Messages

151

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Where do I start?

« on: Aug 14, 2007, 08:52 pm »

Kevin, I see where you're coming from - it does seem odd that the folks who teach, at least at the university level, are frequently not the ones who set the standard in the field. But...

My experience in college was that professors and advisors with artistic backgrounds in theater were better able to identify things important to stage management. While a well-meaning SM instructor might kill three hours of a weekly lecture/lab course on spiking a stage and taping out a set, a design prof would give the same subject maybe forty minutes, and spend the remaining time on how to lay out and read a groundplan, how to look at a front elevation for practical purposes (construction, safety, etc.) and how to look at a section plan of the same space.

I feel that, while this particular kind of SM class might have been helpful to folks who never looked to stage management for anything more than tomorrow's call, I personally learned more about what SMs do from the designers who said "If you're at the shop/site/rehearsal room and need info on XYZ topic, your SM will be able to tell you."

152

Employment / Re: Team player vs. "undermining" SM - discussion...?

« on: Jul 20, 2007, 06:16 pm »

Thanks, folks, for your thoughts. Mac, that's a great quote - I'm putting it on my list of favorites :-).

To direct the discussion a bit: in terms of assigning/accepting responsibilities, making decisions that affect the whole company (anything from quick-change location to emergency procedures to whether there is decaf in the green room), and communicating with producers, how do you prefer to streamline things to avoid the "weakest link" problems Sarah brings up ("precarious, redundant and inefficient")? Do you expect a set of givens? Of course, the presence of any entertainment labor unions plays a role in how things fall out, but we also have a huge margin for personal style, particularly in management positions.

Mac, looking at the last set of comments in your post, it reads like you're stepping away from a more traditional (or more sports-oriented :-) ) use of the word, and toward a more corporate use. Am I misinterpreting what you said? I'd love some clarification, particularly here:

It is purely an environment, and a method of ensuring communication.

Thanks.

153

Employment / Team player vs. "undermining" SM - discussion...?

« on: Jul 19, 2007, 04:05 am »

Hi all,

I'm posting this in Employment because it seems like a workplace/professional protocol issue to me, but if other Moderators feel it should go elsewhere, please move it as appropriate.

I've run across the two terms in the subject line a few times, in light conversation and as actual players in the workplace. It seems that playing on a team means making some compromises; my question, then, is when does a compromise turn into a way of undermining or being undermined?

Fortunately, this is not a pressing issue for me at the moment - but I've been chasing myself in circles trying to develop a rule of sorts to identify healthy and less-than-healthy ways of balancing the team/undermining idea, and would love the input of the SMN. (It could be that, since I'm on the deck for my current show, I just have too much time between cues )

Meg

154

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Show suggestions (for HS)

« on: Jun 28, 2007, 10:47 pm »

Try the Lazy Bee play search engine: http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/Search.ASP. 

Disclaimer: I have not used this myself - but it seems like a really fabulous tool. If you wind up using it, I would LOVE to know your thoughts!

Meg

155

Stage Management: Other / Re: Welcome packet

« on: Jun 23, 2007, 05:46 pm »

Have they been given contacts for local health service providers? Might be the province of your Co Mgr, but it can't hurt. Male and female professionals (particularly those who speak Mandarin) might prove helpful, depending on how involved the show is.

156

Employment / Re: Too Old

« on: Jun 12, 2007, 11:45 pm »

Trevor7, I am in a similar position - based in LA, not NYC, but definitely in the same age range - and while I heard from a number of professors that including year(s) of work on my resume would reveal my age (and could, therefore, put me at a disadvantage), I choose to do exactly that so that potential employers can see exactly what kind of "package" I am as a SM. Sure, I'm not getting tons of offers for PSM work, but I feel better without any surprises in the interview. And it gets the age-sensitive types off my list quickly and painlessly.

That said, I agree wholeheartedly with those who have said that producers who get squeamish only *after* hearing about age aren't worth their salt. IMHO, it's petty and rude - hardly inspiring.

Meg

157

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SMing children!

« on: May 11, 2007, 11:27 pm »

Purell, purell, purell! Especially near the pencil cups.

BREAK A LEG!

