Messages

151

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Question about musical blocking

« on: Mar 14, 2007, 09:07 am »

Standard musical reference is given as: page/system (line/bar/stanza)/measure/beat (rarely used).
So this might be written as: 171/3/3 or more specifically 171/3/3/2.

When working an opera or musical where people know the music backwards and forwards, you can just shout out "171/3/3" and people will pick up where you're going from - yes, even when off-book. In shows I have worked on, chorus is expected to know where to be in this case, and dancers, principals, and orchestra need no additional pick up information. The SM must tell any tech departments (like tech or deck crew) where to reset and what to standby for. But mostly you can expect this level of musical awareness from a professional theatre.

Regarding the columns for the SM cheat-sheet, it sounds like a useful tool. But when you work with musicals a lot, you might not need this anymore. As you look at the pick up, you'll see blocking notes and can quickly scan your lights and other cues. This checking just becomes part of the SM running the tech rehearsal. This is always a moment of fluster, with everyone scrambling to find their place. It happens on the fly, but it's what we do. But when you know the show well, it's relatively simple to jump in right where everyone needs to be.

By the way, those numbers in the score that appear every now and then in boxes are rehearsal numbers. So your example would be referred to as "Rehearsal 56". This is different than page 56 or measure 56 - don't be confused! Rehearsal numbers are not used in musical placement notation - they're mostly used when rehearsing chorus and dancers, since the rehearsal numbers correspond to big sections of music. They are useful, but not terribly specific.

152

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Backstage Etiquette

« on: Mar 14, 2007, 08:49 am »

I think you need to pick your battles.
If everyone is doing their job, then there is no problem here.

153

Employment / Re: resume format

« on: Mar 14, 2007, 08:47 am »

My advice is to go with your option "B" - list the three shows under shows and the internship under training.
They are really separate experiences - not all interns are selected to be ASMs at the theatre, and not all ASMs had internship experiences. You receive different educational experiences in both positions. I would list them separately.

154

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: How to:

« on: Mar 13, 2007, 03:54 pm »

I suggest a different way to deal with the Know-It-All: encourage him to Know It All. Show him that you are grateful for his expertise. Ask him questions. Defer to him on the little things ("John, do you think we should offer Splenda along with the coffee, or just sugar and Sweet-n-Low? ... Thanks, I knew you'd know the best thing to do!"), ask him if he would help the less experienced techies in setting up makeup stands, or leading warm-ups, or looping cable. Give him helpful tasks that let him talk about his amazing talents and abilities. This will keep him busy and out of your way. This comes from one of my favorite life philosophies - "If you don't know what to say, ask someone about themselves. They will think you are a brilliant conversationalist." If you help people feel clever, they will enjoy working with you. Of course, keep yourself master of your own kingdom and don't encourage him to infringe on SM duties. I think this will be way more effective than the stern talking-to. He needs validation, so validate him. It will mean less pain in the end.

As for your significant other, you should definitely explain to him workplace decorum. Have this talk in the theatre - not at home. You might even coordinate a "training night" where you explain before you go to the theatre that you are about to go on the job (and he is, too). Ask him to go out for a "date"  - just a drink or whatever - after rehearsal. Then, be perfectly professional in rehearsal. When you go on the date, be sure not to discuss rehearsal or anything. Have fun, be relaxed, be on a date. This careful guidance might help him learn that the lines between work and personal life. Kind of like house training a puppy.

155

Stage Management: Other / LA Opera PSM speaks at local library

« on: Mar 08, 2007, 05:44 pm »

Check out this link
http://www.lacanadaonline.com/articles/2007/03/08/entertainment/lap-lcflibrary0308.txt

The PSM from the LA Opera, Lyla Forlani, is speaking at the La Canada Flintridge Library on Monday March 12, at 6:30pm. All you LA SMs, come represent!

This sounds like a cool program - maybe we can get more SMs going out and about demonstrating how we do what we do.

