16
SMNetwork Archives / Re: Astrology for Stage Managers
« on: Feb 23, 2007, 04:21 pm »
The Gemini one fits me to a T. Especially the overly long debating over particular issues in a production meeting!
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17
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Dressing For The Part?
« on: Jan 08, 2007, 10:49 am »
Contrary to what most people have said I don't think twice about having to wear my jeans to an interview (if I've got nothing else that I can deem more suitable) but I will wear nice black boots and a nice top and coat. I've never had my dress sense in an interview questioned and I've certainly always been the one that was more formally dressed.
In rehearsals I'll alternate between my black trousers and my jeans. It depends on what kind of thing I'm doing in rehearsals that day/week. On more relaxed days I may or may not wear my aforementioned black boots. I'll usually team it with a nice (preferably non-printed) t-shirt or shirt - depending on the weather.
Whilst during a run I always change into my blacks at work (usually around 15 minutes after I've gotten in, which gives me a chance to check everything before the cast get there) but just to be cautious I'll generally dress a little nicer going into work. I've had a fair share of meeting important people last minute and it's nice to not be worrying if they're noticing the paint marks on my jeans or the fact that my top is dusty from crawling about backstage.
But I do feel that this is something that you feel comfortable with. If you're happiest wearing jeans then go on ahead. I can't imagine them having a massive effect on being hired later on.
In rehearsals I'll alternate between my black trousers and my jeans. It depends on what kind of thing I'm doing in rehearsals that day/week. On more relaxed days I may or may not wear my aforementioned black boots. I'll usually team it with a nice (preferably non-printed) t-shirt or shirt - depending on the weather.
Whilst during a run I always change into my blacks at work (usually around 15 minutes after I've gotten in, which gives me a chance to check everything before the cast get there) but just to be cautious I'll generally dress a little nicer going into work. I've had a fair share of meeting important people last minute and it's nice to not be worrying if they're noticing the paint marks on my jeans or the fact that my top is dusty from crawling about backstage.
But I do feel that this is something that you feel comfortable with. If you're happiest wearing jeans then go on ahead. I can't imagine them having a massive effect on being hired later on.
18
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Who runs your production meetings?
« on: Jan 06, 2007, 08:30 am »
From what you've said I would have thought that the TD would run the production meeting. But it's never right to assume something. I'm used to the PM running the meetings and in their absence for the SM to run them. However in this case I'd expect a lot of communication to be going back and forth.
But do prep for it. There's nothing worse than going into a production meeting that you know you're going to run and realizing that you're not entirely sure on some points of the get-in or you haven't sorted out the schedule for allocated times and such.
But do prep for it. There's nothing worse than going into a production meeting that you know you're going to run and realizing that you're not entirely sure on some points of the get-in or you haven't sorted out the schedule for allocated times and such.
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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: LAUNDRY!?!!?
« on: Jan 06, 2007, 08:25 am »
This is certainly something you want to take up with your producers. There's many producers out there now (or maybe it's just the ones that I know) that don't inform you of duties that they automatically expect you to perform. This can be anything from doing laundry to operating sound on small shows.
If you haven't been informed that you were expected to do laundry and it's not in your contract then you're perfectly within your right to get additional payment.
If you haven't been informed that you were expected to do laundry and it's not in your contract then you're perfectly within your right to get additional payment.
20
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Stop The Show!
« on: Jan 06, 2007, 08:13 am »Quote
Was anyone else available - ie FOH staff or free actors? If so, could you have safely handed them the job of cleaning it up?Oh I wish that had been the case in some ways. FOH staff were dealing with the Main Stage interval at the time (such great timing) and whomever else was free was manning the bars. My cast itself were comprised of 5 actors - 4 of them who've been in the industry a considerable amount of time (2 of them relatively well known) and I can just image the look I would have been given. I wouldn't put a cast member in charge of cleaning up something if I could have left it for 5 minutes and then get back to it but it would have been very cheeky of me to ask that of that particular cast.
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Could the area in question be issolated from cast/crew safely? (ie was there risk of electrical shorting due to water down there) - if so, would it have been possible to do a quick walk through and make sure everything is out of harms way, and just closed off the area? Would that have been feasable?There was a risk of the flooding getting into the dimmer room which was just off the area which was flooding. If I had isolated the affected area I would effectively cut off my cast from obtaining their quick change costumes and they wouldn't have been able to get into their dressing rooms for the rest of the show. The building isn't very well designed for two spaces really.
