Messages

196

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Multiple Rehearsals at same time.. HELP!

« on: Dec 05, 2007, 01:47 am »

When I started out to make the schedule for the show I am currently running, I used three colors of post-it notes and a couple of bulletin boards.  Staging was one color, music was another, and dance was a third.  On each post-it, I wrote the scene/song number, the actors involved, and the amount of time needed.  I moved the post-it notes around on a bulletin board coming up with the best combinations that maximized our time.  I then compiled my post-it notes into a master schedule (excel document).  This schedule was only available to the artistic team (the director, choreographer, music director, and myself).  We would adjust the schedule as necessary after each rehearsal once we knew better how fast the actors worked and how long things would really take.   If you would like to see a copy of my master schedule, please PM me; I'd be happy to share. 

As far as the actual rehearsals went, I was always in staging rehearsals with the director and my assistants were in music and dance rehearsals.  We would talk to each other via IM as our theatre has a wireless network.  We would then meet after rehearsals to compare notes and catch-up with one another.  And then there were times when we were all together. 

Hope this is helpful.  Let us know how it goes.

197

College and Graduate Studies / Re: BA/BFA

« on: Dec 04, 2007, 10:40 am »

It will vary by university.  I know that at my school the curriculum was almost identical for the BA and the BFA with the exception that those pursuing a BA were required to take two years of a foreign language.  I personally went the BFA route because languages are not my forte.  And I was able to take four more theatre classes since I wasn't having to take a foreign language. 

I recommend looking at each college your are considering as a whole package to see which one has an overall program that is most appealing to you as opposed to getting bogged down by BA vs. BFA.  That aspect should be a factor, but not necessarily the most important one, in my opinion. 

Best of luck in your college search; please keep us posted on where you decide to go. 

198

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Calling attention

« on: Oct 29, 2007, 04:46 pm »

I second what Scott says about taking a voice class in college.  My voice teacher was so pleased to have an SM taking the class.  I was once SMing a show where she was the vocal coach, and she took a few minutes to help me support from the right places so that I could project and not strain my voice.  I've used what she taught me ever since and have had no trouble commanding the attention of a large group of people. 

However, in your situation, I would suggest having the director reiterate that you are in a position of authority as the SM and that when you speak it is important that they listen.  You could also work with him/her to come up with some sort of clap that you do and every one else responds with (I'm thinking back to something I did in camp).  If that's the established sign to be quiet, even a few people seeing you do it and then responding with clapping or snapping or making funny noises or whatever routine you come up with will bring the focus to you. 

Good luck!!  Be sure to let us know what ends up working for you. 

199

The Hardline / Re: COST Contract questions

« on: Oct 23, 2007, 08:50 am »

If you are being provided housing by the theatre and that housing contains kitchen facilities, then the theatre is not required to pay per diem. 

200

The Hardline / Re: COST Contract questions

« on: Oct 19, 2007, 07:31 pm »

I was the Company Manager for a theatre on a COST contract and am now an AEA SM there; we provide housing at no cost to the actor.   

However, I looked in my rulebook, and according to rule 29(A)(3) (and I'm paraphrasing; see page 33 of the rulebook), for a non-touring production the producer may either pay per diem as specified in rule 49 and have the actor pay for housing in accordance with rule 29(A)(2) or provide housing.   I'd be interested to know what you find out from your email to Equity. 

If you have any other questions about the COST contract, please feel free to PM me.  I've become pretty familiar with it from a producer's and a stage manager's point of view. 

201

The Hardline / Re: List of equity theatres

« on: Oct 17, 2007, 07:55 am »

Non-AEA members can look at the list of EMC participating theatres by going here.  Though not a complete list of all AEA theatres, it does include a large number of theatres along with their address and contract type. 

202

The Hardline / Re: Deputy Weekly Record

« on: Oct 16, 2007, 08:19 pm »

Your deputy should write down which category (principal, singer, dancer) he/she was elected to represent and is creating the report for. 

203

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Does anyone have a template for wallet cards?