156

Tools of the Trade / Re: What is Gaffer Tape?

« on: Mar 08, 2007, 11:41 am »

Let X = gaff tape @ $12.25/60-yd. roll
and Y = IATSE stagehand at avg. $20/hour wage.

Written as: $(.25"/X) < $(.5'/Y)

If courtesy tab is .25", = $0.0014 worth of X
If Y takes .1 minutes to remove courtesy tab, = $0.033 in wages
If Y takes .5 minutes to fuss with roll of tape, = $0.60 in wages

If Y takes 1 minute to pick at cheap gaff (adjust cost of X down accordingly) while swearing at the cheap production manager who bought this junk, cost in wages will increase proportionately, plus exponential increase in cost of other stagehands stopping their work to laugh at the guy who can't get the tape going.
This equation would require some fun calculus.

(Personally I don't use a courtesy tab, and don't really like them so much. But I was a little bored this morning. Please permit me this indulgence.)

157

Employment / Re: Non-equity contract question

« on: Mar 06, 2007, 08:49 am »

Non-equity contracts are usually short and leave a lot left to resolve through mutual agreement in ongoing conversations.

You'll probably see a contract that says
- dates: of arrival, of first rehearsal, of performances, of end of contract.
- fee, and a payment schedule - be sure it's clear and that it's what you want. If you need a cash flow, talk with them to get a weekly or bi-weekly payment. Talk with them to be sure that they can hand you a check instead of mailing it home (if you're not at home) - this is a little detail that can mean tragedy for your bill payment if no one catches this. And don't let them mail you a check after the show closes. They'll want to do this because they'll have received income from ticket sales at this point. But it leaves you way too vulnerable. Have your check in hand when you walk out the door.
- general job description that may or may not comprehensively list your SM job duties. Get familiar with the clause "and other duties as assigned" - much as you'd love to have that deleted to protect you from having to do things like purchase props and do laundry, it will probably stay. As long as you have a good relationship with the PM, you probably won't get too burned with not-my-job duties.

Maybe your contract will clearly explain your travel and housing, if the company is providing that or if they're giving you a stipend for these expenses. I usually like a contract to name my direct supervisor by position ("The SM will report directly to the Production Manager") - this clearly establishes the chain of command, which is good for you and good for the company. You probably won't see a health insurance or pension contribution if this is non-union (ha!). It's extremely unusual for any but the biggest companies to offer these benefits to SMs, and they're usually union anyway.

Make sure you have a clear understanding about:

• supply expenses (are they stocking the show straight out of your personal kit? will you be given petty cash to buy tape, etc?)
• crew activities (will you be asked to help build/strike the set? will you be expected to jump onstage - in performance even - to execute scene changes?)
• ASMs (how many will you have?)
• work day length and days off (so they can't work you 16 hours-a-day for two weeks straight)
• local transportation (you might be tacitly expected to bring your own car)
• prep work (will the company mail you a script/score in advance? will they provide a photocopier and computers for printing reports, etc.?)
• reimbursements (how do you get petty-cash purchases approved? if you make your cell # available, will they reimburse you if you go over your minutes?)

You probably won't see the list above covered in your contract; the company doesn't want to be bound in writing to provide these things. And that's usually fine, as long as you have the answers you need and a good mutual understanding as you sign the contract. Maybe it's a very small company and of course you will use your own car and offer your own couch to be part of the set and even host the cast party in your own kitchen. And that can be fine, but you should know what you're getting into ahead of time.

158

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Festivals?

« on: Mar 06, 2007, 08:10 am »

It sounds like for your two one-act presentations, there wouldn't be much difference between a "festival" and a regular show. Larger festivals can offer dozens of shows performing in rep, often spread out over many venues. Stage managing (or production managing) these major events can be really exciting but also pure insanity. Usually the word "festival" implies performances held in the summer or outdoors. There are some other great posts around this site about SMing an outdoor show (don't forget bug spray!). But for your particular production, festival just sounds like semantics to me.