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When the LX op, who I would assume had a decent view of the stage, noticed the actors did not enter, why did he/she not re-cue them?I ask myself that a lot as well. The only think that I can think of is that she's never used cue lights before and wasn't sure what was happening. Granted, if she had left the cue light on green 20 seconds longer than she had then the actors would have gone straight onstage (albeit late) and all would have been well.
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Should the actors not know the show well enough to know that the amount of time they were standing there was not normal?Again, it makes me wonder. I'm still not entirely sure why they didn't check to see where we were in the script.
And as for the producers. As unprofessional as it may come across, I wasn't impressed with them much. Being berated for stopping a show (because it appeared to them that I had planned a flood - yes, because I like putting myself in complicated situations. Oh dear) was nothing new to me by the point that they did it. They'd already committed every other thing that you could possibly not want to a producer to do by that point. I just smiled and nodded and then explained to them - which they then did not believe so it took the theatre manager and the technical manager to explain it to them.
The producers don't really annoy me. I've dealt with difficult and complicated situations before now and the producers have been - extraordinarily trying to say the least. I'm just wondering if someone would have done things differently than I had done it as it was my first show stop.
The obvious answer to me is that if I wasn't terribly understaffed in the stage management department and I had one other person to be on deck at the time then it would have made it all a bit smoother.
21
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Stop The Show!
« on: Jan 05, 2007, 08:20 am »
Erin -
In response to your question. The other ASM was putting away props from that scene change. I also wasn't calling the show (which I realize I made unclear in my original post - when I said DSM duties what I should have said was DSM duties apart from calling the show - again, due to the nature of the venue - and the fact that I had no comms system). I also didn't have a clear view of the stage where I was all the time - again, because of the venue (which in hindsight is a pretty crap space).
The theatre in question that I was working in was a small studio venue (90 seater) which two exits on either side of the stage. The acoustics backstage were terrible in addition to the fact that there's a larger theatre venue back to back with ours. It's a unique theatre in the fact that there's two playing spaces (main stage and studio 2, the latter being where I was). The other unique thing was that my backstage space was also doubled as their crossover to enter and exit from their vomitory entrance. My only clear view of the stage and what was going on was through the little window in the door of the audience entrance which was only accessible to me if I went all the way around the theatre - through FOH (Imagine a box. The top right hand corner was my main backstage area, the bottom right hand corner was where the audience entered - the only way to get there was to go all the way around the top and then go down and along the bottom of the box. There was no other way)
I do, however, fully agree with you on the actors taking their own entrances and realizing that something was happening when there was 2 minutes of silence. They wouldn't have seen any of the "waiting" acting going on though as the entrances/exits were solid wood doors (with a soundproof seal on them, part of the theatre and it's design - God knows why).
You're right in that I should have moved my meeting closer to the stage. It'd have made life easier.
In response to your question. The other ASM was putting away props from that scene change. I also wasn't calling the show (which I realize I made unclear in my original post - when I said DSM duties what I should have said was DSM duties apart from calling the show - again, due to the nature of the venue - and the fact that I had no comms system). I also didn't have a clear view of the stage where I was all the time - again, because of the venue (which in hindsight is a pretty crap space).
The theatre in question that I was working in was a small studio venue (90 seater) which two exits on either side of the stage. The acoustics backstage were terrible in addition to the fact that there's a larger theatre venue back to back with ours. It's a unique theatre in the fact that there's two playing spaces (main stage and studio 2, the latter being where I was). The other unique thing was that my backstage space was also doubled as their crossover to enter and exit from their vomitory entrance. My only clear view of the stage and what was going on was through the little window in the door of the audience entrance which was only accessible to me if I went all the way around the theatre - through FOH (Imagine a box. The top right hand corner was my main backstage area, the bottom right hand corner was where the audience entered - the only way to get there was to go all the way around the top and then go down and along the bottom of the box. There was no other way)
I do, however, fully agree with you on the actors taking their own entrances and realizing that something was happening when there was 2 minutes of silence. They wouldn't have seen any of the "waiting" acting going on though as the entrances/exits were solid wood doors (with a soundproof seal on them, part of the theatre and it's design - God knows why).
