Messages

1606

The Hardline / Re: Dance Call

« on: Mar 16, 2009, 12:24 pm »

Even if there is a safety concern, apparently Equity would need to okay it without it being an overtime issue.

(In both the cases that have come before me it was the director asking for it . . . there were no safety concerns.)

I have also learned that wording makes a huge difference . . . calling something a voluntary dance call versus having the stage available for warm-up for whoever wants to show up means two entirely different things.  From my understanding stating that something is voluntary, does not mean someone does not get paid overtime for it. 

Getting very nitpickey on these rules . . .

1607

The Hardline / Re: Dance Call

« on: Mar 15, 2009, 10:15 pm »

Yeah, I think the difference is making the stage available for warm-up versus making it a required call.

1608

The Hardline / Re: Dance Call

« on: Mar 15, 2009, 10:00 pm »

Yeah, but during previews . . . for example, when this came up . . . you are already using your hours during the day.  And, you would not be able to do it on a two-show day (unless they elected to do so) and it would have to be the ONLY rehearsal for the day.

AEA basically said if there was a lift or safety concern, then they would allow it - as long as the dance captain was present and the request came from an AEA member.  But otherwise, it is considered brush-up.

1609

The Hardline / Dance Call

« on: Mar 15, 2009, 08:00 pm »

So, this has come up on my past two shows.  Working on the LORT contract, we are allowed a fight call, but you can't do a "dance call" - I am wondering what, if any AEA contract allows that - both times, I have had sort of knock down, round and round conversations about this. 

1610

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Asserting yourself in front of cast

« on: Mar 08, 2009, 04:01 pm »

This is a hard lesson to learn for any stage manager, either in High School, College or in the professional world.  (There will always be someone who has a "higher status" then you, even on Broadway, there is going to be those pesky stars).  Now is a great time to start developing your management style.  Often, young stage managers are nervous about being the "leader" or "manager" for a large group of people, but at the end of the day that's our job.  I find it interesting that you are comfortable with the tech crew, but have an issue with actors.  This may be because of the age difference or experience issue. 

I think many stage managers use just blunt force "I AM THE STAGE MANAGER, LISTEN TO ME" sort of power trip to be assertive, which is at times can be easy to fall back on, and but can be a danger down the line.  The best way to lead a group of people and thus be assertive before them, is to earn their respect and trust.  There are two ways of doing this, the easiest way to is wrestle a bear and win in front of the cast – which will require some mean bear fighting skills and of course a bear – or, the way most SMs do it – is leading by example, doing their job well, treating people fairly, be rock solid.   Trust me, the wrestling the bear is sometimes easier.

Your question is really a very complex one, and one that you will be constantly working on it for the rest of your career – because it is all about your comfort level and management style.  It’s all about the relationship you form with your cast and crew, and that starts from your first encounter.  My management style is based on mutual respect and professionalism.  I am always give the respect to the actors and their work, and in return, I expect the respect for the job I have to do.  From the get go, all me encounters are somehow based on this in the back in my head – weather it be a season actor, a acting intern, a designer, or a crew member. 

Now, to give more concrete advice – please, don’t wrestle a bear.  Try finding your comfort zone.  Do you have an easier time talking to actors when they are all gathered in a group when they are standing around, or when they are sitting in the house?  Are you better to assert yourself if you have notes on the things you need to talk about?  Does opening with a joke help your confidence?  I would recommend taking acting classes (helps with confidence) or public speaking classes.  Also, find a management book that may work with your style.  If you are more confident in your management style, then you may find it easier to be assertive.  (I recommend
The Heart of Coaching: Using Transformational Coaching to Create a High-Performance Coaching Culture (3rd Edition) by Thomas G. Crane and Lerissa Nancy Patrick (Paperback - Mar 1, 2007))

Trust me, over time and with experience this will get easier.

1611

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: How to explain what we do...

« on: Mar 07, 2009, 12:49 pm »

I forwarded you a ppt presentation I used for my board presentation in Dallas.  (Sorry, it was too large to post here.)