159

Tools of the Trade / Re: Keeping Spike tape down...

« on: Mar 06, 2007, 08:03 am »

You can also use Gel Tape (aka J-Lar, sometimes called clear Marley tape though it's not really Marley). This is probably the best stuff, but it isn't cheap.
Get it from BMI Supply - www.bmisupply.com

160

Employment / Re: resume format

« on: Feb 28, 2007, 03:47 pm »

Welcome to the site, David!
I hope you're finding lots of useful tidbits. (And thanks for using the helpful search function and joining discussions!) Good luck calling your first show - you'll find lots of threads discussing first-time experiences around the site too.
Cheers-

161

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Warm-up/ Games

« on: Feb 26, 2007, 06:11 pm »

I've heard the Pheasant Plucker one (the second one noted here... "I'm not the pheasant plucker...") in many places. But once the Artistic Director did it at a children's theatre I worked with. I nearly spit out my coffee. Can you spell "inappropriate" children? Geesh.

And even though I have warm-ups, I'll toss in two I know:

You love New York
You need New York
You know you love unique New York

and...

Red Leather, Yellow Leather (repeat, repeat, repeat)

162

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Welcome Introduction speeches??????

« on: Feb 23, 2007, 09:17 am »

I am very wary of the "kick their arses into gear" flavor of this.
First of all, it just doesn't seem like a friendly or positive attitude for the producers or whoever asked this of you. Are difficulties expected? Are they being overly demanding before rehearsals even begin? Do they know something you don't? When you expect the worst, you will always get exactly what you expected.

Frankly, you're working with a group of professionals. You don't need to explain that they should do a great job, because their job is to do a great job. It's not like they were expecting to come to work and completely brush this one off, until your rousing speech convinced them otherwise. And when someone perceives that the actors are not giving it their all (or worse - the show is not making enough draw), will the producers ask you to take it up another notch? When will this stop being your responsibility (and why is it your responsibility to begin with?). I'm just a little jaded and I hope my worries for you are totally unfounded.

But you asked about welcome speeches, which are totally standard and kinda fun and always a good welcome event. So...
Be positive, be enthusiastic, be real. We have really great feelings about this show and the wonderful cast and crew working together on it. We all need to cooperate and communicate to make the show as successful as it can be. The SM is here to help - talk to me anytime and I will do everything I can to keep everone comfortable, creative, safe, and happy. We are taking a fresh new approach to this show, and it will be a big and complicated production, but exciting. We'll work hard, and it will be a great show. Here's your director. Here is the set taped out, there are the bathrooms.
Scene 11, please...

163

Employment / Re: College Name

« on: Feb 23, 2007, 09:02 am »

If I may... name dropping is name dropping, whether it's a college or a celebrity.
It happens a lot in our industry, and frankly reflects very poorly on the person who does it.

If you feel you got a good education, you should be proud of where you went to school, no matter the name. I know, an Ivy or a "big name" always sounds better than "Podunk Tech". But any good interviewer is going to be interested in what you can DO, not as much what creds you have. Yes, interviewers look for good training in your background. But much more important is that you do your job well. And you can do that without any training at any named university or program - many excellent SMs have. An interviewer who falls for the name game will learn quickly that it's experience over impressiveness everytime, hands down.

(The worst ASM I ever had went the one of the top Big Name SM programs in the US and worked for a top opera house after that. She was absolutely terrible.)

164

Employment / Re: How many pages?

« on: Feb 23, 2007, 08:38 am »

ONE and only one
if you have to cut ruthlessly, then cut ruthlessly

don't fax it - mail (always best) or email (ok if they're expecting it)

references can have a separate page sent with or later
but it's best if you can fit them on the ONE sheet

165

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Welcome Introduction speeches??????

« on: Feb 22, 2007, 02:15 pm »

Have you been asked to give a speech like this, or do you just feel that you need to give a speech?