You're right in that I should have moved my meeting closer to the stage. It'd have made life easier.
22
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Interesting request for performance reports...
« on: Jan 04, 2007, 10:16 am »Quote
I don't know how to do this, but I know a stage manager who can get Excel to add times. I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to look up...
If you mean to add the times together. If you select all of them, at the bottom of Excel on the status bar it will tell you how much it all is added together. I use this when I'm doing my expenses spreadsheets as well so that I know when I've gone over my balance. It's easier than inputting 40 different sums into the calculator!
If you want me to I'll put up an example.
23
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Stop The Show!
« on: Jan 04, 2007, 10:09 am »
Riding slightly on this topic.
Since my last post I've had to stop a show (for the first, and most certainly not the last in my career). Now this issue was slightly bizarre of sorts. I was stage managing on the West End Fringe. Which basically meant that I was company stage manager but I also dealt with DSM duties and I ran an ASM plot every night (with another ASM backstage). On this particular night I had given a call for two of my actors to standby for their entrance (I had to do this in person due to the nature of the venue) - and I was then sidetracked by a large H&S issue. The green room and dressing rooms were starting to flood - long story for another post.
The long short of it is this. While I was downstairs performing my stage management duties of health and safety, the two actors whom I called to standby had gotten into place. Unfortunatly they had missed their entrance cue and my lx/sound operator (who also operated cue lights) had already taken the cue light off green. After a timed two minutes of "waiting acting" one of my actors stopped the show, apologized to the audience and then crossed stage to find the two actors waiting.
The show resumed and I wasn't informed of any of this until I returned to the backstage area (my ASM and I had no radios or other form of communication). I was later chewed out by the producers for a show stop and was told that my place should have been backstage at all times to deal with that situation. But I had no idea it was going on. On the other hand, during this show stop I was dealing with a potential flood (which did eventually happen) and discussing with the theatre manager where I could move my casts' dressing rooms and ensure that everything wouldn't be destroyed.
Any thoughts? Any way that you think I could have dealt with the situation better?
Since my last post I've had to stop a show (for the first, and most certainly not the last in my career). Now this issue was slightly bizarre of sorts. I was stage managing on the West End Fringe. Which basically meant that I was company stage manager but I also dealt with DSM duties and I ran an ASM plot every night (with another ASM backstage). On this particular night I had given a call for two of my actors to standby for their entrance (I had to do this in person due to the nature of the venue) - and I was then sidetracked by a large H&S issue. The green room and dressing rooms were starting to flood - long story for another post.
The long short of it is this. While I was downstairs performing my stage management duties of health and safety, the two actors whom I called to standby had gotten into place. Unfortunatly they had missed their entrance cue and my lx/sound operator (who also operated cue lights) had already taken the cue light off green. After a timed two minutes of "waiting acting" one of my actors stopped the show, apologized to the audience and then crossed stage to find the two actors waiting.
The show resumed and I wasn't informed of any of this until I returned to the backstage area (my ASM and I had no radios or other form of communication). I was later chewed out by the producers for a show stop and was told that my place should have been backstage at all times to deal with that situation. But I had no idea it was going on. On the other hand, during this show stop I was dealing with a potential flood (which did eventually happen) and discussing with the theatre manager where I could move my casts' dressing rooms and ensure that everything wouldn't be destroyed.
Any thoughts? Any way that you think I could have dealt with the situation better?
24
The Green Room / Re: Things You'll Never Hear a Stage Manager Say
« on: Dec 08, 2006, 06:06 pm »
just tell the actors, I don't need to know
I currently work with a director who seems to live by this one. He tell the actors about line changes, costume changes, blocking changes, etc, but not me. About once a week, I find myself staring at the monitor, cursing, saying, "What the hell is X doing out there?"
Ah, it's bliss isn't it? I've closed a show very similar to that. Right up to closing night I was asking the director if things has been changed (via show reports).
25
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Interesting request for performance reports...
« on: Dec 08, 2006, 05:53 pm »
My show reports are basically what VSM has down. Except I tag on "Bows End" at the end of it - which don't get included in the actual running time of the show.
I guess I just got into the habit after shadowing other DSMs and making it up as I went along. Now it's just habit.
I guess I just got into the habit after shadowing other DSMs and making it up as I went along. Now it's just habit.