If anyone else would like to see it, let me know, I can e-mail to you.

1612

Employment / Re: NY SM Question

« on: Mar 06, 2009, 04:25 pm »

Here's the thing . . . it's either going to come off as two ways . . .

1) That you really are just saying the show was off-Broadway, that is not a Broadway show.  (what Libby said)

2) That you are try to pass an off-off-broadway, or off-off-off-in someone's living room as an off-Broadway show.

I guess it really depends on what you are applying for.  If you are applying for work in NYC, then the producer probably already knows what contract the show was, based on what theatre it was at, etc, etc.  It's a little bit of a crap of shoot really.  I like the way Libby breaks up her resume, it makes perfect sense, when you have the Broadway credits, then it's saying Broadyway, Off-Broadway, Regional, Touring - I get the sense of where the work falls, but let's play the example where there is no Broadway credits, and you have just Off-Broadway, and then some other categories - like educational, regional, etc.  Then the Off-Broadway classification may look like you are stretching your resume beyond your current skill level.

But, this is such a style and splitting hairs discussion, go with what looks good on your resume and sells you the best.  Given that you just got your card, people will probably be able to tell form your resume what contract and what level your shows have been produced by.

1613

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Calling Script

« on: Mar 02, 2009, 08:09 pm »

What's the point?

Seriously, when calling the show, do you need to know the blocking?  Are you going to be giving blocking notes during the run of the show?

I always find it better to have the blocking script on deck, so as understudies go on, they have the blocking available to them.  I usually can give blocking notes based on my knowing the show.

Now, if you are going to go ahead and creative some sort of master archival script and want to add blocking go ahead, but I think it's okay to have one for calling and one for blocking, that's the way I do it.

1614

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Calling Script

« on: Mar 02, 2009, 07:50 pm »

You might want to avoid colors in your calling script - unless you will be printing your script in color.

You might want to go with specific shapes. 

I print in black and white . . . but do the following on the word version of the calling script.

Highlight, bold, underline the word I start saying the cue.

I bold and border the word I say go on with a callout going to the side of the script with the cue.

I use a circle around a word that has a cue light go off it, but doesn't have anything that I say "go" with.

1615

Employment / Re: NY SM Question

« on: Mar 01, 2009, 03:23 pm »

Being that off-broadway has a specific AEA contract associated with it, that may inform how you use the term.

1616

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: What basics should actors know about tech?

« on: Mar 01, 2009, 09:12 am »

The only point that I won't to make it our work is not independent of the work the actor/director does, and any director who allows the tech to go determinately behind schedule is not really doing their job.  As a SM, we need to have an ear on these conversations and be able to make the snap judgment - is this a conversation that just start to fill the time while the sound deisgner took time to rewrite the cue?  is this a conversation that is going to wrap up when I announce we are ready to take it back?  or is this a conversation that is going to go on for a bit?  At that point, I need to make a decision - does this conversation need to go on?  or should I get us to move on?

But, since you are dealing with students, and some who have never been through the tech process, talking to the director and designer and fleshing out your concerns about time, and  giving your expectations for each tech period and see if you can get everyone on the same page with you.  (I do a lot, by end of day 1, I want to be at intermission, by end of day 2 I want to the get through all the fights in act 2 and everything but the last 3 scenes, by the end of day three, I wanted to finish the show, and then go back and work the dances, etc, etc, etc.)  If you take the time to spell out everything with your director and design team, before you get to tech, then they may be more open to you rushing them in tech.  (I HATE, HATE, HATE, HATE comments form directors who feel like I am pushing them - the directing process, including tech, is not something a lot of directors can do just on command - it's about creation, problem solving, is balancing text versus stage picture, etc, etc, etc).  Often, during this pre-tech conversation, there will say, I want to do three runs before we open, at that point, I would say, if we want three runs . . . then we need to finish q-2-q in 8 hours.  At that point, we have already laid the ground to your cracking the whip at keeping to schedule.  And if you find yourself being bogged down by conversations, you can pull the director aside and say "If we continue at this pace, we are not going to get to three runs through you wanted."  At which point, they may turn to you and say then I will only do two runs.

