Messages

2086

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Clarification

« on: Jun 02, 2006, 05:29 pm »

I don't actually call from my computer.

I just type out the calling script and print it out from the computer.

There are some SM's who do call - - - but I would be to terrified of power going out, the computer shutting down, or getting bored, and starting to play solitaire.

2087

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / speaking up again for the computer version

« on: May 28, 2006, 09:45 pm »

Again, I don't tech on the computer . . . I still tech with a script, a pencil and ruler.  But, at the end I put in in the computer.

I typically do shows that run up to ten weeks.
I do very technically complex shows.
I normally I have to pass the show off to someone else to call.
Every show I do has a possibility of future life (either a transfer or a future remount).

I do it for the clarity of the calling script, I call a better show from a typed calling script.  Plus, I have a back up of my calling script. I am not sure how many stage managers have a copy of their calling script.

2088

The Hardline / The expectation

« on: May 26, 2006, 04:25 pm »

When I come in on Tuesday morning, I will try and reach anyone not needed at the top of day.

I think taking 15 minutes of my day on my day off to record the call and save all the trauma of calling people Tuesday morning is better use of real time.  I would bill an hour of overtime for that.

Yes, I know the rule is time off is time off, but sometimes a little hit for the greater good is what is best.  Where do I draw the line?  I know where to draw the line; you feel it.  This is not a major issue.

2089

The Hardline / The expectation

« on: May 26, 2006, 04:16 pm »

When I come in on Tuesday morning, I will try and reach anyone not needed at the top of day.

I think taking 15 minutes of my day on my day off to record the call and save all the trauma of calling people Tuesday morning is better use of real time.  I would bill an hour of overtime for that.

Yes, I know the rule is time off is time off, but sometimes a little hit for the greater good is what is best.  Where do I draw the line?  I know where to draw the line; you feel it.  This is not a major issue.

2090

The Hardline / Working on a Day off

« on: May 25, 2006, 06:47 pm »

I will work on my day off if they offer to pay me.

Usually, for working 1-3 hours I will charge Time and Half-Overtime, anything over three hours I will bill the full day rate.

I also have a large enough staff, then if I know I need to work Monday (which I did this week), I took off the Sunday before.  I know, I know - I am supposed to have a day off between Monday and Sunday, but it's the spirit of the law.

I do draw the line though at working two days off in a row . . . I need a complete day off every two weeks.  But to be honest, sometimes the extra $300.00 for coming it makes life a little nicer.

But that is my party line.

- Matthew Shiner
(Note:  I am also a resident production stage manager, so I feel like as a staff member I have to take some additional working on a days off everyonce in awhile)

2091

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / stoping shows

« on: May 22, 2006, 10:44 pm »

1) Early in my career I had a light board go out.

2) I stopped a performance of Mice and Men due to the fact the light board crashed.

3) I have had to stop about 12 performances due to fire alarms.

4) I have had to stop about three shows do to automation stopping.

5) I had to stop and cancel a performance of Othello (right after Othello smothered Desdemona) due to an enermous leak on stage that was deafening, dangerous and just annoying.  We could not finish the last 15 minutes.

6) Had a production in a 4000 seat ampitheare stop due to a black out.  Could not continue.

(Here's a little piece of advice, if you have to stop a show and can not continue, do eveything in you power to do a qucik curtain call.  Everyone will appreciate it.)

7) I had to stop a show due to an actor breaking his leg backstage.  M(late to an entrance, tried to run.  Bad idea)

8)Had to stop a show I was ASMing because an irrate patron was yelling for house management . . . an actor stopped the show.

9) Had to stop a musical I was working on when the sound board crash 30 bars into the show.

It is interesting, once you do stop a show in you career it becomes a game to try to see how far you can go in a bad situation before stopping.  But sadly, on complicated shows, there are times when you need to halt.

2092

Employment / good question

« on: May 22, 2006, 10:39 pm »

I would either list as PA if there was an equity asm above you, or perhaps non-equity asm.

It's a fine line.

2093

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / equity

« on: May 22, 2006, 04:09 pm »

yeah, it's a little quirk in the contract.

at a theatre I worked at the did blood wedding, and for two weekends, they did the show in Spanish, but it had to be a different contract.

2094

The Hardline / call

« on: May 22, 2006, 04:06 pm »

I had this happen to me in rehearsal.

I recorded the span of day with all called, asked them to call back and the re-recorded the call.

The thing is you need to give the actors 12 hour notice, and I was was under the impression that the day off doesn't count . . . for example, if you have rehearsal starting at 12:00n on Tuesday, you would need to give notice of the span of day 12:00m on Sunday.

It's always sticky to turn to a director and go, no, i am not going to deal with this on my day off.  I have never said that, but I do know it's in my right.

2095

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / AMEN!!!

« on: May 18, 2006, 08:33 pm »

and if it's an easy show, LET it be an easy show and enjoy it.

AMEN!

2096

SMNetwork Archives / My Concern of Wiki

« on: May 17, 2006, 09:36 pm »

My concern over a Wiki . . .

even the simpliest question like "How do I lay out a daily" call would warrant  like 12 answers, and the editing on top of each other I think can only lead to confusion.  I think a Wiki can better be suited for more factual information, rather then questions of style.

I think some sort of system where various answers to a specific question can be posted by different people.

Stage Management is not a black and white job - everything is chalked up to a personal style and your own opinion.  And with this site geared for everyone from beginngers to season pros, sometimes you will find the same questions can warrant different answers (How you stage manage in college can be very different then a major regional theatre.)

That's my 2 cents.  I am excitede about the Wiki idea, but ultimately think it might not be the exact right technology.

2097

Employment / how long do you wait for a response?

« on: May 15, 2006, 10:06 am »

i'm sorry - but i don't buy the "it's so hard to be the bearer of bad news" excuse.

how easy is this:

Dear Candidate:

Thank you for your interest in the X organization. This message is to let you know that we have filled that position and will keep your information on file for X amount of time. Best of luck to you.

Sincerely,

Interviewer

Okay, now do that 200 times - there are times when notifying canidates is not an option, especially with unsolicited resumes.

2098

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Paperwork

« on: May 14, 2006, 12:46 pm »

Like all paperwork, you have to weight the pros and cons for the amount of work versus what you get out it.

I find that sometimes SM's put a lot more time into something versus what they get out.

I will often have someone on my team doing a Scene by Scene breakdown of the show, but it's only really useful to start something like this in staging - at least on classical shows where details depend on the concept more then the script (compare a prop list from a Shakespeare play on opening night versus the props mentioned in the script - they often have nothing in common

2099

Employment / follow-up

« on: May 13, 2006, 10:57 pm »

To back up Jess, I have no problem getting an e-mail follow-up from someone who applied.  I think it shows a strong interest in the position.

2100

Employment / Flipside

« on: May 09, 2006, 10:04 pm »

Its very frustrating to send out 30 resumes and get 1 response, the only thing I can say in anyone's defense is that sometimes was a job posting, you can get 40-100 responses, it's sometimes hard to respond to everyone personally.  It's just the nature of the busiess.