241
Uploaded Forms / Re: Preproduction Forms
« on: Sep 25, 2006, 03:56 pm »
Pre-Production Checklist in Excel.
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242
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Starting a cover letter
« on: Sep 23, 2006, 10:24 am »
Cover letters are definitly tough to get started. One place to begin is by stream of consciousness, write down everything you’d really like to say to a potential employer about your skills and experience, then go back and try to put those things into cover-letter-suitable language that will really sell you. Save all of your ideas; they may not all work in one letter, but you could use them later in different letters.
I will generally use the same skeleton cover letter for several applications, tweaking the details as needed; but I also change the skeleton periodically when inspiration strikes or the basic facts have changed.
If I’m writing to someone I’ve worked with before, I usually still keep it formal (addressing them by last name), because you never know who else will be reading your letter as well. But I would try to make more specific connections to how my previous experience with them will help me in another position at the same company.
Some stock phrases:
-In my current role as BLANK I have DONE BLANK
-My (insert wonderful trait), and (2nd wonderful trait) plus (another wonderful trait) make me an excellent match for this job’s requirements.
-During my time (with X theater or in X position), I did X,Y, and Z; this knowledge makes me an adaptable and resourceful BLANK...OR....these skills are readily transferable to a job at your theater
-My proven ability to X,Y,Z, makes me a strong candidate for this position.
-Blank, blank, and blank are among the many traits/skills I can bring to a job with your theater company.
-(Sentence about past experience) these skills will serve me well in a simmillar role at your theater.
-As a stage manager, I’ve been responsible for (insert 3 tough jobs). Hire me as an SM for your theater, and you can expect the same level of (organization and attention to detail) that I’ve demonstrated in the past.
-My previous productions range from (classics/small shows) to (world premiers/casts of thousands).
I will generally use the same skeleton cover letter for several applications, tweaking the details as needed; but I also change the skeleton periodically when inspiration strikes or the basic facts have changed.
If I’m writing to someone I’ve worked with before, I usually still keep it formal (addressing them by last name), because you never know who else will be reading your letter as well. But I would try to make more specific connections to how my previous experience with them will help me in another position at the same company.
Some stock phrases:
-In my current role as BLANK I have DONE BLANK
-My (insert wonderful trait), and (2nd wonderful trait) plus (another wonderful trait) make me an excellent match for this job’s requirements.
-During my time (with X theater or in X position), I did X,Y, and Z; this knowledge makes me an adaptable and resourceful BLANK...OR....these skills are readily transferable to a job at your theater
-My proven ability to X,Y,Z, makes me a strong candidate for this position.
-Blank, blank, and blank are among the many traits/skills I can bring to a job with your theater company.
-(Sentence about past experience) these skills will serve me well in a simmillar role at your theater.
-As a stage manager, I’ve been responsible for (insert 3 tough jobs). Hire me as an SM for your theater, and you can expect the same level of (organization and attention to detail) that I’ve demonstrated in the past.
-My previous productions range from (classics/small shows) to (world premiers/casts of thousands).
243
The Hardline / Re: Light Board Pay
« on: Sep 18, 2006, 09:22 pm »
My take on the rules is that the theater can ask you to take on additional duties, but they can’t require you to take them on, and if you do accept other duties, you must be paid for them separately from your Equity salary.
You are absolutely not a bitch for wanting to get the compensation you deserve for the work that you do. Don’t let the producers or anyone else make you feel that way. If they are paying you above the minimum as a SM, that’s for your above-minimum skills as a SM, not for also working as a light board op. (and whatever they pay you as SM + board op probably adds up to less than they’d pay for another crew person).
I’ve been in several SPT situations where the theater tried to talk me into running light or sound boards. In once case the Production Manager casually mentioned in a production meeting days before tech that “oh, we thought you could run sound. There aren’t that many Qs.” I’ve certainly had people ask me what the big deal is about just pushing a button. My standard explanation is that it’s not about pushing a button. It’s about the 2% of the time when things go wrong during a performance. In those instances, the show looses it’s SM while you put on your Board Op hat to solve the problem, increasing the likelihood that a chain reaction of other things going wrong will occur because I’m distracted. Sure, that’s the worst case scenario, but when the SM and board op are different people, you can have two brains trouble shooting together, and keep the show running as smoothly as possible in the meanwhile.
On the other hand….a friend of mine recently ran her own board for a musical and loved it. She said she felt understood the lighting more than ever before, and liked that if she wanted to finesse the calling of a cue, she didn’t have to deal with a board op questioning her adjustments. Plus, there was less to get tounge-tied over in long Q sequesnes. Hopefully, that’s the kind of experience you’ll have with your show!
