Messages

16

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / ASPIRATIONS: How To Get To Broadway?

« on: Aug 25, 2009, 05:52 pm »

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to break into Broadway?  I have been PSM'ing a long running Off Broadway musical for almost a year and want to make the jump to Broadway when it's done.  I have sent resumes to BWay PSM's using the information from the theatrical index, but it seems impossible to get in.  I'll PA, I don't care!  I just want to know how to break in so I don't have to leave New York when my show eventually closes.  Suggestions?

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROFESSIONALISM: Long Run Conundrum

« on: Apr 13, 2009, 10:53 am »

I've been running the same show since the end of October.  My first day in the office was mid-September of last year.  I have a couple of cast members that are very shall we say...challenging.  The show is new, so the playwright is constantly making changes.  There are a lot of things that have made the show very challenging.  I have learned a lot, but am also becoming exhausted and burnt out.  I had a moment last week with a cast member in which I ended up walking out of the room instead of staying and holding my ground for fear I would let loose and yell and it would turn nasty.  The producers are now concerned that the cast will start losing confidence in management if the stage manager can't even keep it together.  So they've asked me to re-evaluate and buck up or walk away, no hard feelings and no harm done.  I'm tired, but I don't want to let it beat me.  If you were me, what would you do?  Has anyone else done a run longer than 6 months and how do you keep things fresh and morale up?

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / FORMS: Understudy Track Paperwork

« on: Nov 04, 2008, 05:03 pm »

Does anyone have a good paperwork format they use for understudy tracking?  I am going to be putting most of the understudies on during my current show and want to have good paperwork for them and me.  Any ideas would be appreciated.  Thanks!

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PEOPLE: Overly Involved Playwright

« on: Sep 29, 2008, 10:37 pm »

So folks who have worked on new stuff-how do you handle a playwright (who's also a primary producer) who is at the majority of the rehearsals, and too involved?  He's constantly distracting the director, he gives the actors notes, and today at a first read through he was already taking notes on the acting when it was the first time they'd ever read through it!  This show is a re-mount (with changes) and the director is afraid he's going to be a problem again...giving the actors notes, constantly talking to the director, launching into character discussions with the director in front of the cast, etc.  Anyone have any ideas on how to help curb his input?  My major thought is to have him hold all of his notes and comments until lunch break and the end of the day and to talk to the director and I and then we can somewhat  selectively decide what the cast will actually get from it.  Please feel free to offer suggestions...

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: NY Cell Number?

« on: Sep 02, 2008, 03:02 pm »

Thanks everyone!  I think I'm keeping my Chicago number for now.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROFESSIONALISM: NY Cell Number?

« on: Aug 31, 2008, 02:45 pm »

Ok, so I'm moving to NY and am thinking I should get an NY cell number.  Does anyone think that matters especially?  I know people have cell numbers from all over the place, but for some reason that feels more official.  What do you guys think?

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROFESSIONALISM: Question For NY SM's

« on: Aug 25, 2008, 09:39 pm »

Hey folks. So I'm coming to NY to do a show (with producers and a director who take themselves very seriously, as they should) which I'm really excited about.  Here's my major question-what's your general opinion on what you should wear in rehearsal?  I've been in very casual settings up to this point in my career (academia, fairly casual theatres in the Midwest) and am wondering if I should plan on dressing up more than I have in the past as these guys seem to mean business.  Just curious what "the standard" is.  Thanks for any and all opinions!

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PEOPLE: Director From Hell

« on: Jun 08, 2008, 10:31 am »

So I'm curious what folks may have to say about this particular thing.  We've all worked with a director at least once (I know I have) who just makes your life...challenging.  The current director I'm dealing with is a bit off their rocker.  My primary issue is their insistence on having props ready at the exact moment they want them.  Our prop staff is very small, and they are currently working on trying to get stuff done for 3 different shows.  So I will admit I have made a request more than once, and the director then tends to flip out when they don't get to a note as their priority list is different than the director's.  So yesterday during a rehearsal I was put in a position where I could simply take care of a note that the director had already asked for twice, or let the director continue yelling and having an actor frustrated.  So I chose to have my ASM take care of the note and we moved on.  I know it's never appropriate to take care of other departments notes, but it was something very simple that won't ruin anything else, etc.  I sent an e-mail separate from my rehearsal report to the production manager (who is also the prop designer) explaining what happened and offering to replace the prop (some fabric) we altered if it really is a serious problem. Anyone else ever had to deal with something like this?  

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Employment / How long do you wait after applying to a university?

« on: Jan 28, 2008, 07:58 pm »

Has anyone ever applied for a teaching position at a University?  How long should you wait after their final day for accepting materials before you give up if you haven't heard anything?  A month?  Two?

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Employment / North Shore Music Theatre

« on: Jan 25, 2008, 07:37 pm »

Has anyone ever worked at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA?  What kind of experience did you have?

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Employment / Theatre CV

« on: Oct 28, 2007, 04:03 pm »

I'm applying for a teaching position, and they're asking for a CV.  Does anyone have a sample?  Did you also send your resume?

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Tech or Church?

« on: Oct 23, 2007, 08:43 pm »

Just to add a new element which I should've mentioned before, this was a graduate production at a university.  No unions, contracts, etc.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PEOPLE: Snappy SM

« on: Oct 17, 2007, 05:27 pm »

So here's another thing I'd love folks' opinion on.  I'm a PA at a major regional theatre, and we have an SM that doesn't seem to handle stress well.  (Bad in this business).  We're working on a production with a large turntable, which I have been assigned to operate.  For today's rehearsal, our motors coordinator put in a new cable and some other improvements to help the turntable move.  It was explained to the ASM that this would change some of the actors traffic patterns, and that the new cable might cause a trip hazard, which our stage carpenter labeled well so it was clear where the actors should cross to avoid tripping, etc.  The SM was in notes with the actors (which ran over time an hour and had the crew sitting around) and then immediately came out ready to work a scene.  As the ASM had not said anything to the SM about the new cable and trip hazard, I chose to mention it as I am sitting next to it and operating it.  The SM then attempted to make an announcement over the God mic twice which the actors could not hear, and yelled at us over the headset to explain the situation and this might have been something "nice to know before I'm trying to start an f'ing rehearsal".   So I wasn't out of line to mention something as the PA since the ASM didn't, correct?  And wasn't she out of line for yelling at us?  When I SM, I do a walkthrough every day to see what's changed.  So if she doesn't do that, it's kind of her fault, isn't it?  Curious to hear what folks think...

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Spiking on crazy floor treatment.

« on: Oct 16, 2007, 08:19 pm »

Yeah, I'd suggest paint pens or multiple Sharpie colors.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Tech or Church?

« on: Oct 16, 2007, 07:40 pm »

To clarify:  This was requested at the end of the previous day of work.  They were asking to move the 10 out of 12 from 12 PM-12 AM to 11 AM to 11 PM.  He said he couldn't do that as he was already going to have to miss the service to come (it's a small church, they only have one service) and was just going to do Sunday school, which he would've had to leave early from to make an 11 AM start time.