Messages

136

The Green Room / Re: Smallest Audience Size

« on: Nov 09, 2012, 06:26 pm »

I had 4 really dedicated audience memebers sit through shakespeare in an outdoor setting one summer in a downpour. Our rain location was unavailable that night and it was disasterous.

Although that summer didn't see to many audience memebers anyway due to ridiculously high priced tickets for small scale outdoor performances.

137

Tools of the Trade / Re: EDITING: Progam to edit sound effects?

« on: Nov 05, 2012, 03:56 pm »

I use a free program that I downloaded for PC's called wavepad. It is a very simple program, but works well for cutting and recording rehearsal tracks, etc. I have used it for recording the orchestra live for dance practice cds.

I believe there is an option to upgrade as well, but I'm just using it for the most basic things.

138

Tools of the Trade / Ladies and Gentleman.... the convertable laptop!

« on: Nov 03, 2012, 07:13 pm »

So today I was looking at ultrabooks because my computer is probably on it's last legs after 6 or so years. I've been torn between the idea of a tablet or a laptop, and thought that an ultrabook would be a really great compromise... that was until I walked into the store and was introduced to the convertable laptop:

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/10/26/ultrabook-convertible-5-tablet-notebook-windows-8-computers/

I think it looks so super promising- you get the best of both worlds, and it isn't that much more expensive than a good laptop.

Has anyone else heard anything about this?? I'm so excited and would love to hear if anyone has actually used one. I know that they all come with Windows 8, but I'm a PC person anyway, and I can't avoid the upgrades forever. The sales guy showed me how to use it, and even though it looks so different cosmetically, you can still switch over to a traditional desktop view if you want.

139

The Green Room / SANDY!

« on: Oct 28, 2012, 06:59 pm »

Funny story... while I'm making preperations for hurricane Sandy, I keep finding myself raiding my SM Kit for supplies on the suggested lists- it's always good to be prepared! I've found lots of flashlights and tap lights and extra batteries, as well as all my first aid kit supplies and some extra lighters!

Stay safe anyone else who is in the northeast!

140

Stage Management: Other / Re: Tosca Recording

« on: Oct 26, 2012, 01:28 pm »

That's really exciting! It's always good to know when you have great singers!

141

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Being friends with the SM

« on: Oct 18, 2012, 07:22 pm »

I think the biggest difference here is between educational theatre (highschool/college) and professional theatre. When you are working in school settings, these people are likely to have been your friends prior to the production- you all hang out in the same social circle. I experianced this all through college when I stage managed in a really small department. We were all with eachother all the time and I didn't really have any friends outside of the major, simply because it was hard to cultivate a friendship with someone who didn't understand that even after classes I would have to go to rehearsals every night. Because of this type of relationship with people you will also end up managing, I found it best to just simply state before you started a show that you take your job as an SM or ASM very seriously and when in rehearsal there will be no special treatment. All of my friends seemed to respect that, and even when I had to write up my roomate for breaking the rules during a production (we had a penalty system in college) we were able to overcome that. Of course it can get awkward sometimes, but if you take the first step and act professional towards all, the cast and crew usually follow suit.

As a case in point- I dated someone in the theatre department in college and very often he was in the shows that I was stage managing. For most people this was a huge taboo- they would get in big trouble and not be able to seperate work and their personal life. I took this as a challenge though, and we both were always extreemly professional. In fact several years running the freshman class didn't even know we were dating until they hung out with us outside of rehearsal.

The big difference I have found in transitioning to professional theatre is that you don't have these really strong bonds with people (usually) coming into the production. Most of the time I don't know anyone. This makes it really easy to seperate your work and personal life. One of my favorite things would be coming back to work after a dark day or two and chatting with everyone about what we did on our days off- it was refreshing to have different friends and experiances. 

I agree with matt too about the stage manager/asm relationship- I think it is great to go out for coffee or a meal a few times during the production (especially if you have long days) or even out to the bar after- but you have your seperate lives. Their is a line between networking professionally and getting into someones back pocket and becoming 'besties' after one production.

All in all I find if you treat everyone professionally and promptly deal with any problems in a fair and equal way (there are usually guidelines/rules in a school show that make this easier) then you shouldn't have any problems.

142

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: ARTICLE: Stage Managers using a paperless process

« on: Oct 15, 2012, 05:53 pm »

I am super interested in what everyone is saying here- this is great! I personally have clung to paper much more than a lot of the people that I worked with in college, (I wouldn't even have my laptop in rehearsal until my senior year) and it has served me well as I transistioned into the professional world.

My first professional job happened to be at an outdoor shakespeare festival in a small resort town, where we had unreliable wifi at our house and none at the outdoor rehearsal space. We didn't even have nearby electricity- had I not been able to put together all the paperwork in a binder and have an effective orginizational plan, it could have been bad. I would e-mail reports each night, but they would contain information from all of the days rehearsals. This experiance has probably shaped the way I approach the job even today. I want to have access to all of my information regardless of if I have power or an internet connection. I want my book to be available and full of anything I might need, right on hand.

Generally I do have my laptop with me at more traditional spaces, but less so if I'm just the asm. I really value being able to type up production/rehearsal notes as they happen, because this saves me time after rehearsal and when I'm really tired, I can just attach it to an email and send it out- two minutes and I'm out of the door. Technology is important, and I really like to integrate it into my work process, but I don't ever want to be 100% reliant on it- too many things can go wrong.