« on: Oct 05, 2007, 12:23 pm »

On the front of my cards, I usually put the theatre's address, phone number, box office number, fax number, SM numbers, CM number, and rehearsal hotline.  On the back I put the performance schedule (though this can be a bit tricky if it's a long run). 

In addition to wallet cards for the cast, I like to do an SM only wallet card that has the phone numbers of the entire cast and crew on it.  It's much handier than carrying the contact sheet around with me at all times. 

204

Articles from the Old Site / Re: So...do ya think you're theatre is haunted?

« on: Sep 25, 2007, 06:11 pm »

The theatre at my alma mater has a ghost.  The legend says that years ago, the playwright-in-residence died in the theatre during a dress rehearsal for his new show.  He's haunted the theatre ever since.  During the run of Chicago, my board ops and I would hear someone walking in the hallway behind the booth, but we'd turn around and no one was there.  I decided he just liked watching the show and wanted a balcony view!! 

205

Employment / Re: From the other side of the resume (low key rant - personal advice)

« on: Sep 22, 2007, 10:12 am »

What wonderful advice!  Thanks so much for this post. 

206

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Is there a right and worng way to call cues????

« on: Sep 13, 2007, 12:48 pm »

Basically, as long as you are calling your cues in a clear, concise manner that your operators understand and the cues are executed at the right times, then there really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to call them.  Each SM adopts his/her own style as they discover what works best. 

Here are a couple of existing threads you might want to check out related to this topic: 

Calling Cues
Calling a warning for a cue
Lights? Electrics? Elex?

Best of luck to you as you make the transition from college to the professional theatre world!!

207

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Prompt Book

« on: Sep 12, 2007, 07:58 am »

I would check out this thread on Books and Tabs.  It has examples of how different people organize their prompt books. 

Best of luck to you!!

208

Tools of the Trade / Re: Cleaning Plexiglass Mirrors

« on: Sep 09, 2007, 09:33 pm »

On my last show, we used windshield wiper fluid with a squeegee and had pretty good results.  The crew had the windshield wiper fluid in a spray bottle and would spray it on the plexi then carefully go over the plexi with a squeegee.  They had a soft rag to touch-up the particularly troublesome spots. 

Best of luck to you.  Be sure to let us know what you find works best for you. 

209

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Emergency Contact/Medical Info forms for Students

« on: Sep 09, 2007, 02:47 pm »

I concur with the others that you should definitely proceed with caution and let your faculty advisor be the one to collect the info in accordance to school policies.  That being said, here is the young actor medical form that my theatre uses.  It's more extensive than our actor medical form as it includes places for parents names, additional people to contact in case of emergency, and authorization from the parents for the theatre to take measures deemed medically necessary, including taking the child to the ER if unable to contact the parents.  Hope you find this helpful as you create your own form. 

210

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Advice for the "advisor"

« on: Aug 23, 2007, 08:43 am »

When it comes to writing a list of guidelines or a handbook for the SMs of your university, you will definitely want to get the approval of the staff before distribution.  Whether it is the TD, the head of the technical theatre department, or the head of the theatre department, you will save yourself a lot of trouble if someone on staff reads it to ensure that all of the rules you think exist really do exist.  There's often quite a bit of bureaucratic red tape associated with universities, and you don't want to get yourself in a legal situation down the line for implementing a set of rules that were never signed off on by someone on staff (not trying to scare you as I don't think it would come to this, but better to be safe than sorry). 

Depending on what exactly your advisor is asking you to do, it may be better to set you up as a "mentor" as opposed to an authority figure.   You could have a meeting of all of the SMs at the beginning of the semester, and have the TD/SM advisor introduce you as such.  This way, you can assist and advise the new SMs and the SMs who have already been in the program won't feel you are encroaching on their style too much.  He may even want to acknowledge that the new SMs could talk to the other existing SMs too if you aren't available.  In this case, he may want to set you up as the "senior SM mentor" (or something similar). 

If there are universal rules/guidelines that all SMs at your university must follow, then the SMs who have already been in the program should follow them too.  This is another reason that it will be important to have the guidelines signed off on by a staff member.  The SMs could argue with and/or dismiss you, but it becomes harder when it's a department head you're arguing with. 

Best of luck to you!!