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Messages - ScooterSM

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211
Employment / Re: Moving for a Career
« on: May 24, 2009, 04:29 pm »
Thank you for (another) very interesting discussion topic!

I have moved a couple times for work, but have always been lucky enough to have a job before I have had to move.  Having also be able to work with resident companies has been able to allow me to stay in a particular city as long as I have still enjoyed the work.

I really admire people who are willing to relocate without specific employment for the possibility of better opportunities.  It seems like this business does feel like the you succeed partially based on the opportunities you create for yourself, and making the choice to be open to the risk for the chance of something amazing happening is both fascinating and terrifying...

212
Employment / Re: Share your special skills
« on: Apr 14, 2009, 10:52 am »
I have taught many an actor how to safely and realistically hold and fire prop weapons.  (Of course this is after the fairly long and intense safety lecture...)

A more abstract skill/training that I use everyday is from my work in a psychiatric hospital when I was in college, where I learned conflict resolution, how to diffuse a crisis situation, and how to work with people of many different personality types.  It always gets a laugh when I mention it in interviews, but it is something that really made me a better SM.

213
The first thing that I would recommend is really researching the organization.  DCPA is an umbrella organization that covers a couple of producing arms.  One is Denver Center Attractions, which primarily handles tours but does occasionally produce shows (typically long running like Always, Patsy Cline shows like that), the other is the Denver Center Theatre Company, which is a LORT theatre with 4 spaces that are used in their rep season.  One big difference is DCA is geared more towards commercial work and DCTC produces a mixture of classics, new work, and some old standbys, primarily plays.

The AEA stage managers who are at DCTC have been there for quite some time, but many of us who worked as ASM's have gone on to other great work.  Most of us have gone on to working in other regional theatres or a similar level.  As a side note, I learned almost everything I know about stage management from the SM's here.  They are incredibly talented and have a huge amount of experience, and have been willing to share that knowledge with interns and ASM's as they come through.

DCTC has a great internship program, and is worth looking into if you are really interested in working there.  It is a lot of work for little or no money, but the experience and on the job training you get are priceless.

SSM :-)

214
Stage Management: Other / Re: Things to look for in opera
« on: Apr 08, 2009, 11:29 am »
Although not exactly a SM thing, one thing to watch out for in Xerxes is that there are several women who play men (roles originally written for castrati) and a woman who dresses up as a man for a disguise.  I just closed a production of this show and keeping all of the calls, fittings, etc straight were particularly difficult because of the conflicting pronouns.  We couldn't say "All women" or "All men" because it wasn't clear who we were actually talking about.
A more SM related issue is that score is set up in ABA or da capo style, meaning that the singer sings the A section, then the B section, and then repeats the A section from either the top (da capo) or a marked place in the score (del segno).  This means either having to flip back the score a few pages for the second A section (or A prime) or photocopying those pages so you only have one set of cues/blocking on each section.

I hope it goes well!

215
I have in the past (in a space owned by my organization) used Plaid brand dimensional fabric paint to mark out the floor in a rehearsal space that is shared with dancers.  The paint doesn't get pulled up by the pointe shoes, but comes off of the Marley with some Simple Green cleaner and a plastic scrubber (like you would use in the shower).  It did not damage our floor, and I have painted and removed several different sets in the same space.  It typically takes about 12 hrs for a complete set to dry.  We did paint dance numbers in the same room and it dried in a couple hours.

If you try this PLEASE TEST it several times on a scrape of your specific flooring to make sure it won't damage the floor in anyway BEFORE you go for the whole set.

216
One thing to check in making your decision is whether there has been a "state of emergency" declared.  This decision is usually made by the governor, and is different than a "snow emergency".  If there is a state of emergency, it is against the law to be on the roads except for emergencies unless you are a first responder (or sometimes goverment worker, depending on the state).
If this is the case in ND or MN, the school cannot legally ask anyone who doesn't live on campus to be at rehearsal.  This also means that your grade can't be affected by not going to rehearsal.
As for whether you should try to go anyway, there are several different factors to consider.  Your personal safety is first and foremost.  No show or grade is worth your safety.  The wellbeing of your colleagues (cast/crew/etc) is also something to think about.  As a student, you won't have a lot of success telling a department head what he should or shouldn't do, but you can give him factual information that may help him make a good decision.  Info like how many hours it will take to restage scenes with anyone who couldn't attend the first time, the weather forecast for more snow/rain, what the city and state goverments are recommending for peoples safety, who would or would not be available (performers/choreographer/crew) if he did choose to have rehearsals without you.
If you give him this info and he still chooses to have rehearsal, trust your judgement.  Although we frequently feel the opposite, the world will not end if we don't make it to rehearsal, especially in times of emergency.  Document your conversations and your reasons for not being able to be there, know that you will probably have to work twice as hard when you return, and be available as much as possible by phone or email.  That is the most you can do.  Theatre has survived fires, floods, earthquakes, and every other natural disaster possible, and it is not worth you putting yourself in danger.  Think of it as "the show will go on" versus "the show must go on".