158

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Pre-strike

« on: May 01, 2007, 07:55 pm »

Bear in mind, this may have no relationship to your school's definitions - but at UCLA, pre-strike was basically what the cast and crew did to make the theater ready for the technicians to strike the following morning. All handprops, most of the costumes, and any soft goods went away in pre-strike; dressing rooms were cleared and cleaned; all personal business was cleared from wings and booth, and any rented large props/set pieces were collected in the shop to be picked up on the next business day.

It's worth going to your PM for clarification on this!

Meg

159

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

« on: Apr 28, 2007, 05:49 pm »

COOL!

Thanks

160

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

« on: Apr 27, 2007, 08:10 pm »

I love the idea of EMT clothing, especially for those tech days when everyone's prop eyeglasses fall apart... but it's just about impossible to find styles that look decent enough to wear at the restaurant or bar afterward!

Has anyone had luck finding women's EMT pants that are nice enough for FOH moments, but also have the pockets and doo-dads for a good long tech day?

161

Tools of the Trade / Re: Washable Blood

« on: Apr 16, 2007, 06:07 pm »

Tweak portions as necessary - getting the right consistency can take a few batches.

1/2 cup flavorless gelatin powder
1-1/2 cup water, or whatever is just a little more than the gelatin recipe suggests
1 tsp caramel food coloring
1 cup darkish red dish soap

Mix it up, microwave for short intervals until it all melts together.

I found, when I was mixing the stuff nightly, that letting the gelatin set overnight made it easier - I could put the rest of the ingredients together while it loosened in the microwave, and then put it all together. This reduced the risk of boiling the blood - and making the soap froth up!

Used this for Harold and Maude, for the scene where Harold stabs himself to get away from Date #3. He wore a white-and-blue striped shirt - and after the laundry was done, we couldn't tell that it had ever seen "blood."

Hope this helps!!

Meg

162

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Paranoid/Offensive Director

« on: Apr 07, 2007, 12:06 am »

Have you been able to set up production meetings, to clear the air about notes and info from Department folks? This might be a way to cut the issue of "lying" short.

I spent two shows in college working with a grad student director who routinely identified department policy (like a hard rehearsal cutoff at 11:00pm) as lies or, no less irritatingly, suggestions instead of hard rules. Yours sounds like a bigger challenge by far, though.

I'm surprised that the Director of your school hasn't acted yet - although, higher education politics being what they are, there could be a lot of dancing around to do before the head of the directing program will take a good, hard look at your director's behavior.

I'm curious about why you're hesitant to offend.... Now you've gotten a long look at how he works; do you really want to go back into production with him, knowing what you know now? I'm not encouraging you to tick him off - of course not - but do you actually want to work with him again?

Hope this works out for the best - and keep the SMN posted -

Meg

163

SMNetwork Archives / Re: I'm New

« on: Mar 26, 2007, 08:46 pm »

Welcome!!!

164

Stage Management: Other / Re: Just did my first wedding...

« on: Mar 20, 2007, 04:23 pm »

Mac, I feel your pain. The DJ/sound designer had a snit when I let him know that the groom expected me to "call" the wedding march. Yes, this sounds odd - but in this case (a lavish Persian-Jewish wedding!) the march music was 12 different cuts, stored in separate tracks on the CD. And the DJ's area was inside the banquet hall - out of view of the seating area and the Rabbi. We worked out a hand-waving, finger-pointing system at the last minute when his cell phone caused a feedback problem - quite exciting. Fortunately, the LX designer/rigger is a friend, and we had no difficulty on that front.

Zayit - the groom's brother (who happens to be the LX guy!) works at a theater I've done 10 shows at - and he contacted my former PSM to ask about my availability. It hadn't occurred to me to seek out wedding-ish events until he called, but after Saturday's festivities, I feel good about adding that to my list of can-do areas.

Andi - I'm sure you've already done this - but one of the most helpful things the groom did for me (because I came in on short notice) was create a list of who had worked with who in the past. This helped answer questions about responsibilities in load-in/out (who deals with collapsing chairs? who gets to take home the food?) and general problem solving (can we light candles in the building? who takes control in case of an emergency?).

165

Stage Management: Other / Just did my first wedding...

« on: Mar 19, 2007, 06:34 pm »

...and the caterer was TWO HOURS late!

Outside of that, it was a lovely event - happy people all around.

And, fortunately or not, this is the kind of event that I really *don't* want a part-two invitation for!

Have other SMs here done wedding? Any good wedding stories? Any pointers?

Meg