I also agree with juliec when it comes to opera... I don't see completly paperless technology translating to Opera stage management. When I am backstage throwing cues to actors, I consistantly have other actors asking me how long until their next cue- with a simple glance at my book, I can see the stickies on the side and let them know an aproxamate pagecout/time without missing the cue for the singer waiting to enter.

I aslo agee with running paperwork- I love to post it on the walls when I have actor-crews, or have paper copies for a straight tech crew. What happens when you drop the iPad with your running list during a scene change? A paper run sheet can be folded and shoved in a pocket or apron without ruining it. Also, what about lit screens backstage? This would upset certain lighting designers I know who are really concerned about light leakage from worklights alone. What happens when you add several handheld screens that cannot be gelled?

I am always excited when I encounter new technology that makes my job easier (dropbox for collaboration is my FAVORITE!) but I'm skeptical of going paperless just for the sake of it. I'm interested to see what comes in the future.

143

Employment / Re: ARTICLE: Job Interview Starts BEFORE you step in the door

« on: Sep 24, 2012, 11:26 pm »

I have experianced the same thing at auditions- casting has come down to how people treated others in the holding room, and the stage management staff. It is also interesting that it is easy to gague how people will fit into the 'corporate culture' of a show based off of how they behave at audtions. That would be one of the things I miss about collegiate theatre now that I am working professionally- you miss out (usuallly) on the audition process.

This has also taught me to ALWAYS be polite to EVERYONE when I'm on my way to a job interview... you really never know. And it's just good karma to be a nice person 

144

Tools of the Trade / Re: New Break-Time App: Take 10!

« on: Sep 24, 2012, 06:08 pm »

I checked out the app after reading this, and although I don't have a smartphone, it does look interesting. For someone like me, I would love to have this- it would just make life easier, and I could push a button instead of doing the math in my head, and therefore focus on other things.

At first the price jumped out at me as pretty pricey for a single app, but then I got to thinking about it in the way I rationalize other purchases... like clothes and shoes. I like to look at a price-per-wear scenario. This app cost me $15, but I would use it 5 days a week for 3 weeks of rehearsal, and already it is only costing me $1 a day after one show. Multiply this by the number of rehearsals/shows you do in a year, and it is really a good return on your money. I spend more on my shoes for rehearsals.

Come the day that I catch up with technology and get a smart phone, this App will be on the top of my list.

145

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Blocking help

« on: Sep 24, 2012, 06:00 pm »

I feel as though I'm a mix. I have a mini ground plan at the top of every blocking sheet, and I redraw my set pieces and where each actor starts at the top of the page. Underneath the ground plan I have lines and next the lines I have numbers. I write the blocking on the line that roughly lines up the text on the opposite side, then I insert a circled number on the script that corresponds to the number on the blocking sheet, exactly where the action happens.

This is similar to how I work as well... I love the mini groundplans specifically for musicals as well to keep track of set changes, etc, especially when blocking the show out of order. That way I can see what kind of shifts will be necessary early on, and who is available to help with them.

On a related note, whenever I have worked in Opera, it seems that the minis are standard, and the SM's have all used arrows to track blocking. As an ASM I would use it to track entrances and props, but it was not my responsibility to have their blocking.

146

Stage Management: Other / Re: Tosca Recording

« on: Sep 21, 2012, 02:46 am »

Great Idea! I will e-mail them and ask- thanks!
 

147

The Green Room / Re: Relief from insomnia

« on: Sep 17, 2012, 06:58 am »

I work an overnight shift in addition to stage managing, so I sleep during the day which can cause these issues too... In fact I'm online right now and should be sleeping.... so I guess I use the internet, but it isn't nearly as effective as other things.

Usually I try to read in bed- and something that I'm interested in, but is at a difficult reading level- that way I'm really tiring out my brain. I also know people who swear by "sleepytime tea" (it's a brand).

Hope this helps!

148

Stage Management: Other / Tosca Recording

« on: Sep 17, 2012, 06:48 am »

Hey all!

I am going to be ASM for a production of Tosca later in the year, and wanted to know if anyone knew of a good recording of the Recordi score. I found a copy of the score online, and wanted to practice following it.

I am willing to go out and buy the opera on cd, but an online version would work just as well.

Thanks! 

149

Stage Management: Other / Re: Creating a Handbook

« on: Sep 04, 2012, 11:48 pm »

I created a handbook for a Company/Stage Mangement postion I held one summer. A lot of the information I included had to do with set ups of spaces, contact people for anything and everything, and forms I had used that the company liked.

I am a really visual person, so in addition to just listing things that need to be done, I like to see diagrams and information laid out in tables- I think it makes it easier to reference during the course of the job.

150

Tools of the Trade / Re: Radio mics - are performers too reliant on them?

« on: Sep 03, 2012, 10:48 am »

I recently worked at a company that produced both Operas and Musicals in rep with the same singers... Talk about the difference in quality. You always knew who the classically trained opera singers were because you could ALWAYS hear them- even in the 1,100 seat house. During one of the concerts you could literally feel the sound coming off the stage as they were singing- that is an experiance I won't soon forget.

Obviously the Operas were not mic'd. However, according to the sound techs, the Musicals were, and you don't want to know how offended the singers were when they were told they had to wear mics for a uniform sound.

It is refreshing I think to know that there are people out there who still value good training.