Messages

181

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: NEW WORKS: Distributing script changes

« on: Oct 08, 2012, 02:44 am »

Another thing that I found helpful:

When I work on a New Work, (aside from emailing line changes and new pages with my report) I keep a text bible constantly running. If there are small updates, we write it on the page in the bible with the date, and if a new page is issued, we insert it and paperclip it on top of the old page. (I do the same thing in my script.) Granted, it makes for a HUGE book (that tends to look like a rainbow, because we color code the script page versions), but when someone asks what date something was changed, or what text used to be - or wants a copy of the most updated version right now - it's easy to reference the bible.

Now this may be pointless if you have access to the electronic version of the script. I haven't always had that - and I tend to work on musicals and don't have the proper software for reading those files (unless they are turned into PDFs). However, I've have several instances where I was told the night before or the morning of tech that the sound engineer needed an updated copy of the script and the designer didn't have time to make the updates to his script, so I just copied the bible and handed it over.

182

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: BLOCKING: Looking for Examples of Blocking Pages

« on: Sep 30, 2012, 11:17 am »

I'll scan one of my pages as well, after I see your response to Maribeth.

183

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REPORTS: Printing A Hard Copy for Management

« on: Sep 26, 2012, 12:46 am »

I second Rebbe's suggestion. See if someone, like your Production Supervisor, would be able to do the print out and place it on his desk. If they cannot provide you the means to print, they should not expect you to use your own paper/ink/printer at home (assuming you even have one at your disposal).

However, ask if they can provide you the means to print. When I was workshopping a musical, the only copier that could make mass copies was at the admin offices of the company, and I was rehearsing offsite in a trailer/classroom at a nearby elementary school. I had to make a special trip to the admin office hours before rehearsal, print wirelessly and make all of my appropriate number of copies, then rush to rehearsal. The copies were needed for rehearsal to be successful, and while the company didn't offer copier capabilities where I was rehearsing, they were available, so I made do.

Sometimes we have to make do with what is available. If they can make printing facilities available, then you should be able to print and drop one off on his desk, even if it is out the way.

184

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Blocking help

« on: Sep 24, 2012, 01:51 am »

I feel as though I'm a mix. I have a mini ground plan at the top of every blocking sheet, and I redraw my set pieces and where each actor starts at the top of the page. Underneath the ground plan I have lines and next the lines I have numbers. I write the blocking on the line that roughly lines up the text on the opposite side, then I insert a circled number on the script that corresponds to the number on the blocking sheet, exactly where the action happens. I tend to add @ or a circled b if there are multiple actions during a line, so that I'm not writing 5, 10, 15 all within one character's speech.

When I saw a SM's book that had 3 mini ground plans on each blocking page and that was it for documenting blocking I was blown away. I don't know how he kept track of the actors that way.

185

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Blood Recipe

« on: Sep 20, 2012, 01:28 am »

Check this out:

http://smnetwork.org/forum/tools-of-the-trade/washable-edible-over-24-hours-blood/msg14056/#msg14056

186

Employment / Re: Season Contract?

« on: Sep 15, 2012, 02:16 pm »

Babens offers good advice - but if you don't have access to a lawyer, read your contract thoroughly, and ask a friend to read it as well, to make sure you both have a basic understanding of it. Odds are, given enough notice (preferably in advance of when rehearsals start for the 2nd show), they should understand.

There is another topic that covers breaking a contract and offers some advice, though it is geared for breaking from a company because you got a better offer elsewhere:
http://smnetwork.org/forum/employment/to-break-or-not-to-break/

187

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: BLOCKING: Blocking notation and stage spikes for 2-level set

« on: Sep 15, 2012, 01:25 pm »

I have only worked on 2-level set once as an SM and once as an ASM.

When I SM'd, we had the TD build a mock-up level of our elevated platforms - not as high, but it helped the actors somewhat understand going up and downstairs and get a feeling for the multiple levels. Not sure if your company has the means to do that, but if they do, it's a big help!

As far as notating blocking, I'm a big person for labeling things with numbers: chairs, tables, entrances, etc. Depending on what is easy for you to understand, you could short hand it with L1 for your first floor and L2 for your second floor. I would label doors with D1, D2, etc. So if someone enters from the first door on the second level:
Joe Ent D1/L2.
Or something like that. It has to make sense to you - and once you find what you're comfortable with, create a key - perhaps just drawing on a reduction of your front elevation, so that someone else could read your blocking later, if need be. For myself, I'll refresh myself at the top of every blocking page with a little ground plan and put in my numbered chairs, entrances (with numbers to match my cue lights at those entrances), etc - so that I don't forget from page to page.

Also - check out our BTDT (link in the top right corner). I'm sure someone has done Noises Off on here and should be able to offer some advice if you message them.

Best of luck!

188

The Hardline / Re: LORT-LOA Tech Hours- Creative Suggestions More Than Welcome!

