Messages

226

The Hardline / Re: Can they be Deputy?

« on: Nov 16, 2006, 09:29 pm »

Easiest answer we can give is "Call Equity and ask".

Erin

227

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROPS: No Smoking in Denver

« on: Nov 15, 2006, 10:34 pm »

In case the news hasn't made it across the country....

The new smoking ban in Denver includes theatres, regardless of whether they use tobacco or herbal.  And 3 area theatres went to court complaining about "freedom of speech" rights and failed.  (And they used a law firm that had previously successfully gotten an exclusion for theatres in Boulder, which is just north of Denver.)

Now personally, I hate smoking in public places.  But there are some shows you simply can't do without cigarettes.  And as the theatre companies tried to show the court, the kind where you blow the puff of talc out simply doesn't cut it...

Read about it http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5106658,00.html

I gotta say my favorite "reader comment", however, is where someone asked if it would be legal to smoke marijuana instead.  Because if it also hasn't made the national news, about a year ago they passed a law making it legal in the city of Denver to possess an ounce of marijuana if you're 21.  However, earlier this month an attempt to make it a state law, too, did not pass (and of course not federal), so police basically still say it's illegal.

Anyway, I'm strongly against smoking personally, and yet, I do think there should be an exception for theatre.  Just look at the few plays listed in the article as examples.  I think you can also do it in moderation for the show, and give the illusion you're smoking much more...Perhaps if you put wild disclaimers on every publicity notice, too, not just outside the theatre door you could adequately warn those who would be offended.

Erin

228

Employment / Re: more about resumes

« on: Nov 14, 2006, 07:31 pm »

I don't put dates in the resume, but I do often mention them in the cover letter.  "Last summer I...", or "I spent 2 seasons as the Production Stage Manager for...", etc.  And I have my BFA graduation date on the resume, so they can always do the math as to my age (at least whatever's the youngest I could be, and yes, I did it the standard 4 years right after high school). 

Erin

229

Employment / Re: more about resumes

« on: Nov 13, 2006, 06:33 pm »

I don't list dates unless they're in the title (Choreographer's Showcase 2006) or for the one show I did 5 years in a row with different cities each time.  (Each year of the show gets its own line in my current resume.)

My feeling is that otherwise, someone may decide you work too sporadically or not recent enough if you list every date.  Plus it takes up room I'd prefer to use with other things.

Erin

230

The Hardline / Re: Use of Technology (Videotaping Performances)

« on: Nov 11, 2006, 06:04 pm »

I've never asked for a concession, but I agree it would be great for stage management purposes (and if a musical, etc, for the dance captains).  I worked on a large non-Equity show that had video screens that were used for the audience to "enhance" their perspective.  One of the camera shots was a constant full-stage shot, so we asked the video people for a copy of that almost every show, and would delete them after a few days.  We used these specifically for dance captains and stage management to train the show, and did NOT let them get out for public viewing.  I'm sure would also be helpful for fight captains.

I'm sure this will take a bit of convincing Equity that it's needed, however.  But I can attest it's extremely useful.  And so helpful training someone on tricky calling sequences.

And you mean I'm not the only stage manager who can't catch all the blocking changes during tech?

Erin

231

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Website for the show

« on: Nov 07, 2006, 07:56 pm »

I hate when you can't get through a hotline recording without either screwing it up or laughing.  And then, hopefully it takes an extra press of "yes, I like this recording", or you're worried someone else will call in and hear your laughter/screw up before you get the chance to record it correctly!

One theatre I worked at made us list not only the rehearsal schedule, but everything else that was going on in the building.  Took SOOOO many tries to get through it all.

Erin

232

SMNetwork Archives / Re: November Holidays

« on: Nov 06, 2006, 10:34 pm »

And while it's not a holiday, please remember tomorrow is Election Day so GO VOTE! (at least if you are in the U.S.)

I had to stop by the grocery tonight to pick up some Cool Whip and cases of bottled water for our show.  I was actually asked to be videotaped for some election stuff, and (since I'm currently in St. Louis) said, "I already voted.  I'm from Colorado and I did early voting"...and I actually was on the 9 o'clock news tonight.   I was shocked, and thought it would be video only (no audio) since I didn't really fit in.

The cases of water made it in the footage, but not the 4 containers of Cool Whip.

Erin

233

Employment / Re: summer jobs.

« on: Nov 06, 2006, 06:23 pm »

You can also try the Summer Theatre Directory that I think is still put out by TCG.

Erin

234

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Rehearsal Suggestions

« on: Nov 05, 2006, 11:53 am »

To add to #4:

For the love of pete, turn your pages quietly!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YES, I was dealing with that just this week, and I got a dirty look from the person wondering why it was such a big deal.  Or why I harped on her every time she let the door slam shut behind her in the middle of rehearsal.