Good luck with this very difficult decision! (and welcome to the boards!)

SSM

217
SMNetwork Archives / Re: 1880s Prompt Books Online
« on: Mar 28, 2009, 11:54 pm »
These are really amazing!  It made me feel very connected to the idea that SM'ing is a craft handed down from master to apprentice throughout history, and although there have been many changes, there are many things that have stayed the same...

218
Tools of the Trade / Re: Oops! I didn't mean to send that.
« on: Mar 28, 2009, 11:49 pm »
True, thank you!  I should have been more specific about it only recalling messages sent internally.

219
Tools of the Trade / Re: Oops! I didn't mean to send that.
« on: Mar 28, 2009, 09:48 am »
Outlook also has a "recall message" feature, which has been a life saver more than once.  If someone has already opened the email there is nothing you can do, but otherwise it takes the message back.  This works really well for resending messages if you forgot the attachment.  HOWEVER, everyone who received the message gets a notice that they had a recalled email.

The other thing that I try to do is not put in the email addresses in until I am ready to send.  Again, doesn't work if you use reply to all, but is one step to help prevent sending new emails to the wrong people.

Just my opinion, but I feel like reply to all should almost never be used.  It creates a lot of mail that people don't necessarily need (taking up server space), and frequently sends info to people who are not involved in whatever the discussion is.  This invites one more cook to the kitchen with their opinion of how something should work or be resolved, which is not always a good thing.  Again, just my opinion, and certainly there are times when it is a benefit, not a detriment.

220
I would also have to agree with Ruth and J on this.  As long as you establish with director at the start of the cue to cue or tech that he is welcome to talk to the actors when everything is stopped (ie fixing a light cue or resetting for a big shift) but as soon as you are ready to move on you can say so and the director will stop and return his attention back to tech.  I have found that actors are much less unruly/talkative/etc if they have something to keep them occupied during these times.  Also, if you allow them to use the spaces in between when they are needed for tech to figure out some of these issues, it makes things go faster on the other end, which is nice especially when rehearsal time is at a premium.

221
The Green Room / Re: Trivia Tournament II: Electric Boogaloo
« on: Dec 23, 2008, 02:28 pm »
One out of ten in Theatre...  I'm so ashamed...  :D

222
I appreciate everyone's input.  I sent them a proposal based on this and the AFTRA rates for awards shows/special events (which were in line), so we will see what happens.

Thank you!!!!

SSM

223
Employment / Freelance rates for TV broadcast of performance
« on: Dec 11, 2008, 03:48 pm »
I did a search and couldn't find an answer to this, so hopefully someone can help!!

I have been offered a SM position for a national TV broadcast of a one time stage performance, and was asked about rates.  It is for a non-profit organization, but it is a high profile event.  This is on the US east coast (not NYC).  I don't typically freelance, so I have no idea what the going rates are.  It is 2 rehearsal days and one performance in a non-IA house, working with a union TV crew and about 200 performers.  I would really like to do the gig, so I don't want to highball my rates, but would like to be paid fairly.
Can anyone please help give me a rough idea?

Thank you so much!!!!

SSM

224
Step back, try to look with an objective eye and see if you still feel the same. If you do, try to find the threads you can weave into a safety net. Then invite the producer to watch and hope for the best.

That is very well put...

225
Tools of the Trade / Re: Road Cases for a kit?
« on: Nov 11, 2008, 09:01 am »
Have you looked at the Craftman brand boxes that are made for auto mechanics?  They are usually red enamel coated metal, come in a million sizes, frequently on castors, and have handles.  If you can't scale down (which I think we would all recommend), they might be what you are looking for.  Craftman is a Sears brand, but you can probably also find them online.

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