Messages

121

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Beginner Stage Manager experiences

« on: Nov 17, 2007, 01:21 pm »

Hmm, well, back in the day, when I was working in community theater, our lighting desinger quit the day before hang and took the design with her.  Long story short I got the lighting cues at half hour on opening night.

122

Uploaded Forms / Re: WWW form...anyone?

« on: Nov 15, 2007, 11:13 pm »

Well, Lisa, I wouldn't find a problem with posting part of it to display how the Met formatted the paperwork.  It's nifty paperwork!

Thanks for your advice, though.  I'm really glad that you've found a way to stage manage that suits you and your needs.  That's not how I choose to stage manage, or how I choose to format my paperwork or what to include in it, and that's ok.  As I've said before we all have different ways of doing things, and I'm comfortable with that.  I think it's great that you express your opinions on this open forum, as we all do, I just wish you wouldn't speak in absolutes as though your methodology is the only or "right" way.  For me, whatever production I'm working on, whether it's at the Kennedy Center or a smaller regional company, a world premier or a 2 show run deserves the same attention.  I care about the productions I work on, and I don't even think of it as "over-documenting" . . .it's just how I run things, it's how I make my run sheets . . .for me, it's doing my job completely for every engagement.   We run in the same circles and we both know that, and I don't want this (or any post) to be a personal thing. 

123

Uploaded Forms / Re: WWW form...anyone?

« on: Nov 15, 2007, 01:13 am »

Ah, yes, and here again we all must take into account that we all do things a little differently, right?

I think both uploaded forms are good examples of a WWW.  Given that these forms are swapped all over creation all the time for remounts, who cares if someone posts an example for educational purposes?  Paperwork I generate is not the intellectual property of the director or the company I'm working for. 

I just worked with a WWW from the Met that was so insanely detailed it was 24 pages long.  I say good for them!  The production was documented with accuracy and precision for every department.  Comparing that to the WWW from another company on the same production was like night and day . . .the other one was almost completely useless.

I've also done WWW on Filemaker, which allows you to make run sheets by just changing a few things, but the entire production is contained in a database.  It's fabulous. 

I guess you could put too much detail in a WWW, but I've yet to see it!

124

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: MFA?

« on: Nov 14, 2007, 10:24 am »

I know stage managers at all different levels who do and don't have an MFA. 

I don't, and I'm able to fill up my calendar fairly easily . . . .so no, I don't think that you HAVE TO have an MFA in order to make it in this business. 

125

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Colleges with well-rounded theatre programs (Was: school.)

« on: Nov 05, 2007, 03:12 pm »

At Webster University in St. Louis they do have a Stage Management program, but we don't really take any stage management classes.  We take design/tech classes in the Conservatory block, and we take Major Dramatists and Theatre History in the mornings.

We learn stage management by doing, not thru lecture and classroom work.

Just as a different view, this is exactly the reason I don't recommend Webster to people, nor do I recommend fresh graduates for jobs.  There are no classes in Stage Management because the program is not taught by stage managers, but by the students in the program who are ahead of you (technically the heads of the program are a lighting designer, a production manager, and a theater facilities manager).  Really bad habits are handed down through the generations of the program. 

If you are going into debt for the rest of your life over your college education, you had better have classes in stage management.

126

Employment / Re: full time or part time?

« on: Oct 30, 2007, 10:37 am »

May I also suggest expanding your skill set to include opera?  It's a bit of a different demon, and does require you to know how to read music, but may open up more opportunities for you.

127

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Calling attention

« on: Oct 29, 2007, 12:50 am »

I can see what you are saying, Erin, and I don't envy the situation.

When I was in high school I once had the idea of blowing a whistle and was promptly told by the cast to not blow that whistle again, "because they are not dogs".  I saw their point of view, and also saw that I had immediately lost the respect of my co-workers.  This cast may respond differently, but I think by bringing joy, kindness, and respect with us into the rehearsal hall, we help create a creative atmosphere. 

This may sound like I'm about to go bake a cake made out of rainbows (anyone catch the MEAN GIRLS reference?), but I think dealing with actors as co-workers, understanding their concerns, treating them with respect has bought me extra leeway down the line when the diva's rehearsal shoes don't show up on time, etc.

It's just my suggestion.

128

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Calling attention

« on: Oct 29, 2007, 12:17 am »

To each their own, but I would never blow a whistle at a group of adults.  Treat them like the adults they are, not like the children the can behave like.  By treating people with respect you always walk away knowing your standards are intact.

Yes, you do have to come out of your shell in order to get attention.  First and foremost, dress nicely and look like an authority figure from the get go.  Saying loudly, "Ladies and Gentlemen, quiet please" has always worked for me, in companies across the country.  If that doesn't work I'll clap my hands twice and repeat myself.  I've never had to resort to anything beyond that.

It's human nature for a bored group of people to stand around and talk, and although it's irritating to us, I find gentle reminders to be more helpful than angry confrontations.   Remember that angry confrontations come off as a power trip, and if that's how you choose to be percieved, that's certainly your choice, but I've never found it to be helpful.

We are "the iron fist in the velvet glove" . . . . .

129

Employment / Re: full time or part time?

« on: Oct 24, 2007, 11:04 am »

Well, this is my full time job.  There are times when I'm off contract, and I have a great temp service if I need to fill in major gaps. 

If you want to make a go of it and work full time in the field, you can definitely do it.  It's a matter of organizing and prioritizing and figuring out how to live within your means. You aren't going to get rich in this field, but you can make it work . . .plenty of us do.

130

The Hardline / Re: Stagehand Wages

« on: Oct 23, 2007, 09:45 am »

From what I've seen around DC, $14 an hour, 3 hour minimum is the going rate for non union stagehands. 

131

Employment / Re: University/drama school Vs. real world experience

« on: Oct 18, 2007, 12:44 am »

Go for the degree.  It's a hard period of your life to wade through, but it's an important step and hoefully you'll learn skills you wouldn't otherwise have been able to master.  take this time to learn to read music.

132

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Snappy SM

« on: Oct 18, 2007, 12:40 am »

Depending on the company and how you handle tech changes like that . . .

Yes, you were absolutely right for pointing out something that endangered the safety of the actors and wasn't mentioned before, and your PSM is out of line for losing his/her cool over headset, and definitely for using that language.  It's just not acceptable.  Ever.

133

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Tech or Church?

« on: Oct 17, 2007, 01:00 am »

Less than 24 hours notice is not cool.  I think you can ask, but not require.  So you have to start without him and he catches up when he gets there have someone else take notes for him.  Religion is something I don't even come close to messing with.

134

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Being "Written Up"

« on: Oct 14, 2007, 09:05 am »

Jess,

For what it's worth, I think that your producers need to know about the incident.  It goes without saying that pushing someone is elementrary school behavior, but as a wise Production Manager once told me, "If you have any problems with the cast, let me know.  We only deal with those kinds of things once."  While you'd hate to ruin someone's chances for being hired at a particular company again, the behavior that you are dealing with is completely unnacceptable and the actor made the poor decision, not you.  I wouldn't feel guilty for a moment for reporting the incident to everyone at the company you are at that needs to know (production manager, artistic administration, etc.)

I hope things get better for you!  Isn't this supposed to be "Happy"?

135

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Injured during tech?

« on: Sep 30, 2007, 10:20 pm »

I pulled my back during tech this past summer . . .the guys in the shop had me wear a back brace, like you wear to lift heavy things, in order to keep my back straight and keep me from reinjuring it.  It worked!