Messages

121

Tools of the Trade / Re: Painting on marley floor

« on: Jul 19, 2007, 12:05 pm »

A stagehand will trip over something six inches off the ground.
An actor will trip over something one inch off the ground.
A dancer will trip over a chalkline.

  that made me laugh -thank you!

122

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Bows

« on: Jul 19, 2007, 11:55 am »

It is not uncommon in professional (not for profit sector)dramatic theatre in Australia to have a choreographed acknowledgement of the sm/crew (cast indicate to booth/ps or wherever) during curtain calls. But it would never happen in opera or ballet.  And it certainly isn't 'standard practice' even in straight theatre.

As others have mentioned in this thread and others -I didn't become a stage manager for the applause but it doesn't bother me if the director chooses to publicly acknowledge the behind the scenes contribution. Conversely I would never expect it or be upset if it didn't happen.

Amazing how custom dictates our acceptance of practice, isn't it? I don't find it amateurish if its part of a rehearsed call, but that is just because its within parameters of 'normal' here.

Also Centaura's comment - a good crew is an unnoticed one - i totally agree during a show but intellectually
i don't see why they shouldn't be acknowledged before (in a programme) or after (in a call (but NOT by coming onstage!))...

123

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

« on: Jul 16, 2007, 09:08 am »

Hello!
It has taken me a long time to realise that there are some situations that it is actually better to walk away from. Situations where you cannot control the outcome and to get your job done you end up hospitalised due to stress definately fall into that category. If you can get outside help to deal with this director then fine. If not, you should think about whether the best outcome, and most mature thing you can do, is to get yourself out of the situation. Theatre - albeit high school, community, or professional- is only theatre. Your happiness and health should outrate theatre.  You can see your friends outside theatre if that's what it takes, but i suspect there's a compromise in there somewhere - maybe just go back to being props or crew for this gig if you can't bring yourself to walk away entirely. And remember there is always going to be  another show and you have the rest of your life...
Best wishes
ChaCha

124

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Changing Get Togethers to Regional Advice (POLL)

« on: Jun 28, 2007, 11:17 am »

Australasia? Or are we being counted as S E Asia?

Anyway, as there's about three of us, I dont suppose it matters much! Could be a nice idea Kay. Unless the actual get togethers are being organised off screen in the end, this forum dosen't seem to result in many actual get togethers...

125

Stage Management: Other / Re: Welcome packet

« on: Jun 26, 2007, 10:54 am »

are they from a mandarin speaking part of China? I expect its obvious but if you are going to the bother of getting it all translated, make sure its into the right language (cantonese, shanghainese...)  But you packet contents sound pretty good. Public transport info is good - 'how to buy a ticket on the subway', etc as well as maps maybe? otherwise i second or third the notion of mediacal info. I spent a lot of time in the emergency 'foreigners' wing of a shanghai hospital with cast members (and ASM come to think about it) last year! Having the address handy at 6am on a Sunday morning was a bonus...

126

Tools of the Trade / Re: Vista and Microsoft 2007

« on: Jun 14, 2007, 09:27 am »

We now have 2 people using vista which is causing quite a few issues on our rather dodgy 'network', and we are going to be buying at least 8 more laptops in the next 6/8 weeks as the staff expands - trouble is our IT guys say avoid Vista as the kinks still aren't ironed out, however the suppliers say there are almost no XP options still available. So there wont be a choice much longer.

Regarding Office 07 - like jempage -  as I get used to the new layout it all seems to make a certain amount of sense. It's just tedious when I'm in a hurry to get something done (all the time it seems!) and can't find the feature I need...

127

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: quick cleanup of raw egg?

« on: Jun 13, 2007, 09:45 am »

I love this network. Only here could you get so much information in a few days about breaking eggs!

128

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: set changes

« on: Jun 05, 2007, 11:02 am »

" There are 9 of them over the course of the show -- but, they have to cover costume changes in all of those as wel....so even if the crew does move faster, the actors probably won't be ready."

So here's a thing - if you know that the cast wont be ready and that you can do the scene change quicker than the costume change - do you
a) do the change as fast as possible and leave people looking at the empty stage
or
b)do the change in a slower but still choreographed and clearly 'set' manner so that the change finishes as the cast are ready?

(this assumes no curtain)

129

Stage Management: Other / Re: Advice for stage managing a concert?

« on: May 30, 2007, 08:27 am »

http://smnetwork.org/forum/index.php/topic,2272.0.html

this is another thread on a similar theme...

130

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: HELP!

« on: May 28, 2007, 11:00 am »

Perth, Western Australia.

Yep, you've got the job 'forever' now by the sound of it. Luckily you seem to have enjoyed it.

Cheers
ChaCha

131

Tools of the Trade / Re: Washablbe, Edible, Over 24 hours Blood

« on: May 14, 2007, 10:29 am »

washing out of white clothing AND edible is a big call.

Have you tried cooking cornflour (when its cooked it goes clear) with an edible food dye (Are Eticol dyes edible, I think so?)
or food colouring with cornsyrup (the darker cornsyrup is betetr than the clear)

its the bit about washing out of white clothing that is challenging as you cant do the usual adding of detergent to the mix. I have gotten eticol dye that had been mixed with casting clay powder (see my picture!) to make body 'mud' out of clothing by washing it asap after wearing....

132

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SMing children!

« on: May 11, 2007, 07:58 pm »

There's a thread somewhere about ways to keep kids occupied when offstage...

Another thing to keep in mind is the need to have clear strategies for the handover between parents and theatre at each call. But the theatre probably has policies for all this if they always work with kids.

stay patient and have a sense of play.

and chookas!

133

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: HELP!

« on: May 09, 2007, 09:34 am »

 :)obviously born to the job - sound has just been a detour!

PS Just out of curiousity- whereabouts in the world are you located?

134

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Headset Etiquette

« on: May 07, 2007, 06:09 pm »

if the sm shows no respect for others how can they expect to be respected?

aim to never say anything over headsets you wouldn't be prepared to say to someone's face

135

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: HELP!

« on: May 07, 2007, 10:06 am »

Welcome to stage management!