Erin

235

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Rehearsal Suggestions

« on: Nov 04, 2006, 06:24 pm »

Just something to remember when posting on public sites.  Although you would think that your personal conversation with a friend in the lobby is private, if upper management overhears it and/or gets wind of it (you never know how big a donor that little old lady is...) you can be in trouble.

Anything that is posted online can be found by an internet search (i.e., Google).  As I've mentioned before on this site, I once typed in a theatre-related group about some issues on a show I was doing with a fairly prominent star in the cast.  Her fansite people googled her name, and cut-and-paste my version of adventures onto their website.  Which then my fellow co-workers saw.  I of course had said many GOOD or interesting things about the production, but those weren't what were taken out of context during a stressful tech.  And I was taken into the production  manager's office for quite a "discussion" afterwards.

Erin

236

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Rehearsal Suggestions

« on: Nov 03, 2006, 12:04 am »

4.  Try not to fidget immensely or create lots of excess noise during rehearsal.  Un pack everything you'll need, unwrap any snacks, etc.  Lots of directors are noise sensitive.

I've been refraining from mentioning this, but this gives me the perfect opportunity.  I arrived recently at a theatre where they hired a last-minute replacement ASM for me (literally the night before rehearsal started the previous backed out).  I met her about 5 minutes before rehearsal started, and......

she has TOURETTES.  As in nervous tic where she makes constant sounds.  For the first hour I asked if she needed to get a drink of water, as hers is a lot of throat clearing, until I figured it out.

It's a very short rehearsal process, so I'm mainly sending her out of the room to run errands, etc.  She was primarily hired to help me when we're touring at schools anyway.

Erin

237

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Prompt Book Help

« on: Nov 02, 2006, 11:55 pm »

...My professor...suggests to our class to use 3-ring binder to be able to add sheets when necessary.In addition, it would be also helpful to use the back of the previous page to take notes for the corresponding page.

Yes, the back of my script page IS the blocking page.  Though, unlike I think you're saying, I tend to put my script on the left-hand side of the binder...so it's the back of the NEXT script page (not the previous), and as a right-handed person I can have an entire page to scribble blocking without running my wrist into the rings of the binder.  And yes, all in a three-ring binder.  I think that might just be about the one thing everyone on this board agrees on, that a 3-ring binder is the way to go.  Now, we've had whole other discussions about D-ring or regular, locking or not, and how thick and how many....(do a search to find those discussions if you need to)...but almost definitely 3-ring.  Of course, we are stage managers, so I'm sure we'll even find a differing opinion on that. 

Erin

238

Tools of the Trade / Re: What goes inside a SM Kit?

« on: Nov 02, 2006, 10:40 pm »

For a brand new stage manager, no experience, and a tight budget... what are the bare necessities to have in a kit?

I'm sure this has been discussed before, and others will have other ideas, but I'd say a BASIC first aid kit (at least whatever you'd take while camping - things for boo-boos and pains), a supply of pencils (for yourself and your cast), and whatever simple office supplies you might think are needed (stapler, post-its, paperclips).

Erin

239

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Prompt Book Help

« on: Nov 02, 2006, 10:37 pm »

Each night I had to redo the blocking notes for whatever scene we had finished working and then immediately notifiy the LD about the changes.  How do you deal with something like that?

As far as keeping major blocking changes in my book....I keep blank copies of my blocking page available (I have the script on one side, use a numbering system, and have a blocking page with minigroundplans at the top on the other).  I can quickly just add another whole page on TOP of the previous one in the script if needed quickly (then you only have to redo the numbers).  And I will often cut the bottom corner of the "old" page so that I can continue to use the script page on the opposite side of it that might still be correct.  If I train myself to always turn pages from the bottom corner of the script, I won't grab that one that's been cut away.  I know some stage managers who do their entire script from the beginning with cut corners like this, and never actually doubleside the script...it's always EITHER a page of script or blocking, with blank on the other side.  I find this a waste of paper, but use the same concept for adding in fresh blocking pages.  Hope this make sense.

Erin

240

Uploaded Forms / Re: Music Breakdown

« on: Nov 02, 2006, 08:32 pm »

Has it helped you quite a bit in musical situations and is it just for your reference or do you make copies of it for others like your director and cast members and such?

I think I've only handed it out to directing/choregrapher/music director/stage mgmt staff in the past....though I may have also posted on the wall in the rehearsal hall.  It's most useful to stage management, because whenever anyone wants to switch to a different music number I was the one being asked (or at least trying to find an answer efficiently even if someone didn't know they were asking the question) what that meant for various people.  My music director was particularly pleased, especially since many people can't tell you the music number itself (used by the orchestra) very often.

Erin