Messages

196

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Response to "calling a show by feel" from "things you would never hear..."

« on: Jan 20, 2007, 09:58 am »

The flip-side of calling by feel...

I had made it through opening night of an opera that was not the very best experience bringing to the stage. The audience was tepid, old, and glued to their seats. The performance went well, and cast took one curtain call to polite applause. Before I could stop myself, I called the final sequence and took the curtain in. It wasn't a huge gaffe, but I realized right after the words came out of my mouth and the lights began to change, that I really called that too early because I couldn't wait for it to be over. The cast and director never said anything, but I am sure they could have taken another bow. I mean, no one was going to start throwing roses or anything, but... Oops.

197

Employment / Re: Follow Up Thank-You Letters

« on: Jan 20, 2007, 09:45 am »

You should definitely also include your updated resume, prominently calling attention to any new and upcoming engagements, in these letters. It goes the extra mile to complete the self-promotion package and show that you are busy and always taking on new projects. You don't need to go on and on about your resume - that's tacky and insincere when couched in a thank-you note like this. In fact, you might not mention it at all in the note, but just enclose it in the envelope.

But second, there's something in your post that seems a little odd to me. Are companies mailing payment after the show closes? In every professional show I've ever done, I walk out the door after load-out with a check in my hand. When someone says "I'll mail it to you" I say "No, I'll take it now, thanks." Because otherwise, I never get a check. It is entirely standard to receive your full payment immediately upon closing the show. I do understand that sometimes smaller theatres say they'll mail checks; they've tried to say it to me. But it's always, always in my contract that I am paid in full when I walk out the door for the last time. I don't mean to be a Cassandra, but I would really encourage you to take up this practice, because if you haven't been burned yet, you will be one day.

198

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: marijuana and theatre

« on: Jan 19, 2007, 05:48 pm »

No drugs in the theatre. Period.
I totally agree that what you do in your own time is your own business.

But be it booze, pot, coke, or anything more colorful, it will affect your work performance and the safety of your colleagues. And the important word here is SAFETY. Coke will not help make a load-out go faster. Pot will not make the sound board operator come up with a brilliant new mix. The alcoholic choreographer is not more graceful when her iced tea is heavily laced with vodka. Drugs [in the workplace] are bad, m'kay?

I have been in many student, community, and professional theatres where this issue has come up. While always being clear that I will not tolerate drug use, possession, or intoxication in the workplace, I do not kick and scream about it in general. (Sort of how when parents kick and scream the kid only gets more curious about drugs and other mischief...) If someone is identifiably under the influence, they are fired. If I smell something fishy, I grab the TD and/or house SM if it regards crew (who usually knows exactly what's going on, whether or not s/he is involved), or the director or Artistic Director if it's the cast, and request that the smell be erased and all crew informed that drug use or possession in the workplace will result in immediate termination. Be professional. Draw the hard line. And you'll be respected for it because you're keeping everyone SAFE.

A true story form a professional IATSE house... most of the crew were out in the theatre alley smoking a joint at intermission. The cops came and arrested them. When we came back from intermission, we didn't have enough crew to make the scene changes in Act II. Besides **SAFETY**, this is one example how drugs can wreak havoc on your theatre.

If you need to know more about how to identify people who might be under the influence (because you'd better be 150%+ sure before you fire them), check out www.erowid.org, where you'll find encyclopedic listings of effects, behavior, tolerance, smell/taste, and all sorts of other things about nearly every drug ever, complete with personal experience posts that can be informative, amusing, and sometimes downright scary. And if you do need to dismiss someone while they're under the influence, be sure to have some big guys around, and let them know what's about to happen (but don't be unnecessarily intimidating, just make sure they're in the room). Usually, it will pass without incident. But sometimes, people on drugs can get very angry and strong and scary when you do things like fire them.

