Messages

211

Employment / Re: Social media links on website

« on: Oct 25, 2014, 11:14 pm »

If you are using social media in a way that benefits your current productions and does not breach privacy then it could be a means of demonstrating your use of technology in communication.

However, this would have to be your only use for it. Production-related updates interspersed with what you had for dinner would not work.

212

Tools of the Trade / Re: Books Books Books

« on: Oct 22, 2014, 06:57 am »

The 3rd edition of Tom Kelly's book was the first to include mention of SMNetwork. (2nd edition came out in 1999, roughly a year before we were born.) I definitely agree with NJ.Jerry.

If you're looking for something a little more fluffy, try the Starship Troupers series by Christopher Stasheff. It's a relatively quick SF trilogy about a theatre troupe that hires a spaceship and goes interstellar to escape censorship on Earth.

213

Employment / Re: Production Assistants Needed

« on: Sep 30, 2014, 03:53 am »

A prior intern has provided a review for us: http://smnetwork.org/interns/company_profile.php?id=712

214

Introductions / Re: The Worst Questions

« on: Sep 26, 2014, 07:56 pm »

I've yet to figure out a succinct way of explaining what I do around here.

Me: "I run a community forum for stage managers."
Them: "For who?"
Me: [lengthy explanation]
Them: And there's a market for that?
Me: We have several thousand members.
Them: So you must be making a fortune off of that...
Me: Well.... erm...

Uncomfortable pause...

Me: Can we change the subject please?

215

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: FORMS: Prop tracking for a large show

« on: Sep 19, 2014, 09:59 pm »

New members who have lurked for a long time without registering often miss the Forms section as it isn't visible to unregistered people.

216

Self-Promotion / Re: Theatres That Have Opened - Easing the Emergency

« on: Sep 14, 2014, 11:46 pm »

Suspension of Disbelief, Drumheller, Alberta, 2013
The Ridiculous Project, Boston, MA, 2014
Songbird & Raven, Seattle, WA, 2014
The Dolphin's Back, London, England, 2014
One Fell Swoop, London, England, 2014
QuirkHouse TC, Bury St. Edmunds, Eng, 2014
Wolf Pack TC, Bowie MD, 2014
New Model, Plymouth, Eng, 2014
Drake's Drummers, Plymouth, Eng, 2014
5th Wall, Richmond, VA, 2014
Irish Youth Opera, Carlingford, Ireland, 2014
Byronic Women, NYC, 2014
Hypokrit TC, NYC, 2014
Ignite TC, Gloucester, Eng, 2014
Simply Theatre, Calgary, Alberta, 2014

217

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Sweeney Todd Rehearsal Dilemma

« on: Sep 08, 2014, 09:18 pm »

Move your rehearsal table depending on which scene you're doing.

218

The Green Room / Re: My favorite website, like, ever.

« on: Aug 29, 2014, 11:59 pm »

I dunno, I think if you're in the industry you have to like scheduling.

I actually mentioned the site you recommend back in Feb 2013.

In fact, since you're new... you might want to check that post out for an idea of how to suggest a link without doing a hardsell. We have to sell a lot of sketchy concepts to artists in this business so it's good you're practicing the technique. However, it's not really necessary to work quite so hard to get your point across around here.

Don't have much call to what my favorite tool-type site would be nowadays. It's been a while.

219

Tools of the Trade / Re: Laminators

« on: Aug 20, 2014, 04:48 am »

What situations do you find merit having a laminator available?

220

Self-Promotion / Re: Theatres That Have Opened - Easing the Emergency

« on: Aug 14, 2014, 09:24 pm »

Cracked Cup Theatre Co, London, England 2014
The Spirit of Maud Theatre Co, Norval, Ont, Canada 2014

221

The Green Room / Re: How to be a good stage manager?

« on: Aug 14, 2014, 04:16 pm »

It's a wiki, y'all. The last edit to that page was 8 days ago. This thread is 7 days old. Qwitcher[bleep]in and go fix it if you don't like it. The illustrations are lovely and the instructions are a good start for a community theatre SM who's been thrown into the position unprepared.

222

Self-Promotion / Re: Theatres That Have Opened - Easing the Emergency

« on: Aug 12, 2014, 09:28 pm »

Breakthru Youth Theatre Co, Pershore, England 2014
Cellar Door Project, Kingston, Ont, Canada 2014
The Enthusiasts Theatre Co, Chicago IL, 2014
High Country Theatre, Armidale, NSW, Aus, 2014
Kore Theater Project, NYC, 2014
Pitch me This Productions, Houston TX, 2014
Starbuck Theatre Co, Droitwich Spa, England, 2014
Two Ducks Theatre Co, Philadelphia PA, 2014

223

The Green Room / Tragedies and other space invaders

« on: Aug 11, 2014, 08:25 pm »

We are fortunate (most of us) that at this moment no major worldwide or nationwide tragedies are surrounding us. That makes this an OK time to discuss this topic, which has never really been broached here. (To any of you reading this right now from global hot spots, I'm sorry.)

In the era before cell phones there were days when I'd come out of a long rehearsal to find that major events had transpired while I was inside. These days it's almost impossible to maintain that era of isolation. Major events that affect the lives of your company will happen while you're in rehearsal, and the reactions to them - be it grief or joy - will be major sources of distraction from the work.

Some of our younger stage managers may have never had to deal with being in rehearsal when a major event happens - although for the younger folks even something like a traffic accident or someone asking someone else to prom can be an earth moving occurrence. On the other hand some of our more experienced folks can recall being in rehearsal or performance during more drastic situations - elections, award ceremonies, major sporting events, bombings, etc.

I can recall being in rehearsal when the E2 nightclub stampede occurred in 2003. Many of my cast members and the director had friends who frequented that particular club. The worry and frantic phone calls pretty much consumed the entire evening.

For those of you who have been at work when something like this went down, how did you respond? Did you try to keep running the room on schedule or let it go? Did you keep yourself together? How can you plan a reaction sequence for something like this happening?

224

The Hardline / Re: Meetings as rehearsal hours?

« on: Aug 09, 2014, 04:11 pm »

This director/MD team reads to me like newer creatives who either a) have not studied directing terribly much, b) are worried about not having enough rehearsal time, or c) all of the above.

When I was a wee baby thespian I learned that 99% of the director's work happens before first rehearsal. However, this is not something that should carry over to the rest of the cast IMHO. If warmups are required, it's work. If the actors have to be thinking in the mindset of their characters, it's work. (NB: Not official AEA definitions of "work" there.) This is not a company BBQ we're talking about here.

I'd say a call to your rep should be on your do list.

225

Self-Promotion / Re: Theatres That Have Opened - Easing the Emergency

« on: Aug 06, 2014, 03:23 pm »

I see a lot of theatre company kickstarters that never make it to opening a show. A lot of these listed here may be fringe or storefront groups. Community theatre can grow to be pro with support. In some towns community theatre is all they've got. Any company that starts producing work is a benefit to the industry imho.