« on: Sep 09, 2012, 11:53 am »

Maybe I'm also the odd one? At least at the major theaters in my area we rotate 10/12 with 8/10 every other day during tech. Though we do start tech on Thursday, take Monday off and start previews the following Wednesday (and we're just LORT, not an LOA).

189

The Hardline / Re: AEA Staged Reading Contract?

« on: Sep 08, 2012, 11:40 pm »

I second calling AEA about this. The SF Bay has their own Staged Reading Guidelines, and we are allowed to work under those (without a formal contract) as long as the combined rehearsal and performance hours do not exceed 20. If it is planned to exceed that limit, or we break another guideline on the list, we have to be under a Periodic Performance Contract. That's just the Bay Area (and my experiences), and you won't find that contract on the website either.

If you are going beyond your area's Reading Guidelines, then you need to call AEA and let them know which guideline is being broken so that they can get the proper contract started (which may be this mysterious Staged Reading Contract). For me, the PP references another contract that the theater is usually under, which for me has always been a LORT or a BAT. Generally a new hourly wage is set, with a minimum requirement of AEA actors and a new hour limit on the project.

Don't be afraid to call AEA. My last reading that I worked on had to shift to a PP contract at the last minute because there was a ticket price charged for the event. I didn't even know we had a ticket price until I did some googling of the project to learn more about the author of our piece. That was my red flag, and I spoke with the producer, and I convinced her to be the one to call equity to get it worked out. (And she did.)

Corrected myself in the first paragraph for clarity.

190

The Green Room / Re: Gifts and thankyou cards

« on: Sep 03, 2012, 01:09 pm »

I am one who also ALWAYS has candy on the production table. I guess this started during my internship when the Director would always bring us different foods and leave them on our table for everyone to share. I liked how it opened everyone up, and made the table really approachable. ...I also just really like candy...

Off topic: I also do this in my rehearsals. I have a variety of altoids and ice breakers mints on my table. (What actor doesn't want a mint?) I did this for the sole purpose of getting them to come up to  me and my assistant and get comfortable with us. They always come up and ask for the mints the first time, then after that they come back and you get a pleasant exchange going.

191

Self-Promotion / Re: Ballet San Jose

« on: Aug 29, 2012, 02:09 pm »

Thanks, everyone! I'm really happy about our new image. In the past we've been reluctant to do things outside of neoclassical ballet - very little Twyla or Graham - but now we've expanded with Merce Cunningham! (Our season was finally announced!)

And unfortunately, Quinn has moved to the East Coast. We were lucky to have him shoot our dancers while he was still in the area. It really is an amazingly difficult task to find someone who knows how to shoot dance - but, of course, who better than a dancer?

192

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: The breastfeeding/pumping stage manager

« on: Aug 29, 2012, 12:58 am »

Ok - another helpful tip: buy pump wipes - Medela has them, and I've found them the cheapest on cottonbabies.com. The name of the product is: Medela Quick Clean Breastpump & Accessory Wipes. However, I can't find them on that site right now - I may have bought them out with my recent purchase. They sell them for $8.99 a package. Diapers.com sells for $9.10 and Target has them for $10 (though Target online has them for $8.99).

If you're pumping at rehearsal and already pressed for time, right after you pump you use one of these wipes to wipe off all of your pump items that come in contact with your milk. Let them sit somewhere safe to air dry for about 10 minutes and they are good to use again. Much faster than washing right afterwards. I've heard from a few moms that like to sit the whole shebang in the fridge in a ziploc, but I doubt many theater fridges have room for those. There should be room for your bottles. And the rule of 5's: it's good for 5 hours at room temp, 5 days in the fridge or 5 months in the freezer. But that doesn't mean after it's sat out for 5 hours you can then refrigerate or freeze it - you have to choose 1 of the 3. So I recommend getting a bottle cooler bag (or use an insulated lunch box with a gentle ice pack in it) to transport your milk from work fridge to home fridge.

Best of luck - and please do PM me if you have any questions. My guy was due on June 24, and I was scheduled to return to work August 20 - less than 2 months. However, he came on June 8, and that extra time has been unbelievably helpful.

And one more tip: Diapers.com - seriously. They are the cheapest when it comes to disposal diapers (cheaper than Costco) and will ship to you in 2 days for free (as long as your order is over a certain amount). I've never had to go to the store for diapers - highly recommended! Personally we love Huggies Little Snugglers.

193

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: The breastfeeding/pumping stage manager

« on: Aug 27, 2012, 02:15 am »

One thing to know is that your child's schedule will change over time. Speaking as a PSM who just went back to work last week, though I do have my babe in the SM office with me for 2 more weeks before I go down to 2 days a week (I have an extremely giving office, and working in ballet, I don't need to be in rehearsal 5 days a week - and yes, I only work 5 days 9am-6pm).

