Messages

136

The Hardline / Re: Stage Manager's Association

« on: May 17, 2009, 01:14 am »

Mike,

The applications are hand-approved, and it's a volunteer organization.  You should have just received an email from me.  Actually, since you listed your website, I could look at that for some of what I needed to approve - the fact that you are pursuing a career as a stage manager.  Plus stating SMNetwork in your application.


Meanwhile to everyone else - I have been the co-secretary for 4 years (finishing my tenure as of this Tuesday's annual meeting when I will be voted one of the 3 chairs - 3 of us running for 3 positions, so I know I'm in somewhere).  As mentioned, it is a volunteer organization so you get out of it what you want like SMNetwork.  I have started up my own regional drink nights - Denver is currently 2nd in the country, after Philadelphia, in activity), as well as participate in the various other national options we have.  I also use the member contact sheet to find other stage managers as I travel, as well as those I've "met" through email, etc.  It certainly has helped me feel connected to professional stage managers around the country.  I have received some jobs through the postings (none in NYC - I don't apply for those), but for me it is about the networking and being attached to an association of professional stage managers.  Plus, for those who aren't aware, the SMA is the reason that Equity has councillor positions for stage managers that we can vote for and help protect us.  5 positions were created for stage managers after our pressure decades ago. 

And we're not "just" Equity stage managers either - I also do dance, opera...whatever I can get!

Erin

137

The Hardline / Re: Theatres That Have Closed--Can You Say "Emergency?"

« on: Apr 15, 2009, 12:58 am »

... all of it does mean that are fewer work weeks out there, lower pay and more competition.

To echo Matthew, I recently turned down a summer SM job.  I was choice number 1 of 70 applicants.  And it wasn't that well publicized of a job, nor an "oo, I gotta have that one" job.  A very decent, job, don't get me wrong, but the competition is steep out there.  (And heck, if I'm gonna work outside for the summer, I think I'll river guide instead!)

138

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Natural Disaster vs. Rehearsal?

« on: Mar 30, 2009, 11:11 pm »

To keep folks up to date, the Managing Director is a friend of mine and has been posting shop hour information to her students online.   She wrote, "It was announce a little while ago the campus will be closed on Tuesday due to the weather. This is different than classes being canceled. It means no one can be at MSUM tomorrow. Yes the shop will be closed. "

So there are considerations being made to emergency laws (at least on the shop end)...

We do need to remember we're only getting one person's point of view here.  Meanwhile, I wouldn't take it personally if they are able to get some rehearsals together and you can't be there.  It's trying to cope logistically with whatever they can get, and as much as we like to think so, a stage manager is not the be-all, end-all to the production, especially when you're dealing with acts of God.

My opinion, of course.  And that's someone who really does tend to think the stage manager is very crucial to being at everything.  But in this case your own safety and logistics come first.

139

The Hardline / Re: Theatres That Have Closed--Can You Say "Emergency?"

« on: Mar 27, 2009, 04:48 pm »

The Denver Center is cutting back with no middle-school-age show, but keeping commitments to diversity and new plays.

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_11979243

Denver Center Theatre Company season reflects economic downturn
New-play commitment protected despite $1 million hit

140

The Hardline / Re: Theatres That Have Closed--Can You Say "Emergency?"

« on: Mar 15, 2009, 03:28 pm »

Here's a more upbeat article on the situation - encouraging folks to go out and enjoy a live performance or see some art.

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_11899577
"The Art of Tough Times"

141

The Hardline / Re: Theatres That Have Closed--Can You Say "Emergency?"

« on: Feb 11, 2009, 12:49 am »

Wanna do something?  Here's the best link I've found to contact your exact representatives.  Another link I found insisted I needed to snail mail - this one found them all, though granted, 1 I had to go a step further - but it gave great instructions.  If you don't want to just sit there, try this:

http://theperformingartsalliance.org/campaign/SupporttheArtsintheEconomicStimulusBill

And you can always change the wording to whatever your exact feelings are.  So if you DON'T want the arts included in the stimulus, change it to that.  But take a voice.

142

The Hardline / Re: Theatres That Have Closed--Can You Say "Emergency?"

« on: Feb 04, 2009, 11:57 am »

I have mixed feelings regarding whether to keep these aware for everyone.  While there is a point about "spreading the panic", it's also a little comforting for me to hear I'm not going the only one going through this.  I won't say the name of my company (if you know me personally, you know who it is), but our (non-profit, performing) company has cut every full-time staff member's salary by 10%, and has reduced many of the hours of the part-time staff, and is in negotiations with all the unions.  You try not to say how bad your own business may be doing to the standard passerby, but at this point, I start the conversation with "I don't know of ANYONE in ANY industry that isn't in a similar situation" if anyone asks. And there is the "at least I have a job" mentality that everyone in our office is trying to keep.  Also, we can say "The Met has also reduced by 10%" and feel it's not as bad.