Again, if there are major issues to deal with acting-wise, then what is the point in having an additional run-thru of a play that is bad? 

1617

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: ASM Duties on very small show?

« on: Feb 28, 2009, 01:06 pm »

I think this is the perfect project for you to LEARN to delegate, and be comfortable with that.  It's the hardest thing to do, but as you move up the ladder, you will be glad you learned how to.

How experienced are they?  Can they take blocking, while you track things you need to track?  Maybe they can track props/costumes?  Definitely they can ease your pre-rehearsal and post-rehearsal duties?  Have them be on book?  Have them run lines with the actor?  They should be in the room, as they are going to help run the show, it will be helpful for them to learn the show.

1618

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: What basics should actors know about tech?

« on: Feb 27, 2009, 03:37 pm »

To get back on topic . . .

I think a stage manager should meet with the director, production manager and designers and form a plan for tech - every show will be different - and if there are special circumstances that the actors need to be notified about, they should be in a timely manner.

I think this especially important with a director is working at a theatre for the first time, it's the director and SM's first time working together, or there are a lot of new actors to the theatre's tech process. 

Every theatre runs their tech a little different, and it's good to have everyone have the same expectations. 

1619

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: What basics should actors know about tech?

« on: Feb 27, 2009, 03:33 pm »

"we also have a responsibility to the theatre company to stick to the production schedule so as not to incur overtime costs. Letting too much time be spent working out non-technical related questions while technicians are being paid to be there for other reasons is irresponsible."

I know this topic has strayed a bit from the original subject – but I feel compelled to respond to the above.  I think the above position is one type of stage management – but not my personal style.  I think it sets up a “technicians” versus “artistic” rumble.  Yes, I agree you don’t want to waste tech time, but there are many things that need to be worked out during tech week – and for whatever reason, there still maybe acting questions, artistic questions that need to be solved – and let’s not forget that technical elements might start adding new acting questions – especially as staging is changed for LX, Sound, Props, Scenic or whatever new reasons are thrown at the actor.

Since this original conversation came out of the concept of a Q-2-Q tech, which I am EXTREMELY opposed to, I think the best way to handle this, as mentioned before,  is to talk to the director and make sure you have the ground rules laid before starting.  (My problem with Q-2-Q is you don’t actually start integrating the acting into the process.  How often have you Q-2-Q a show, then when you start adding in the scenes, have a director change a blocking that results in an exit being in a different place, which means a quick change needs to change location, which adds a new cross, which means the sound cue wants to be longer, etc, etc.)

And, yes, it is our responsibility to move tech along, but don’t forget that the director also bears the responsibility to have us complete tech in a timely manner.  (And ultimately, the show rest’s on the director’s soliders)  Hell, if it wasn’t for the pesky director, I could tech a show in a day.  There reason it takes longer is a director is trying to integrate all aspects of tech, design and acting to make an unified product.  I have spent my entire career trying to put together a style that allows the director to continue their work right up until opening, and being as flexible and prepared (and having the crew being flexible and prepared) that no matter what tech deals us, we can all get out job doing, including the actors and the director.

Stage managing styles are not one size fits all – and although I know my tolerance of “artistic” interests will often upset the crew working on the show, they also know that I will turn to a director and say “we need to do this for the crew”, and stand up for their interests when need be.  (But, in my world, I have some very certain givens, well-staffed and experience crews, more the adequate tech time – 6 full days, plus 5 days during previews, and I tend to work on classical, text driven texts.)

1620

Employment / Re: When Hiring Other SM's...

« on: Feb 25, 2009, 02:40 pm »

I have to admit one of the major problems with communicating during phone for initial conversations is the phone tag.  An e-mail is a quick way to get a bunch of information out to the potential SM - I just need to know if the dates work, you are interested in the project and are available.  That is what the initial e-mail is all about.  After that, we set up a phone meeting.