Messages

16

The Green Room / Re: audience callbacks- the ones you want, the ones you don't

« on: Aug 25, 2011, 06:38 pm »

Several years ago we did And Then There Were None. Well at the end the "real" murder comes out and we had this really intense "I'm gonna kill you!" scene. Our theatre is in the round and the first row of the house is pretty much on the stage. So, on the night of filming, the Murderer is on top of this character, choking them to death and this little elderly woman gets up from the front row and starts swatting at him with her program. I can only assume it was her husband holding her back...

I never laughed so hard in my life...

17

Tools of the Trade / Re: FX: Smoking Hair

« on: Aug 25, 2011, 03:29 pm »

Hey Everyone...

Sorry it took so long to write back. We ended up attaching a small Styrofoam cup with a punctured lid to a headband and using dry ice. After we put that on him, we would cover it with a wig that had been cut to look more like his hair, so it was not seen. It was perfect! I wish I had a picture that I could upload to show you. The audience loved it! There was lights/sound, fog, a burnt shirt, smoking hair and smoking wires in his hands. All in all the effect was a total success... I am very proud of my crew.

18

Tools of the Trade / Re: Flashlights?

« on: May 06, 2011, 05:01 pm »

I bought the Black and Decker Clip Light (2AA) at Wal-Mart for a cheap, last minute replacement in a time of crisis. I normally use a Mini Mag. This $10 Clip light is fantastic. It comes with 3 color clip on lenses, which is convenient since I Gel my flashlight, and has a clip in addition to the belt holster.

And in the case it were lost or kidnapped… I could get another one 24 hrs a day for only $10.

19

Tools of the Trade / Re: iPads

« on: May 06, 2011, 04:39 pm »

I am closing a show on Sunday. This is the first show I have used an iPad for... still working out the kinks.
There is a app called Rehearsal (19.99). I LOVE this app! It may be the Actor/Techie Brain that I run on that makes this app magical, I am not sure. I will say that my Artistic Director was cracking up after I downloaded it because every time I would show it to someone, I would literally jump up and down with joy.

20

Tools of the Trade / Re: FX: Smoking Hair

« on: Mar 25, 2011, 02:06 pm »

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the help... I read on that website that they are highly corrosive, but if I can find a safe way to use them, I think this is far better than anything we have come up with so far... I will definitely let you all know the outcome!

21

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Re: ESCRIPTS: Post your requests for electronic scripts here!

« on: Mar 24, 2011, 04:18 pm »

Looking for Flaming Idiots by Tom Rooney for next Season. THX!

22

Tools of the Trade / Re: FX: Smoking Hair

« on: Mar 24, 2011, 01:35 pm »

Hmm... smoke drops? I have never heard of those... where does one find them?

23

Tools of the Trade / FX: Smoking Hair

« on: Mar 24, 2011, 01:17 pm »

I am SMing a production of Money Matters. It is set in 1894 and is about a couple who married for money. This is the second time this show will be performed at our theatre. I was not involved in the first production. Our theatre is in the round, and our audience is almost literally on top of us. In the show, the wife spends most of her time on stage trying to kill her husband. In one scene, she manages to get him to electrocute himself. In the last production, they wigged the husband after the electrocution and affixed the metal cup of a tea light candle to the crown of the wig, before he went on, they cut the tip of a cigarette off into the cup so that he smoked when he walked on stage (which scares me for multiple reasons). It was one of the best laughs in the show. We would like him to smoke again, blocking and lines makes it almost imperative, however, due to the amount of hair presently on our Husbands head, we cannot wig him. I am looking for ANY idea’s that are relatively inexpensive and safe. My team has exhausted our brains thinking about it.  THX!

24

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Humor: Stage Managing the World

« on: Mar 03, 2011, 05:32 pm »

Anytime we are talking about an interview, I call it an audition. I cannot help myself. I also tend to write things in the same shorthand I use for blocking. Written directions look Awesome.

I am the Maid of Honor in my friend's wedding and I am treating it like a Show (Which they are, surprisingly, really thankful for). It does not help that I have worked on the Church's Christmas Show in the past, which is primarily run by Theatre people with a huge budget. It is unlike any church production I have ever seen. Anyway, when introducing myself to the Vendors and relatives, I have a really hard time not saying "I'm the SM. It's nice to meet you."

25

Employment / Re: Pictures

« on: Mar 01, 2011, 03:29 am »

In the Theatre where I do most of my work, our headshots go in the program right along with the actors. So, I could totally understand getting the pictures with the resumes so that they are on file. That would make it easier to get a jump start on the program.

26

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: cell phones onstage

« on: Feb 25, 2011, 06:05 pm »

My problems with cell phones always start with texting in Rehearsal. When you are in rehearsal, your time belongs to the show. There is always something to do - like memorizing.  As long as the phones are on silent it is not a really big deal until the distraction starts messing with their performance. Then they all go in a bucket. I think my actors might actually fear for their lives if they took a phone on stage during a production, knowing the way I feel about it in rehearsal. I had one actor actually answer the phone (which was not on silent) in the middle of one of his monologues during tech week once. I was so upset.

The bucket seems to work well. I think taking them from all the actors makes all the difference.