Messages

151

SMNetwork Archives / Just neet to vent...

« on: Nov 17, 2008, 07:00 pm »

I'm sure I'm not the only one to have to deal with this, but it's the first time it's happened to me and I am sad, angry, disappointed, etc:

I was asked by a friend to ASM an off-Bway show with her as the SM. I was excited, she was excited. There was excitement.

I spoke with my superiors at my day job about this, and they were willing to keep me on salary (!!!) if I could commit to 1 weekday in the office and 2 evenings after rehearsal. Amazing. It turns out that the director wants a Sunday's off schedule for rehearsal, which would mean that the Monday I would plan on coming into the office is now a missed day of rehearsal. (Not to mention conflicts with actors going to auditions, etc.) The SM pleaded her case, and mine. She finally got the director to agree that one day a week was ok since he wasn't going to change the day off, as long as my friend, the SM was ok with this. Which she was.

Cut to today: My friend emails me saying that at the pre-pro meeting today, the PRODUCERS decided that despite the director and the sm's support, it was entirely necessary for the ASM to be at every rehearsal. This was not a money issue. I actually offered to take a 1/6 pay cut or find a replacement for those 3 days.

ARGH. I'm just so ANGRY. I've worked very had this past year to make some headway and finally I am beginning to, and then this. The most annoying thing is that the contract doesn't pay enough to just take a leave of absence from my day job, and having just spent a lot of money moving (I had no furniture coming to NY) I can't afford to not have the income.

I think what bothers me the most is that my day job, which has absolutely nothing do to with theatre was willing to give me 4 days a week off to pursue this opportunity, and the theatre company wasn't willing to give me 1.

Grr.

End rant.

152

Tools of the Trade / Re: Evernote

« on: Nov 17, 2008, 10:43 am »

I've never even heard of it, but i just d/l-ed it to my iphone and I'm going to play!

153

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Prop Recipe Exchange

« on: Oct 17, 2008, 10:25 am »

Does anyone use peanut butter in their blood? I've done that before, as well as Simple Green (for non-edible), which is an amazing recipe and came out of a white dress shirt every single night without bleach.

Now if i could just find it...

154

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Prop Recipe Exchange

« on: Oct 16, 2008, 02:50 pm »

Whiskey
1/4 tsp. caramel coloring
½ gallon water

If the color doesn't look quite right under the stage lights, a drop of blue food coloring can help.

155

Employment / Re: Taking Time Off

« on: Oct 08, 2008, 04:25 pm »

You could travel to NY and visit me, Kelly!

We could sign and see shows. 

156

Tools of the Trade / Re: Scheduling and Calendar Applications

« on: Sep 05, 2008, 10:21 am »

Wow, thank you! This is very helpful!!

157

Tools of the Trade / Re: Scheduling and Calendar Applications

« on: Sep 04, 2008, 12:22 pm »

theres a software called Spanning sync   its for MAc user who has Ical and use Google Calander.... its a nice program.



http://spanningsync.com/

Does anyone know if there is a similar program for PC users? Now that my stupid Dell has been fixed, I can't justify the expense of getting a MAC.

158

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Slightly Nervous, Advice and Words of Wisdom Please?

« on: Sep 03, 2008, 02:26 pm »

Oh how I would love to have an experienced ASM.

I spent most of this past year wishing for that exact same thing!

The 2nd to last ASM i worked with is older and far more experienced that I am, but you know what: she's now a great friend, sees me as more of a professional equal and we've been passing around work to each other since our show closed.

Don't get hung up on age. Learn from them, and they can learn from you. When I SM, I try very hard, as previously mentioned, not to get hung up on who's #1,#2, etc. There's a reason that we're often referred to as the SM Team. What the ASM does is every bit as important as what the SM does on a daily basis!

159

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: NY Cell Number?

« on: Sep 02, 2008, 10:42 am »

I agree with Ruth on this one.

Years ago, as an apprentice in summer stock, I was told that if I ever wanted to work in NY I had to have a NY address and phone number. I feel like this was before cell phone were as heavily used as they are today and I have not at all found that to be the case. I have a 215 cell phone number (and I've had it for almost 10 years) and have not had a problem finding work in New York. That I know of. 