199

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: help with "real" stage management

« on: Jan 19, 2007, 02:07 pm »

what I'm asking is what I'll learn in college

Maybe. But truly, you'll learn it by doing exactly what you're about to do - diving in head-first.

You took the jobs because you thought you could do it, and it sounded like fun, right?
Well you CAN do it, and it WILL be fun. It sounds to me like you're having a "what-have-I-gotten-myself-into" moment. And that's totally understandable. But I would wager that over half the SMs on this site began the same way you are, and without anyone to hold our hand either. Just keep your confidence up! Aside from all the overstocked SM kits and fancy paperwork, you really just need to be ready to solve any problem as it arises and do whatever it takes to get a successful show onstage. Hopefully, you can keep the cast and crew happy and enthusiastic in the meantime. Read around this site for plenty of tips and instructions - and definitely get the Kelly book! Then walk confidently into the first rehearsal and know that you can handle this.

Now, is the real problem that you're trying to do too many shows at once? There are posts on this network for that, too.

200

Employment / Re: more about resumes

« on: Jan 19, 2007, 01:58 pm »

Hi Sheep -

Definitely check out the resume browser here on this site. You'll find a wide variety of SMs with experience ranging from the novice to the seasoned professional. Certainly you'll find some styles and ideas that will work for your new resume.

Sometimes students and recent grads feel that their biggest challege is just filling the page. You might want to create categories like "Theatrical skills" where you include sewing, carpentry, painting, truck-driving abilities, or even combat training (and bullet points can happily take up a bit of space in this list). If you're light on show experience but have taken lots of classes, you can certainly list your theatrical courses (like, "Intermediate set drafting, College Name, Fall 2005. Professor: Jane Doe"). You might include an objective at the top of your resume to identify your professional stage management goals, because your resume might not yet scream "stage manager" so much as "theatre student." Certainly list any acting, television, or film projects you might have worked on as well - these fields are closely related enough to be interesting on a resume.

Remember that a theatrical resume is different from an office resume. You don't need to focus so much on "real" jobs - in fact, you can leave that summer desk job off your SM resume if you want. I'd rather see a student resume that gives me lots of info on their theatrical skills and abilities, rather than one that obligingly lists all the "normal" stats like all those summer jobs we take between theatre classes.

See you around the site!

201

Employment / Re: Pros and Cons of Equity/unions

« on: Jan 10, 2007, 09:20 pm »

Ok, here's my two cents...

Unions are complicated. In many ways they do achieve what they were founded to accomplish: to protect and support the rights of their members. Unions are mostly protective organizations. They protect the rights, safety, creativity, and finances of their members. Because of this, a union often is perceived to protect its weakest members most effectively. That stagehand who's been in IATSE for 50 years, but doesn't have good strength left to pull a rope - his rights to continue working in his chosen profession are guaranteed. On the other hand, union regulations balance the diva performers who believe that things like call times don't apply to them. It works both ways - unions protect the original creative work (demanding that actors don't change script lines on a whim), the onstage and backstage talent (in terms of physical safety and fair wages), and the producing organization (by setting clear and mutually agreed guidelines by which any complaint/incident can be measured).

Since generally only larger companies use unions, they cannot prevent the local community theatre tyrant Artistic Director from holding 16-hour long rehearsals. Most people starting out in an industry will have to spend some time "paying dues" by long hours for pitiful pay before they actually Pay Dues to the Union for protection from such practices. On the other hand, because the larger, more influential companies are usually unionized, they do set an effective industry standard. But with this oversight and protection comes bureaucracy, paperwork, accounting, and other pesky things not directly involving the onstage performances.