As your baby gets older the feedings will start to spread out (except around growth spurt times) - which means you'll need to pump around every 2 to 3 hours. If your rehearsals are limited to 5 hours, that really shouldn't be that bad, especially since your 3 month old will most likely be in a 1.5 hr to 2 hour schedule. Your amount of actual pumping time will depend on the pump you have. (The amount you get out of a hand pump for 45 minutes is about the same as an electric pump for 15 minutes.)

My husband spent a day at home last week and I brought my pump with me. He called me for the first feeding, and I set up my pump at the same time. I was a little delayed for the second feeding, and due to a meeting with the CM, I missed the third feeding by about an hour. While I was at work, the baby ate 4 times while I was gone, and I only pumped 3 times. I fed when I got home and then my body was back on the proper schedule.

I highly recommend getting a double electric pump - and check local lactation centers - I am renting a hospital grade pump (quiet, fast, super clean and efficient) from my lactation center. Get a Pump Ease bra (I had to run out and buy the Medela one when I forgot mine and it's a BIG pain to work with) so that you can continue to work during pumping, if necessary. Granted, you won't be able to sit in rehearsal, but if you bring your laptop or need to make notes, you can pump hands free. (I sit at my computer and put a headset on my phone so that I can continue to work while pumping - though I also use a nursing cover to hide it all, in case someone walks into my office.)

So yes, this is totally doable. And, how long is your commute? You could feed right before you leave the house, then you should be good for about 2 hours. Pump on one mid-day break, have your ASM cover the first 5-10 minutes back (only pump for 15-20), then pump again after rehearsal. Spacing out the pumpings for 2 to 3 hours should be just fine. NEVER go over 3 hours without pumping, at least not with a 3 month old. You will become engorged and in an extreme amount of pain. Once your child gets older and their feedings space out, so can your pumps.

Feel free to PM me with any questions - I'm really interested in figuring out how to handle my pumping during techs. At least if I had to do it during a performance, I can pump during the 20 minute intermissions while my ASM gives the calls.

194

Self-Promotion / Ballet San Jose

« on: Aug 16, 2012, 07:23 pm »

I'm not plugging a particular ballet (since we haven't announced our season yet) - but I really want everyone to see the amazing photography of Quinn Wharton on my company's homepage. He was a dancer with San Francisco Ballet and has become an amazing dance photographer. Please check out our two slideshows (one with sound and one without - there's a link to switch in the lower left corner under the main image) which are different and just gorgeous!

I'm quite proud of my company and it's new image.

www.balletsj.org

195

Tools of the Trade / Re: Style Question

« on: Aug 16, 2012, 02:11 pm »

Also coming from a strictly California work environment - the SF Bay - our dress styles have been a bit lax - at least with every SM I've come across here (except for one very fashionable PSM who now works at Ford's and one up in Ashland, both male...).

When I was EMC'ing, my SMs always wore jeans, sneakers and T-shirts. However, the T-shirts were always clean, no holes, and generally interesting. You never know what you're going to be doing, so you dress for movement and getting dirty. I can say I've NEVER worn a dress or skirt to a rehearsal, simply because I'm not a dress-wearing-person, and I feel much more comfortable in jeans. I also made a point for several years not to wear sandals or dress shoes, as I felt cross-trainer sneakers were the best thing for me to move quickly and quietly around the rehearsal hall.

However, when I started working with a new theater with new directors, I found myself dressing to their style and conforming with their attitudes (more relaxed). I worked with two men who always wore shorts, flip flops and generally an open button down short sleeve shirt over a t-shirt. I started wearing sneaker-like sandals, and sometimes flip flops, along with shorts to those rehearsals. Granted, these were staged reading-style musicals, so there wasn't the need to run around to move things (except resetting a music stand), but it was something new for me - and I didn't feel any less a part of management; I looked just like the boss.

With my resident PSM job, I really have no idea what I'll be doing in any given day - aside from my usual daily tasks. There have been days where I've worn a blouse, dress slacks and heels, and then found myself schlepping boxes in the basement, crawling on the dance floor, mopping, dealing with clogged toilets, you name it. I've gone back to my adoption of the cross-trainers, jeans and solid-color T's. I also work on a mezzanine level, so at any time I run out of my office and sprint up the stairs to any of my 5 studios to help fix sound systems, deal with injuries, set up props, etc. There is no elevator access to my office.

In past years, while the rest of our admin staff has casual Friday, my ASM started "Fancy Friday" where we would dress up for the day. We did make a point to bring different shoes and alternate clothes in the case that we would be doing something dirty.

I'll say that my style is what it's always been, and sometimes, if it's a special day, like Dress Rehearsal or one of our 4 performances, I will wear makeup and heels - but never for rehearsal. Working with dancers, the makeup melts off just minutes into sitting in a studio, and the clothes ruined as soon as I start crawling on the floor cleaning up floor tape.