26
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Reports - Getting actors to read them (from Tools of the Trade)
« on: Dec 04, 2006, 10:11 am »
Usually the day after I'll casually mention to the head of the particular department (eg, lighting), "Oh, there was something in my report for you yesterday regarding lighting for scene 6. Did you get the report?". It's an easy way to follow something up without sounding patronizing. If they haven't read the report it's a chance to briefly outline the situation and then end it with, "well there's more details on the report. It's probably best for you to read that and just come back to me with any questions".
I usually embed the report into the body of the e-mail and then attach it as well. The attachment may or may not (depending on the company) be a bit more formal than what I write in the e-mail and will be what I have in the 'book' to reference as well.
I usually embed the report into the body of the e-mail and then attach it as well. The attachment may or may not (depending on the company) be a bit more formal than what I write in the e-mail and will be what I have in the 'book' to reference as well.
27
The Hardline / Re: AEA Deputy selection process
« on: Dec 04, 2006, 09:53 am »
Is your AEA Deputy the equivalent of an Equity Rep here or am I totally off on a tangent?
28
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Warm-up/ Games
« on: Dec 04, 2006, 09:51 am »
Preshow rituals fall into a different catagory for me though. On my last show for example, one of the rituals became that the lead actor ran around the stage and gave hi-5's to all the cast and crew before I opened house. That I would participate in. On another show the cast came up with a saying that everyone had to say once I called the half.
I'll gladly participate in a "Hey batter, batter, batter!" very quickly but if it takes more than a minute of my time then I classify it as a warm-up and don't participate.
I do think that joining in on preshow rituals keep a good moral and humour amongst the whole company though. And it's a bit of togetherness without having to be there doing warm-ups with the cast.
I'll gladly participate in a "Hey batter, batter, batter!" very quickly but if it takes more than a minute of my time then I classify it as a warm-up and don't participate.
I do think that joining in on preshow rituals keep a good moral and humour amongst the whole company though. And it's a bit of togetherness without having to be there doing warm-ups with the cast.
29
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Warm-up/ Games
« on: Nov 30, 2006, 08:14 am »
Warm-ups for stage management before calling a big show is a great idea. Must try that next time. Maybe then I won't lose my voice after press night.
I've never participating in actors/performers warm-ups as I tend to use that as a time to make sure I'm ready for the day ahead. I've also never worked with a director who hasn't has something else for me to do while they conducted the warm-up.
I've never participating in actors/performers warm-ups as I tend to use that as a time to make sure I'm ready for the day ahead. I've also never worked with a director who hasn't has something else for me to do while they conducted the warm-up.
30
SMNetwork Archives / Re: Happy Stage Management Memories?
« on: Nov 26, 2006, 05:39 am »
The show that I'm doing at the moment is probably going to rank up pretty high on my list of good memories for some time to come.
After a bit of a nightmare get in (resident technicians didn't know we were turning up at 8:30 so we had no working lights in the space until 10:30 when they got in - and they call it the west end...and that was just at the start of the day!) I got a card and thank you from every single producer, cast member, production team member, etc. I had originally started off the job thinking that I was going to be DSM (which is what they hired me to be) and somewhere along the lines I've ended up becoming company stage manager (which I have never done before - and I'm sure it shows quite a bit occasionally!). So far everything's working wonderfully and I've got a fantastic stage management team supporting me and a great theatre manager who'd go to the ends of the earth for my show! The cast are all fantastic professionals and it's a laugh to be backstage.
There's shows that you go into theatre to do and I've been lucky enough to get one of them right now.
After a bit of a nightmare get in (resident technicians didn't know we were turning up at 8:30 so we had no working lights in the space until 10:30 when they got in - and they call it the west end...and that was just at the start of the day!) I got a card and thank you from every single producer, cast member, production team member, etc. I had originally started off the job thinking that I was going to be DSM (which is what they hired me to be) and somewhere along the lines I've ended up becoming company stage manager (which I have never done before - and I'm sure it shows quite a bit occasionally!). So far everything's working wonderfully and I've got a fantastic stage management team supporting me and a great theatre manager who'd go to the ends of the earth for my show! The cast are all fantastic professionals and it's a laugh to be backstage.
There's shows that you go into theatre to do and I've been lucky enough to get one of them right now.