I think that as cell phones become a primary means of telephone communication for most people, that it is understood that you can live and work in New York and not have a New York number. I've worked shows where not one phone number on the contact sheet is a NY area code, and all of the actors and designers live and work here.

I think that if your cover letters clearly state that you are living and looking for work in NYC that you have no need to change your number.

There used to be a real status-y thing about having a 212 phone number, but over the past decade, with the surge of cell numbers, it is no longer necessary to have a 212 prefix and still be recognized as a New Yorker,  In fact, when it come to cell phones only those who have ported their home numbers to a cell have a mobile 212.  (I'm not sure this prefix was ever issued directly to mobiles.)

917, 646, and 347 are now all recognizable New York area prefixes.

Don't make this decision more difficult than it really is.  If you want to change your number, then do a mass mailing of your new resumes once you have done so.  People change phone numbers and e-mail addresses all the time, and somehow survive!

Good luck!

I actually think having a New York number is important if you are trying to establish yourself in New York City - there is a hierarchy of the New York numbers, but having a 212 number is sort of a status symbol in some circles.

If you are trying to establish yourself in New York, you might want to look into it - it does look like you have been in NYC for awhile and establishing yourself as a New Yorker.

Good luck on the move to New York.

160

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Get it out of my head!

« on: Aug 19, 2008, 02:44 pm »

Re: sleep aids, if you decide to go that route - the one that I use is called Trazodone, and it's designed to help you stay asleep through the night rather than fall asleep.  (Originally, in the 60's, it was an antidepressant, but it made people too drowsy and is now used exclusively as a sleep aid.)

There are also herbal supplements that you can try like Melatonin.

I tried trazadone  and it worked great until we discovered that I'm one of the like .05% of the population allergic to it. I have yet to find that works as well.

There was no help in what I said, I just felt like sharing.

161

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Do you call from house or backstage?

« on: Aug 19, 2008, 09:57 am »

Maybe I've missed something, but we're taking about statistics here right? Not preference. I don't know what everyone else's situation is, but I call from where the booth is.

I've never been in a situation where I was able to choose or state a preference as to where I would be sitting to call a show. I've called from in the booth, in the house, backstage and currently, I call the show from the balcony, right next to the door that leads to it.

162

Employment / Re: I've offered the job but no response?

« on: Aug 14, 2008, 12:38 pm »

Problem solved! Turns out that Applicant A is on tour and is going to take the ASM job (as she originally applied for) due to her schedule.

Applicant B, the union SM has taken the SM job.

I've never had to hire SMs before.

163

Employment / Re: I've offered the job but no response?

« on: Aug 13, 2008, 02:20 pm »

Person A has not responded to either of my emails since sending her resume.

Email should not surplant phone contact -- if you want to make an offer, I think you should do so by phone.

However, I think you're better off with a union ASM, even for a Showcase, and especially if it's Showcase with commercial aspirations.

I understand what you're saying, however I'd like to point out that I've gotten - and accepted - a large number of job offers by email.

164

Employment / Re: I've offered the job but no response?

« on: Aug 13, 2008, 11:23 am »

Person A has not responded to either of my emails since sending her resume.

I made it clear when rehearsals started and said that I would like to speak with her about the possibility of her becoming the SM, and to please get back to me as soon as possible.

165

Employment / I've offered the job but no response?

« on: Aug 13, 2008, 10:05 am »

A little bit different than the normal 'how long to do you wait question'.

I offered a position to someone and haven't heard back from them in 48 hours. In the interim, I received a resume from another candidate who is equally as promising, if not more so (and Union, which is important to the director).

Is is improper to offer this person the position instead? I need to fill the position ASAP, by the end of this week if possible.

Also- applicant #1 was applying for an ASM spot, but I offered the SM spot. Both I and her references believe that she is more than capable. She is non union. (It's a showcase). Applicant #2 applied specifically for the SM position and is AEA.