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Messages - oso_te_great

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16
I am stuck in a dilemma.  I have been offerered the chance to work on a musical which has caused a lot of hubbub in the theatre community(It will be the first time it will be on stage) (twice a week, for like 2 hours, then tech week, etc).  The problem is that I have already agreed to do a production that is after school.  If I agree to do the musical, I would have to miss two rehearsals a week, although I would have a perfectly capable ASM. 

Is working two shows at once alright, or unprofessional?

Thanks for your input

17
College and Graduate Studies / Re: Little help please...
« on: Nov 01, 2006, 02:08 pm »
Im a high school senior whose gonna major in technical theatre/ SM at collage next year. Anyone have any advice on good schools (preferablly in the midwest region), getting accepted and whatever else might be helpful. Thanks alot.

One of the schools I am looking at is Cornell College near Ceder Rapids Iowa (not to be confused with Cornell University).  I dont know what your looking for, but its a small private school.  They don't have a stage management degree, but they have a theatre degree with a focus in technical theatre.  They just sent a SM to Yale grad school, getting a degree in SMing.

18
I have just gone through my first tech, and it was better and worse than I thought it was going to be.  My director was impatient because it was my first time calling a show, and the first sequence is the most complicated in the whole show (Stage Door, we have less Lx's than Sq's and we have like 30 Sq's).  Besides that, he was helpful, and patient with me.  I also thought that I did a pretty good job calling everything, there were times when our TD had to take over to call some sequences (highschool theatre), but other than that, I thought I did a good job in keeping everyone happy, sane, and working hard.

What were your first experiences teching/calling a show?

19
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: I'm looking for advice
« on: Oct 30, 2006, 02:07 am »
I hear you on the respect part Zo Toast.  I am currently in the middle of tech week with my highschool cast.  When I call five minutes, it takes 20 minutes to get them in the theatre, mainly because they all hate me because my director makes me yell at them too much.  Now keep in mind, this is a select few, but still.  What I have figured out, is that if you can get 2+ actors "on your side" (one male and one female, for dressing room purposes) to act as your assistants, things will go a lot smoother.  I find that if a rouge actor gets chewed out by an actor, rather than a stage manager, they are more likely to take that advice.

Good Luck with your show, I hope its going as well as mine is (well with the tech stuff, the acting needs a lot of work)

-Oso

20
SMNetwork Archives / Playbill
« on: Oct 10, 2006, 04:44 pm »
I was looking through a playbill the other day, and I was looking through the roles of the theatre crew, and I couldn't find the title "Stage Manager".  Where should I look for the SM?

21
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: The Ultimate Decision
« on: Oct 03, 2006, 01:44 am »
My story actually didnt start with a class, but here goes.

My Junior year of highschool (I am a senior now), I was looking for a job to occupy me during my spring trimester, and couldn't seem to find one.  I had a half sister who was enrolled in a children's theatre company by the name of Broadway Bound.  My friend had SMed thier previous production, so I thought, "Oh, its just a stage manager, and they are desperate for people, so I have a chance at the job". Now, keep in mind that I had basically NO experience with tech theatre, except for I worked backstage on the show that my friend SMed (Anything Goes, I volunteered).  Long story short, they found an actual SM, and then hired me to be the ASM.  The SM actually turned out to be pretty cool.  He had just recently graduated from the University of Idaho's Theatre program, and he turned out to know a lot, and had no problem educating me in the ways of stage management.  To this day, I still call him when I have a question, which he is always happy to answer for me.  What really turned me onto Stage Management was when we were in the Moore Theatre (in Seattle) during Tech/Dress and all of that, and I saw how much he actually did.  Now people who know me and what being an SM involves, they were suprised at my decision.  I am one of the laziest, most unorganized people you will ever meet.  But I didnt really care.  Currently I am working on a production of Stage Door (my first SM position).  I am also celebrating that we are done with blocking, but also not celebrating the fact that I now have to type up the script.  I am looking at schools where I can pursue stage management, and have come up with these five schools.  U Idaho, Southern Oregon University, College of Santa Fe and Cornell College.  Any input on these schools is welcomed.  Also, does anyone know of any good schools on the east coast?

Anyways, sorry to bore you

22
The Green Room / Food
« on: Jun 03, 2006, 03:22 am »
I worked with this sm who had just graduated from U/Idaho, and he seemed pretty effecient at what he did, and he swore by red bull.  As his assistant, I used Diet Pepsi as my stimulant, but then suffered the consequences of going to the bathroom a lot (I was a spot op).  My main food source was subway.

23
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Preproduction: Plots
« on: Jun 02, 2006, 04:09 pm »
What plots should I make as soon as I get the script?

I am working a school production of Stage Door, which is an after school activity in the fall.  I have recieved the script, and have made a character-scene action chart.  I have read that I should make other plots, such as lighting, props, clothing, carpentry (which i assume is the set), and sound.  I am wondering if it is good for me to wait, until I have understood what the director wants, or should I just fill it out based on the script?  For things like lighting, is it better to wait as well, since that is not a definite thing?

Thanks in advance

24
SMNetwork Archives / fake cigarettes for under-age actors
« on: May 16, 2006, 09:46 pm »
Quote from: "isha"
yes, it's for bye bye birdie, and Kim actually talks about smoking, so we can't exactly take it out. (the character is pretending to be street-smart and offers another character a smoke on her cigarette. It's a big chunk of text, just her talking about how she smokes and does other "older kid stuff".)

no we can't get away with not lighting a real cigarette because it's against school rules to have tobacco anywhere on the grounds...kinda stinks..but that's how highschool theater goes.

I don't know, we've really been looking, we just can't find anything...any suggestions would help...and I am going to look into seeing if we can light rolled up paper somehow
-isha


I just got done with BBB (the songs are REALLY hard to get out of your head, trust me)

what we did was cut the whole dialouge, Kim says "btw, have you got another cig, i seem to have run out"  then Mr. Macaffe says "I am not an old man.."

25
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Auditions
« on: May 16, 2006, 04:23 pm »
I am going to be the sm for a hs production of Stage Door

My director tells me that he wants me to be involved in the audition process.

What exactly does a sm do during the actual auditions? (besides the organization)

What purpose does he serve sitting in on the auditions?

thanks to all who give advice

26
I was the ASM for a production of the show that just ended

Since I am going to SM for stage door in the fall (with my hs), he offered to type it up for me

I might send it to you, but since we cut the whole shriner scene, and altered all but 2/3rds of the play, I dont think it would be helpful to you

27
Students and Novice Stage Managers / How to ASM
« on: May 16, 2006, 04:04 pm »
I had a very interesting experience as an ASM.

I had no experience in theatre at all (besides working as a stagehand for the company at previous shows), and was scared as hell.  The things that I wish I had known before I had started were, that I should never work with the director, and that I should be ok with times where I had nothing to do.  I had an interesting experience because I worked for a kids theatre company, where the director was used to having to work by himself.  I agree with the post above me with the fact that I should be on top of things during tech.  Since there were three casts, and two stage managers between them, one stage manager called all three shows, and one was the deck manager.  Since I knew nothing about theatre (sort of) I was put as one of the spot ops.  The only time my SM got frustrated at me was when I didnt know my cues, or came in too early, anticipating him.  Basically you are an assistant to a stage manager.  I did everything from telling the kids to shut up, to what I think are action charts (Which parts are in which scenes).  

The one piece of advice I could give you is, ask what you need to do, then do it, then sit and wait for more instruction.  With my job, about half the time I had nothing to do, and half the time I was busy as hell.

So basically I would tell you to talk to your SM.

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riotous