To join or not to join, in my estimation, depends on your career goals. If you're going to be an SM forever, you might eventually want things like health care and a retirement plan. A union will help you reach those goals, and you won't have to take a part time gig at Starbucks to achieve them. If you're not a career SM and you just love pouring your heart into the local theatre after your 9-to-5, and you can't imagine any oversight organization telling you that you couldn't hold tech sessions till 4am without sending your beloved company belly-up, then a union is not for you. If you don't see yourself SMing for life and want to keep your options open as you gig, maybe a union is not for you. If you're not sure where you'll be in 10 years, but today you want to be the best SM doing the best shows at the best theatres, you might want to join a union no only to enhance your professionalism but also to increase your employability at higher levels. Then again, you might not.

Me: I'm not a union member and never have been. But I am trying to guide my career towards upper management in opera. I see my ultimate place as being in the Board Room and behind an office desk. (Never thought I'd say that!) I have worked closely with many performing arts unions, including IATSE, AGMA, AEA, USA, and AFM. I issue AGMA contracts in my current job, and have actively planned and participated in IATSE and AFM negotiations in past positions. I'm something of a Democratic-Socialist, so I fully support the existence and goals of union organizations just because of personal philosophy. They do put certain demands on business, but they are not bad business. And if any of this ridiculously long post is useful to you, you can certainly quote me - PM me if you'd like more info on the issue or my opinionated self.

202

Employment / Re: Serving on a Board of Directors and Stage Managing for the Same Company?

« on: Jan 10, 2007, 09:52 am »

Any donation to a 501(c)3 is tax deductible. (But note: you must itemize your deductions to take advantage of this. If you don't make many donations each year, it's probably not worth it.) So, yes, I could claim things like this on my taxes.

But aside from my personal taxes, I wouldn't exactly work "for free" for any company because it was important for them to set aside an SM fee in their budget. If the SM wasn't someone on whom they could count to hand back the fee, they would indeed be paying out money. As a business leader in the theatre, I'd rather see a balanced budget (spend $500 in SM fee and make $500 in donations) and then improve that budget by getting a "surprise" $500 donation (=$500 in SM expense and $1K in donations). This is a healthier business practice. It is also important to show "real" expenses when submitting company budgets for funding, like grant applications. This could lead to a win-win-win situation: get a $500 grant to cover SM fees for a show, pay $500 in SM expenses, get $500 normal donations, and then get the $500 SM fee donated back = net $1000 for the company.

203

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Line Notes?

« on: Jan 09, 2007, 05:25 pm »

Line notes are not blocking.
Blocking is the notation of onstage movement by performers.

Line notes are sheets recorded by stage management and given to the performers after rehearsal/performance like a "homework worksheet." Each error an actor makes (skipping lines, substituting words, stepping on another actor's line, etc etc) is carefully recorded by the SMs and given to the performer so that they can correct their mistakes. There are several debates in various forums here regarding the formatting and distribution of line notes. You can also find some forms in the "uploaded forms" section.

204

Employment / Re: Serving on a Board of Directors and Stage Managing for the Same Company?

« on: Jan 08, 2007, 11:06 pm »

The only issue that has come up for me when I've been involved with the Board of a company I have also gigged for is the question of payment. As a Board member, I strongly believe that it is my job to raise money and save money for the company. Not only do I participate in the administrative and artistic oversight of the company, but I actively solicit donations and scrutinize the budget. The bottom line is the bottom line. Whenever I have been involved in the Board or upper management of a small theatre like the one you are with, I have donated all my SM fees right back to the company, whether or not I paid dues as a Board member. Honestly, the SM fee was so small it was worth more to this poverty-ridden company than it was to me. For some reason, this seemed like a big deal to me and was an issue on which I just couldn't compromise. Other people might see it a different way. But it might be something to think about as you decide whether to adopt these dual roles in the company.