143

The Hardline / Re: Theatres That Have Closed--Can You Say "Emergency?"

« on: Jan 30, 2009, 11:56 am »

Connecticut Opera Cancels Season's Remaining Shows
--------------------

By DONNA LARCEN
The Hartford Courant

January 30 2009

Connecticut Opera's 2,000 subscribers will get letters today informing them that "Daughter of the Regiment" in March and "La Boheme" in May, the remaining two productions of this season, are canceled. The decision was made by the opera's board Wednesday night.

The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.courant.com/features/hc-ctopera.artjan30,0,5123393.story

144

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Shadowing: General Q&A

« on: Jan 23, 2009, 11:59 am »

Being new to this forum, I'm not aware of how many of you may or may not be from Australia, like myself. I'd never heard of shadowing before, and I don't know whether that's a result of my ignorance, or whether it is harder to come by here? I wonder how succesfull I would be in asking about shadowing a show here?

I find that MANY people have never heard of it, but generally once they do, they find it an interesting/good idea.  Though of course they then might be nervous to have you follow them, or have a bit of trouble figuring out how to do it logistically (given cramped booth space, etc).  But in my opinion, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Heck, let alone theatre, many jobs don't think about shadowing/mentoring, but those who get a chance to, particularly in high school mentorships when you're trying to figure out if you even like the job, it has been shown to be very worthwhile.  My dad offers mentorships for counseling (like psychology), and some kids really enjoy the day with him, others realize it's NOT want they want to do.

145

The Hardline / Re: Theatres That Have Closed--Can You Say "Emergency?"

« on: Jan 19, 2009, 12:57 pm »

From the Shreveport Times:

Officials with Shreveport's historic Strand Theatre have mailed out a fundraising letter saying that the Strand must receive $175,000 in emergency donations by March 31 or it will close at the end of this season.

And there is a longer term danger for the theater: Officials say the Strand could be boarded up if it doesn't raise an additional $200,000 by the end of 2009 while maintaining corporate sponsorships and selling 55 percent to 60 percent of its tickets for the 2009-2010 season.

The historic building in downtown Shreveport opened in 1925 as an opera house and movie theater. After a closure in 1977 and an extensive renovation, it reopened in 1984 as a nonprofit performing arts center for Broadway touring shows.

146

The Hardline / Re: Theatres That Have Closed--Can You Say "Emergency?"

« on: Jan 15, 2009, 11:40 pm »

Baltimore Opera canceled the rest of its season and filed for bankruptcy.

Akron Ohio's Carousel Dinner Theatre closed Jan 3rd after 35 years.  (Oops, just saw you already had this one.)

And of course over a dozen shows on Broadway (though can we really count White Christmas in this list?) closed this month.

147

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Ricola

« on: Dec 27, 2008, 03:00 pm »

Another stage manager friend just tried this and said that now the best they can do is send discount coupons
for in store purchase. 

148

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Gratuitious Paperwork

« on: Sep 06, 2008, 04:27 pm »

I have one major piece of paperwork I depend on these days.  What I call a "Running Info" sheet - the theatre version of opera's who/what/where, and I list (with stopwatch timings) every entrance and exit, with prop-in-hand info and "change to X" for costume after each exit.  And I put include sound cues and anything else I may want to time.  I've used that in multiple ways after that, and can hand (or glean from it) things for multiple departments...but often I don't have to do a thing, and the costume designer goes "oh, I have X amount of time for that quickchange, great".  And I even used it once to time EMT's giving a shot to an actress with an asthma attack.  Prep THAT paperwork.

Oh, and my 2nd paperwork is the preset - which has props, set, costumes, everything.   (Also helps that right now I'm NOT using a union crew and the crew needs to know the preset of everything.)

I did do a scene breakdown for my own purposes during prep that soon went by the wayside after the director created his own with lettered mini-scenes, but otherwise I've felt pretty good about not having extraneous paperwork this time.  Guess it is that "getting older" thing for me too.

149

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Shadowing: General Q&A

« on: Aug 20, 2008, 02:10 am »

It's not for the touring shows, but FYI, the Stage Managers' Association has an Operation Observation ongoing for the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis.  PM me for contact information if interested.

150

Employment / Re: Resume question (replacment SM)

« on: Aug 11, 2008, 10:39 pm »

See the thread at http://smnetwork.org/forum/index.php/topic,3471.msg21291/topicseen.html#msg21291