Messages

136

December Madness 2 / Re: WEBSITE, Round 1: Webmail vs. AEA Docs

« on: Dec 03, 2014, 09:52 am »

Email, hands down. But I've taken to keeping Zimbra software open on my laptop that hooks into my hosted email, Yahoo, and Gmail accounts all at once (with integrated calendars). The great thing about Zimbra is I can even create templates for different kinds of daily email bursts. Couple that in with mailing lists, and email is the sure winner.

@Mac Calder: hang in there with Les Mis. I did the show back in Feb: it's a beast, but a really fun beast. Feel free to PM if you'd like to rant/talk the show.

137

December Madness 2 / Re: SOFTWARE: Word vs Web Browser

« on: Dec 03, 2014, 09:47 am »

Wish there'd been a write-in option for LibreOffice Write.

Seriously, though: I had to go with web browser. While it is true I rely a lot on offline tools to get things done (some theatres and rehearsal spaces still don't have good WIFI access), the number of things I can do with access to the Internet (email, research, DropBox, etc.) increases exponentially from the number of things I can do in Word. Not to mention, if for some reason I don't have software for something, I can easily hop online and download it or anything else I need.

138

Introductions / Re: Ello Guvnah!

« on: Sep 15, 2014, 09:20 am »

You forgot: "Exterminate." Welcome to SM Network. I'm not even good at my own makeup, so I respect an artist who is.

139

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: RUNNING: Taking Show at the Last Minute

« on: Aug 04, 2014, 07:00 pm »

@SMeustace: I was very fortunate that 1, the show was not very technically heavy (no major scene changes except at intermission), 2, I'd worked with most of the cast/crew & in the space before, and 3, the crew had a tech rehearsal already slated for earlier in the day to clean things when I could come in and learn the show. I arrived with script, pencils, and sticky notes ready. The SM walked me through everything with cues, then the ASM and I discussed how to handle things like traveling props.

I'd say how much you throw at them depends on their familiarity with the show and the space. I was very familiar with the theatre, so some things we could breeze over and get right down to business. If hadn't ever worked there before, though, I'd have needed more info on that front. I also had been able to watch clips of the show online prior to the show and knew most of the cast, but again, without that knowledge I'd have needed more help in that regard.

140

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Preferred method of contacting

« on: Aug 04, 2014, 06:00 pm »

I tend to put my phone on silent close to rehearsal starting but I have it out to check time and start my stop watch, so I'm more apt to see a text and respond it to it for late callers. I agree regarding email for questions/notes, unless it's a quick question the director has during rehearsal like "Is the costumer ready to have people down for fittings?" I tend not to like making phone calls during rehearsal because it can be difficult to hear and interrupts the rehearsal more (unless it's a break or I can leave the room).

141

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Sharing Paperwork with ASMs

« on: Aug 04, 2014, 05:29 pm »

I second the Libre Office plug: I'd been using Open Office in years previous, but switched over to Libre due to some file issues and the need to seamlessly share files between my Windows and Linux boxes. You can open just about anything with Libre Office and output it as just about anything as well.

We used Google Docs on a props tracking sheet last year for a show. On the plus side, viewing it on my phone was a breeze, as was editing between the three of us. But, of course, there's the inevitable issue of versions and rights (you may not want everyone to be able to edit the document as easily as we could, especially if it was a bigger production). Most shows I work on use DropBox to exchange PDFs, which also works very well on mobile devices. The only problem I've had there was reaching the storage limit when people upload lots of pictures and video.

142

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: RUNNING: Taking Show at the Last Minute

« on: Jul 29, 2014, 01:59 pm »

To all interested: the show went very well. Once I got through the first night things were much easier. Opening was tricky: I had to take a few notes on things, but after that it was the same as any show, even if I checked my cues a bit closer than I normally would at that stage in the production. We had some great reviews and attendance really picked up in the second and third weekends (sold out houses).

One thing that was really weird was the fact that I never got to "see" the show performed. Usually by the time a production opens I've seen the show hundreds of times and I'm super familiar with every aspect of it. I noticed that sometimes, as we were setting up for the night, house management might ask me a question as to where things occurred on stage and I'd have to ask the other assistant for clarification. Weird feeling.

143

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Taking Show at the Last Minute

« on: Jul 09, 2014, 02:16 pm »

Thanks for all the great tips: fortunately, it's not a scenic heavy show, so the most important thing I do is hold the door at key moments and watch that it doesn't slam (space constraint). Like you all said, lots of notes and questions is key. It helps that I've worked with a lot of the people before, so I felt very comfortable jumping in.

Something else I've noticed even in productions I've worked on for a while: I'm the the kind of person who likes to just do it, but I've learned that often it's helpful to resist stepping in and let others handle things when you really don't know what needs to be done. It's a hard temptation to master, but I think a big part of the job is learning the wisdom between stepping in and not.