205

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

« on: Jan 07, 2007, 12:13 pm »

I dress based on the work I will be doing. For most basic rehearsals, I look nice - slacks and a good shirt that I can still haul tables in. I wear makeup and only out-of-the-way jewelry. Jeans are ok if they look nice, but they're never my first choice. I often wear blazers or suit jackets with my outfits - you can take them off when you're doing a set change or something, but it really polishes a look that might otherwise have been just a shirt and pants. For meetings and big days like when I'm greeting the cast for the first time, I might wear a suit, or extra-nice pants and a lovely shirt with pretty shoes (that are still silent and durable). For opening night, I wear a woman's tux. Sometimes with fishnets and a fedora. Oh yes, I do! And while I have hung lamps in stilettos, I usually wear jeans, t-shirts, and boots for serious tech days (load-in, load-out, etc.). On these days I do not really look nice, I look like I have tech work to do. Hair is always pulled back. I only wear black anymore on tech rehearsals and performance calls.

As for what NOT to wear, I rarely wear skirts just because you never know when you might have to crawl under a platform to retrieve a prop or something.
I rarely wear heels because I can't run as fast in them. I never wear any jewelry that makes noise. I never show bra straps or wear tank tops (sleeveless shirts are ok). Never ever ever wear flip-flops or sandals. Never wear perfume or otherwise stink.

I totally share Meg's impression that this advice was not exactly given in the most gentle and helpful manner. Just an impression... Maybe this professor is trying to tell you something else. Maybe they're frustrated with you for reasons unknown but they're choosing to express it by criticizing your appearance. The fact of the matter is, I can't see your rehearsal dress keeping you from getting a job. If you look well in interviews - that's the big part. No director is giong to say "Jane did a fabulous job calling the show and running rehearsals. But she could have worn better loafers."

holy jeans should probably be used with caution

...and with the blessing of your local priest.

206

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: LX Plotting structure

« on: Jan 07, 2007, 11:46 am »

In many situations where the actors are union (ie, would need to be paid for the hours they spend at the theatre during lighting work), theatres bring in volunteer "light walkers" who just move around the stage in the places the actors would be while the LD, SM, and director do their lighting plot. It is very tedious for the light walkers because they are totally passive and don't know where they're going or what they're doing - they just walk left when you tell them to walk left. But if you can find nice, patient people who are excited about being onstage under lights (however un-glamorous the situation), it can be a pretty painless way to get lighting work done. In this situation, you can get your basic lighting done without tiring the actors, and the LD can refine lighting for specific moments with the real actors during tech rehearsals.

Do be sure to warn the light walkers that they should not wear black or white, and make sure they know that they could be standing on their feet for hours at a time. In these tech sessions, by the way, the PSM is usually at the ready to talk through the blocking with the light walker, but you sit next to the director (who decides what scenes to move to) and the LD (who talks through calling the cues with you) so that you don't need to actually be on the stage. We usually give the light walkers a couple of comp tickets and a big thank you.

207

Homework Help / Re: Help with a research paper

« on: Jan 07, 2007, 11:38 am »

Every university theatre program is different, and every professional theatre is different. For the most part, academic theatre and professional theatre are worlds apart.

But if you go from your theatre club to a community theatre (non-union), you might find that things aren't all that different. People are still costuming the show from their closets and the local halloween store, you might still work 12-hour shifts, and there might still be a lot of MacGyver theatrecraft going on ("if we bolt some PVC pipes together as a frame and used a trash bag, George could pull a string and the snow would drop..."). The doing-it-for-the-love attitude most students adopt goes a long way in community theatre where without funding or professional resources, love is often the only thing that brings a successful show to the stage. On the other hand, you might find that your theatre department had a lot of luxuries - a prop storage, costume stock, rehearsal space availability - that you won't find as easily (or cheaply) in the real world.

Unions change everything. Not better or worse, just different. It depends on your style of SMing and your personal goals, etc, whether union regulations feel liberating and validating or stifling and frustrating. I felt, as KC did, a new level of respect and awareness from the other company members when I entered the professional arena of SMing. I felt like people finally understood that I was here to do a lot more than bug them about call times. However, working with unions means that you can't do some of the things you did in academia. For example, in an IA house you can't run onstage and move props/furniture. The first time most SMs coming from an non-union world encounter this, it throws them for a loop; It feels like you can't have the get-it-done attitude you had before. If you were a workaholic-style SM where your theatre valued you because you would prop the show, check the dimmers, and mend the costumes in addition to calling the show each night, you might feel like half your job was just taken away. But really your emphasis is just more concentrated. Now you can pour all your energy into SMing and do that job better than ever.

