35 am »

I have always been decent at answering questions during interviews. However, I've heard that when the interviewer asks "Do you have any questions?" you should have some prepared. Any of the questions I can think of sound stupid. What kind of questions are the interviewers looking for?

135

Employment / Re: Read your contracts carefully

« on: Jan 05, 2010, 10:10 am »

Furthermore, after you've read your contract, MAKE NOISE if someone breaks it. IMMEDIATELY. Too many times I have seen people say, "Well, I know they didn't really MEAN to do that, but if it happens again..." And then they never say anything anyway. Your contract is there to protect you and your employer. But you still shouldn't let the employer walk all over you if it breaks contract.