Messages

16

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Dropping Cards?

« on: Jan 09, 2008, 03:47 pm »

The stage just got painted today - all in black since we're going to be using the 130+ lighting instruments to color the stage. I'll bring my camera tomorrow, take some pictures, and post them. We're also getting the show videotaped, so I'll post snippets of that up here. Also, the idea for blowing cards out the drapdoor was nixed Fortunately enough, we have walkways on both sides that we're trying to blow cards in from now. The issue is that due to the lower ceiling, we can't hang card droppers from the ceiling because they'll get stuck on the lights and catch on fire. If we hang them from the grid, they have to be at least 3 feet below the grid (again, due to lights) and that will just look tacky. *sigh*

Oh, if you want to get a sense of the style that this show will be done in:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=y9ti32vqdxM

The director of my show did that little piece a while ago. Except that instead of a flat surface, my actors will be going up and down very narrow steps on the shoulders of the guys dressed in black. I'm absolutely terrified for their well being, because they will literally be over 7 feet in the air with no railings, some of them wearing immense and difficult costumes. *shudders*

17

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Dropping Cards?

« on: Jan 08, 2008, 05:20 pm »

Thinking outside of the box here...

if you have a pit or a trap door that could be opened on stage- you could put a large fan sitting at an angle and have someone release handfuls cards in front of the fan, it would create is cool effect with the wind and Alice's dress. (and you don't have to worry about a few pesky cards getting loose and fly in during the next scene.)

never tried it, but it is just an idea if you don't have a lot of time or fly space.   

Just so you know, we're doing this. At first I thought "We don't have a trapdoor, the floor is concrete under about 6 inches of a wood stage that 's there." Then I realized that "Oh wait! Our TD is effing nuts! He built us an 8 foot platform with a trapdoor in it!" So we're going to get two of those giant floor-drying fans and blow hundreds of cards out of there. Still working on a ceiling drop as well, but that's going to take significantly more work and time, and I'm not sure we can spare that right now >.<

18

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Dropping Cards?

« on: Jan 08, 2008, 04:54 pm »

Thanks for all the responses! I've gotten some good ideas.

I suppose I should've mentioned this originally, but this is a black box theatre. It will end up seating ~200. The grid is 23 feet (7 meters for you non-Americans) off the deck. We don't have ANYTHING set up in terms of rigging, so I'll end up having to rig everything myself.

-David

19

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Dropping Cards?

« on: Jan 04, 2008, 04:56 pm »

I'm currently SMing a production of Alice in Wonderland and for the final scene there's going to be a huge hustle and bustle of activity as everyone is whirling around/offstage and Wonderland is dissolving around Alice. We want to drop playing cards from the ceiling to add to the effect, but our TD is currently swamped (two guys building a huge multi-level stage, with him being one of those two guys, and the other being a full-time student who can only work 2-3 hours a day) and it would be too time-consuming for him to build the necessary clamps/rig them before our show (we open the last weekend of January). Has anyone else ever done something like this before, and know of a simple way to do it? If you're at a theatre where you have the necessary stuff built, could we purchase/borrow them from you? Either PM or e-mail me at the address listed in my profile if that's the case, or if you have other ideas, please share them. Thanks!

20

Tools of the Trade / Re: TurboCad

« on: Dec 08, 2007, 08:13 pm »

VectorWorks is uber-comprehensive, but the learning curve is insane. I've not heard much about TurboCad, but the little bit I have heard is from a professional CAD designer and he was bashing on it's lack of ANY tutorials or documentation. I work in an Apple Store, so I hear quite a bit about the products we offer. VectorWorks is the one I hear the most good about.

21

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Dressing For The Part?

« on: Dec 08, 2007, 07:59 pm »

I picked up a pair of black Merell mocs. VERY comfortable (though a bit snug on my enormous feet, even in the largest size they offer which is a paltry 13 mens - US) and they supposedly hold up VERY well in the long term as well.

For pants... I'm still singing the praises of 5.11 TDU pants. VERY comfortable, sharp looking, built-in kneepads, and durable as all get-out. Not sure if I'll wear them for the run, but I'm considering it. For me, dressy isn't practical dress, and I have a tendency to do a bit more than just sit back and call the show.

22

Tools of the Trade / Re: Clock/Timer recommendation

« on: Nov 15, 2007, 08:18 am »

In a few weeks, I'm going to try to write a SM timer program for Mac, and see if I can't get my dad (who is a Windows software dev) to write a similar program for Windows. I'll also be porting it over to the iPhone/iPod Touch when the SDK (software developer kit) for it comes out in February, so let me know if there are any specific features you'd like to see.