This could turn into a pretty long paper for you, because there are so many differences, and yet no two theatres or academic programs are the same. Everyone's personal experience will be different - including your own. You might want to see if you can meet some local professioanl PSMs on site and talk about their typical duties. There are so many subtleties you might never have thought about. Even after writing an A+ paper, the real answers to your questions will only come once you yourself have transitioned from academia to the professional world. Best of luck (on your paper and all the rest)!!

208

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Who runs your production meetings?

« on: Jan 07, 2007, 11:06 am »

I agree with most folks - the PM generally runs production meetings. But I've seen situations where the PSM, TD, or even the Artistic Director runs the meetings. Usually I ask either the PM or Art.Dir. before the meeting begins to be sure of who is going to run the meeting. I also ask whether minutes will be taken and how they will be distributed. (I was blind-sided once when I was told after the meeting that they expected the PSM to take the minutes and distribute them to production departments.) I've had PMs tell me specifically that they do not like to run the meetings and that they ask the PSM to do this. I'm fine with this, just as long as the PM brings me up to speed before the meeting and then actually attends the meeting and does their job of following up on issues discussed around the tech table.

Regardless of whether I'm running the meeting or not, I am always ready with a list of questions and issues to keep the discussion moving along. I'm usually the one who stops the chit chat and reminiscing ("remeber the last time we built a turntable and Jerry fell off and...") and keeps the meeting moving along as efficiently as possible.

209

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Another difference doing opera...

« on: Jan 07, 2007, 10:56 am »

Having just moved from Cowlumbus to DC, this conversation is very timely for me!
In Ohio, I was the "weird" one who actually went to the gym, was a vegetarian (always caused a mentdown when we went out to eat in groups, even though it's not really a big deal and I can always eat something on the menu these days), and avoided the piles of cookies backstage because they truly zap my energy and aren't all that tasty anyway. I used to do standing yoga poses between que sequences backstage, and the stagehands would totally make fun of me.
Now I'm just another person trying to work out, eat well, and stay healthy.

But - marcie, I feel you, girl! - I haven't met many people here yet and spend a lot of time playing on my laptop in the corner of the couch. I can only spend so much time at the gym before my new husband feels neglected. (He, by the way, is not a gym-goer, sits at his computer - he's a writer - about 10-hours each day, eats cheesecake for breakfast and never gains a pound!) I haven't found balance here, and I know it'll just take some time.

210

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Another difference doing opera...

« on: Jan 05, 2007, 12:54 pm »

Well, opera singers are certainly not dancers.
An opera singer's lunch is more likely to be a cheeseburger and soda rather than a diet coke and a cigarette.

But they are famous hypocondriacs and are constantly going nuts about vocal health. I find that more and more singers are hyper about being healthy. When I had to book their hotels (a few jobs ago), many asked about gyms and nearby health food stores. They do work out and eat well, but they do it like normal people, where "talking a walk" might be more like window shopping instead of power-walking. And they sure do love their wine! But the "fat lady" days are over for sure. Just look at all the to-do about Deborah Voight and the current love-fest for the trim and sexy Anna Netrebko.

On one of my SM gigs, the stage managers all got together for lunch break yoga sessions. While the singers hit the Mexican joint down the street, we'd pack our lunch and use my laptop to play a yoga DVD. It was quality bonding and de-stressing time.

No water in an opera rehearsal hall? That's amazing - usually the singers are constantly sipping water bottles (and sometimes I've worked places where the company provides a watterbottle-coffee-tea spread at all times in the rehearsal hall).