Messages

136

The Green Room / Re: Stage managing your life

« on: Jul 18, 2010, 11:37 pm »

So, for this trip, I've made a "No One Will Have A Bad Day" kit, which I've just now realized is a mini SM kit.  Medicines for most of the gastro-intestinal ailments, pain killers, cough drops, fever reducers, Sleepy-time tea, safety pins, glasses repair kit, sewing kit, band aids, 5-hour energy drinks, rum and chocolate!

I had the same sort of realization when I put together the emergency kit for my sister's wedding this summer.  She didn't think she needed one and I insisted; we ended up using about 90% of the contents, all of which are items typically in my SM kit.  My favorite moment was when she came in with her petticoat and the hook of the hook and eye and said, "so remember that sewing kit you made me buy; can you fix this?" 

137

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

« on: May 22, 2010, 09:07 am »

In the past 10 years, I have PSMed or ASMed 32 shows: 8 in college and 24 professionally. 

138

The Green Room / Re: THOUGHT OF THE DAY: What's your day job?

« on: May 19, 2010, 06:58 am »

I substitute teach.  The school system i sub for is super-flexible in regards to taking time off and still being actively employed as a sub, so I can take as much time off as I need when I'm SMing a show.

139

Tools of the Trade / Re: Non staining wine

« on: May 15, 2010, 08:19 am »

This thread has a discussion on making prop red wine and stain removal, including a response from someone who worked on Arsenic and Old Lace.  Please share what you end up using and how well it worked so that others can try it in the future. 

140

The Hardline / Re: AEA Accident Report Vs. Workers Comp Forms

« on: May 02, 2010, 08:36 am »

There is no document in the current SM packet that relates to work sustained injuries other than the one that is exclusive to New York and is a check list of what to do and is not a form to file with AEA.  There is no indication on the weekly report form that injuries should be listed on the back of the form. 

141

The Hardline / Re: AEA Accident Report Vs. Workers Comp Forms

« on: Apr 30, 2010, 06:27 am »

There is still an AEA accident form that is not contract specific in the Deputy packets.  You can find it in the documents library on the AEA website.

142

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SCHEDULING: Do you include crew calls on your daily rehearsal calls?

« on: Apr 16, 2010, 03:53 pm »

My crew is made up entirely of interns, and all of them have separate calls with their supervisors prior to the crew call.  I announce the crew call for the show at the production meeting with all department heads present.  My ASM calls or texts the crew their show call and the department heads give the interns their individual calls for work prior to the rehearsal call. 

I talked more with the producer and it seems that the biggest confusion has been with when the interns are called with their supervisors, which I have no control over and isn't always announced in the production meeting.  I personally feel that production management should be the one to publish that schedule, and I'll start adding the crew calls for rehearsal somewhere on my schedule on the next show. 

143

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / SCHEDULING: Do you include crew calls on your daily rehearsal calls?

« on: Apr 16, 2010, 10:27 am »

I just got what I thought was an unusual request from the producer to add a crew call time to the daily rehearsal schedule.  I'm in preview week on my current show, and my assistant or I give the crew their call at the end of the production meeting based on the next day's rehearsal schedule and I include it in the performance report, which the crew receives.  I've never seen a rehearsal schedule that included a crew call.  Have you ever had this request?  If you do include crew calls on your daily calls, where do you put it?  My schedule is really designed to be a call sheet for the actors and I'm just not quite sure where to add it in without reformatting/adopting a new type of schedule.  It is a moot point for this show as we are no longer in rehearsal, but I have 3 other shows with the company this season and am thinking ahead.

144

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Labtop vs. Pencil and Script/Notepad

« on: Mar 20, 2010, 09:08 am »

I only take down blocking when the director has finally made up their mind and runs the blocking for the cast to remember it, (the director is prone to change the blocking a lot when first rehearsing it, so i first watch and wait for the finished blocking to come out, then i notate it).

It may be different for opera, but this can be a dangerous habit to get into. The blocking isn't finally set until the show opens, so if I waited for the director to finalize the blocking before writing it all down I would never be able to take down the blocking.  In early rehearsals I'll write down the basics and then layer in more and more as the rehearsal process goes on.  I'll even notate new things an actor does instinctively because I've had several instances where a director will say to the actor "I love that new move" and the actor will turn to me and say "what was it and when did I do it?"

But back to the original topic, I'm curious how those of you who take blocking on a laptop do it.  Is it simply notes or are you able to do diagrams as well?  Do you have the script up on the laptop as well?  I tend to agree with the other posters comments regarding the use of a laptop in rehearsal and its potential for distracting the SM as well as the cast and director, but I am curious as to the application of the technology.

145

The Green Room / Re: Favorite Easter Candy

« on: Mar 18, 2010, 01:04 am »

Cadbury dark chocolate mini eggs--kind of like m&ms but WAY better.  However, I've not had much luck finding them this year :-(

146

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Actors wanting more info, but can't process what they already have?

« on: Mar 11, 2010, 07:40 am »

In terms of their questions on the specifics of the TYA contract, perhaps a gentle reminder that they can access the TYA rule book by visiting AEA's website or go to the Deputy who should have a hard copy of the rule book.  Every contract has provisions that are slightly different than other contracts and while the SM should be doing things by the book, I think the actors should be responsible for double-checking something they have a question about by referencing the book or even calling the Rep.  I'm more than happy to point someone in the right direction for which rule(s) apply in a situation or to discuss my interpretation of the rule(s), but actors should want to know what their Union has agreed to on each contract. 

147

The Green Room / Re: How do you "play?"

« on: Mar 09, 2010, 09:02 pm »

Tequila Night.  It's my now infamous dinner party where all of the food contains tequila (from the salsa to the dessert) and all of the cocktails are tequila based.  We call the rounds of tequila shots cue-to-cues. 

On a quieter note, books and movies tend to be my go to for a relaxing afternoon/evening at home. 

148

The Green Room / Re: Best showing of appreciation from a cast?

« on: Mar 07, 2010, 10:56 pm »

When I SMed Peter Pan, on closing night the cast presented me with a scrapbook that they had started with pictures from the show.  It is one of the sweetest things that a cast has done for me.  I finished the scrapbook with my own pictures and it is a beautiful reminder of my amazing cast and the show that reminded me daily why I do theatre. 

149

Tools of the Trade / Doodle

« on: Jan 28, 2010, 04:43 pm »

Has anyone ever used Doodle?  The producer at my theatre sent me a request to respond to a poll so that they could schedule a conference call, and I had never seen it before.  It allows you to create a poll with either times/dates or events/locations, your recipients respond, and then you close the poll and it sends out a notification with the "winning" response.  I can see its usefulness in terms of scheduling meetings.  It appears to be able to integrate with several other applications (Outlook, iCal, Google/Yahoo calendars) and has iPhone and other mobile apps.  If you have used it, have you found it useful?  Have you used it in other ways than to simply schedule meetings? 

150

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

« on: Jan 19, 2010, 03:02 pm »

Does anyone have an escript of William Inge's Bus Stop?