Possibility of getting it for Palm OS as well?  I have a simple stopwatch program on my Treo, but yours sounds like it'd be more fun.

I'll see if my dad has any experience with Palm OS. I have no platform to test it on, but he might know of a simple way to do it.

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Tools of the Trade / Re: Clock/Timer recommendation

« on: Nov 01, 2007, 04:37 pm »

In a few weeks, I'm going to try to write a SM timer program for Mac, and see if I can't get my dad (who is a Windows software dev) to write a similar program for Windows. I'll also be porting it over to the iPhone/iPod Touch when the SDK (software developer kit) for it comes out in February, so let me know if there are any specific features you'd like to see.

24

Tools of the Trade / Re: any suggestions for the "rain effect"?

« on: Oct 30, 2007, 03:12 pm »

I feel like the confetti wouldn't be very convincing because it wouldn't fall very quickly.

Depending on how long of a PVC pipe you need, could you rig something up like this where there is a clear (plexiglass?) pipe that supports the upper pipe with a pump below to pump the water back up. It would be reltavely transportable I would think (4 longish pieces and a pump or two) and could be filled up with buckets once and left to run. I've never toured a show before, and it might take some setup, but I feel like setup/takedown could be simple, except for what to do with the water once you're done with it... i.e. how to drain it easily.

Just my $0.02

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: High School Musical

« on: Oct 24, 2007, 11:42 pm »

I watched the key number on YouTube the other day. I wanted to gouge out my eyes and puncture my eardrums with screwdrivers. My condolences - tho I hear it's a 'fun' production to put on? Not to dishearten you or bash on a show you might like, I just couldn't stand the production.

26

Employment / Re: SM Jobs in Oregon?

« on: Oct 24, 2007, 11:18 pm »

Hmm... if you're interested in moving up to Seattle, I have a friend who has TONS of SM contacts in the area and was willing to put me in contact with them when I (hopefully) head back there in a few years. I can shoot her an e-mail and see if she knows anyone in Portland if you'd like?

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Stop The Show!

« on: Oct 23, 2007, 11:23 pm »

I've only ever had to stop a show once when mid-show our lightboard went nutso on us. Brought all the lights up to 25% for about 5 seconds and then went black. I was merely a spot-op at that point in time, but as I had done a bit of the lighting design and load-in (this was a HS production) I had to help figure everything out. Turns out our one back-up floppy was either corrupt, or the idiot board-op who had written the cues just forgot to back up the show. We lost ALL our cues, and when the lights finally came back up, we had lost seven instruments >.< When we took them down the following day, all the instruments that had gone out had bubbly bulbs. Not a fun night - quickly wrote about 8 subs and improved the rest of the show.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Dressing For The Part?

« on: Oct 23, 2007, 11:01 pm »

I LOVE my black Merrells.  They're suede, so they look a little nicer than sneakers, they're solid black, and they pull on so I never worry about untied shoelaces.  They can dress up or down based on whether I'm wearing black jeans and a t-shirt or black slacks and a button down.  They're also a little sturdier than sneakers, though not as tough as boots.  And they come in both men's and women's (I actually got the idea because my brother-in-law wears them for everyday).

I just got some black Merrells myself which are comfy in the short-term, but kill my feet after about 4 hours. I'm looking into getting some superfeet, but thusfar, I have not been impressed with their comfort. I love the look though.

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

« on: Oct 23, 2007, 10:35 pm »

Typically, I'll bend over backward for a program - but if I have my heart set on attending a service/sunday school/whatever and 10 hours before, I get told "Sorry, we're starting tech earlier because I feel like it," I'm going to say some pretty un-Christian things and walk out.

I agree though: Christianity should NOT be given any higher priority than any other religion - despite being a Christian myself - and equal concessions should be made for all. But as has been previously stated - Theatre is a job. Religion is a way of life. I also agree that one service is OK to miss --> but the nature of the commitment doesn't really matter in this case. It's the nature of how quickly the change was made.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Snappy SM

« on: Oct 18, 2007, 07:59 pm »

In my opinion, unless a mistake caused injury to someone, or a major flub during a run, yelling and screaming is never warranted - especially publicly over a headset. That having been said, I will definitely snap at someone if a key piece of information that is going to change everyones traffic patterns and pose a potential for injury. Perhaps is just the way I've "grown up" with SMing, or my personal style, but I always give actors/whoever opportunity to make a statement if they have something relevant - which the whole "there's a new cable" thing would've been. Though why the SM wasn't informed to begin with...?