144

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / RUNNING: Taking Show at the Last Minute

« on: Jul 08, 2014, 09:34 am »

Got a message this morning from someone I've worked for before. There's been an emergency, and I'm stepping in for an ASM tonight (dress rehearsal). Anyone ever had a situation like this before? Any advice?

Edited to add topic tag. -Maribeth

145

The Green Room / Re: Mini Rant---SM T-shirts and products

« on: Jul 07, 2014, 02:03 pm »

Nomie, I love it. It's definitely a great thing to have for cue-to-cue.

And SMMead: WHAT??? I don't have pierced ears, but I'd be tempted to just to own a set of gobo earrings. I suddenly know what to get all my lighting friends.

146

Introductions / Re: New Member: Sophomore at Baldwin Wallace University

« on: Jul 07, 2014, 02:00 pm »

Seeing the show develop is definitely a plus of the often incredibly taxing job. I love having such a great seat for shows that are going well, with the audience really into it. Of course, sometimes having that seat is hard when things aren't going so well, but thank goodness for places like SMNetowrk to help there. Welcome.

147

Introductions / Re: From the console to the stage

« on: Jul 07, 2014, 01:58 pm »

Glad to have a fellow tech person (in both respects). My other hat is web design/dev, and I worked as a student assistant in college for both the theatre lighting shop and the med school's web dept. I look forward to what contributions you can bring from either plane of experience (which, I've found, can intersect in surprising ways).

148

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: VENUES: Outdoor Theatre

« on: Jul 07, 2014, 01:54 pm »

Those are great levels of play kokobear: we could have really used them in the shows I did last year outdoors.

149

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Outdoor Theatre

« on: Jul 01, 2014, 10:25 am »

Raingear: always have it with you. Ponchos or raincoats, yes, but also plastic bags for electronics and/or other fragile objects.

Always have sunscreen, sunglasses, maybe a hat. If you're fair-skinned like me you may wish to even bring a light jacket to help with the sun exposure.

Have a bookbag or bag with containers you can pack everything in quickly. Since you're traveling from place to place you want to have everything you might need with you, which includes first aid, water, snacks, sewing kit, extra batteries, your flashlight, etc. Wear good firm shoes you're comfortable standing in for long periods of time that you don't mind getting muddy, dirty, possibly wet. Have an extra pair of socks in your bag in case you need to change quickly (extra clothes in general are good).

Constantly check weather reports. Find out what your company's bad weather policy is: not just rain but also extreme heat, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. Know who makes the decision on a cancellation or delay, when this decision needs to be made, and how to alert your audience. Find out if the locations you're going to have any special rules regarding guests (open containers, coolers, etc.) Know where your actors will be able to change or if you'll need to setup your own changing station. Be prepared for audiences to show up way early. Also find out what other activities might be scheduled at the park for the same day: political rallies, fairs, kids days, puppet shows, etc.

150

The Green Room / Re: The Stage Manager's Nightmare

« on: Jun 14, 2014, 01:46 pm »

There's a "nightmare" I've only had twice as a stage manager. The first time was my senior year in high school, when I stage managed for the first time. I was super stressed on Monday, having little to no idea what I was doing, completely unsure of how to make the transition and work with my crew. That night I woke up, but in the dark of my room I thought I was backstage. I freaked out: "Why am I lying down? What is this bed doing here? We've got to get a HOUSE through this entrance: there's no room for a bed!" I started to fumble around, reaching for my headset, searching for a crew member to help me get my bed out of the way. After a minute I realized it was 2am and I was not in the theatre. I took a deep breath and realized I needed to stop letting the show stress me so much (it did get better and we had a wonderful opening.

Flash forward about eight years. I took an ASM gig with a two-part new original musical. We didn't get a music director or accompanist until halfway through rehearsals. Many of the cast members had other shows they were doing and so dropped in and out of rehearsals repeatedly (I had to fill in multiple times with many different people). We'd known from the beginning the show would have a revolve, but when we got to the space on Monday we suddenly found out that it was built differently than we'd been told, forcing us to reexamine how to stage certain numbers. I let myself get talked into serving as the virtual ME since the poor LD had almost no one to help him finish hang and focus. After the first (very, very rough) stumblethrough, I stumbled home and fell in bed, only to wake up a few hours later. I again assumed I was backstage, the show was about to start, and again, I flipped out. I couldn't understand how I'd fallen asleep backstage, why I couldn't find my crewmembers, where the actors were, and most importantly: why was there a BED in the way? How had it gotten on the revolve in the first place? Fortunately I came to before I woke up my roommates, but it was a sign of just how stressed the show had made me.