You are absolutely not a bitch for wanting to get the compensation you deserve for the work that you do. Don’t let the producers or anyone else make you feel that way. If they are paying you above the minimum as a SM, that’s for your above-minimum skills as a SM, not for also working as a light board op. (and whatever they pay you as SM + board op probably adds up to less than they’d pay for another crew person).
I’ve been in several SPT situations where the theater tried to talk me into running light or sound boards. In once case the Production Manager casually mentioned in a production meeting days before tech that “oh, we thought you could run sound. There aren’t that many Qs.” I’ve certainly had people ask me what the big deal is about just pushing a button. My standard explanation is that it’s not about pushing a button. It’s about the 2% of the time when things go wrong during a performance. In those instances, the show looses it’s SM while you put on your Board Op hat to solve the problem, increasing the likelihood that a chain reaction of other things going wrong will occur because I’m distracted. Sure, that’s the worst case scenario, but when the SM and board op are different people, you can have two brains trouble shooting together, and keep the show running as smoothly as possible in the meanwhile.
On the other hand….a friend of mine recently ran her own board for a musical and loved it. She said she felt understood the lighting more than ever before, and liked that if she wanted to finesse the calling of a cue, she didn’t have to deal with a board op questioning her adjustments. Plus, there was less to get tounge-tied over in long Q sequesnes. Hopefully, that’s the kind of experience you’ll have with your show!
244
The Hardline / Fight Captain Selection
« on: Sep 18, 2006, 08:50 pm »
What protocol do you follow in choosing a fight captain?
In beefing up on the SPT rules for my next production, I notice they are a bit vague. They don’t seem to specify when or exactly how the Fight Captain should be choosen. It just “shall be assigned from among the company.”
What role should the SM play in assigning a Fight Captain? Should actors, other than the person selected as Captain, have input into the decision? How early in rehearsals should a Fight Captain be in place?
I’ve SM’ed several productions with stage combat before, and in those cases either an actor was cast partly because the director had them in mind as a qualified Fight Captain, or it was a small enough cast that the director asked the person not/least involved in the fight, with the most stage combat experience, to serve as Captain. In the latter cases, we didn’t assign a Fight Captain until we were ready to begin fighting in rehearsals. I haven't had any problems with past shows, but I'm curious what other SMs are doing.
In beefing up on the SPT rules for my next production, I notice they are a bit vague. They don’t seem to specify when or exactly how the Fight Captain should be choosen. It just “shall be assigned from among the company.”
What role should the SM play in assigning a Fight Captain? Should actors, other than the person selected as Captain, have input into the decision? How early in rehearsals should a Fight Captain be in place?
I’ve SM’ed several productions with stage combat before, and in those cases either an actor was cast partly because the director had them in mind as a qualified Fight Captain, or it was a small enough cast that the director asked the person not/least involved in the fight, with the most stage combat experience, to serve as Captain. In the latter cases, we didn’t assign a Fight Captain until we were ready to begin fighting in rehearsals. I haven't had any problems with past shows, but I'm curious what other SMs are doing.
245
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: How to keep kids *quietly* busy at rehearsal when they're not needed onstage?
« on: Sep 18, 2006, 03:14 pm »
I had a show with a group of 8 kids ages 7-12, who were only needed occasionally, but had to sit quietly in a relatively small room while we rehearsed other scenes.
While my group was a bit younger than yours, most of them brought in gameboys (I don’t know if they’re still called that, but they’re the hand held video game things
, and as long as they muted the sound effects on them or wore headphones, they could be happily and quietly absorbed.
I second nmno’s suggestion of getting the parents involved. Let them know the situation, so they realize it’s OK for the kids to bring in ipods, books, magazines, games, laptops, anything quiet.
Make sure you have a frank, unpatronizing discussion with the teens as well; tell them that you know it’s boring, but waiting and watching are as much a part of theater as actually being onstage. Tell them that you really appreciate their patience, and know the set-up of the hall makes it even harder to stay quiet. Spell out the fact that noises are distracting to the people trying to rehearse on stage, so keeping their voices down is the considerate thing to do for their fellow performers. Ask them for their own ideas on what they can do quietly, what the challenges are to staying quiet, and how they can help each other overcome them.
If you have an ASM (or can recruit a rotation of parents, since it’s community theater), maybe you can have someone act as kid wrangler, so at least you don’t have to personally walk backstage every time the noise level goes up. Any chance they could go into a different room for a while, if you had an extra person?
Good luck!
While my group was a bit younger than yours, most of them brought in gameboys (I don’t know if they’re still called that, but they’re the hand held video game things
, and as long as they muted the sound effects on them or wore headphones, they could be happily and quietly absorbed. I second nmno’s suggestion of getting the parents involved. Let them know the situation, so they realize it’s OK for the kids to bring in ipods, books, magazines, games, laptops, anything quiet.
Make sure you have a frank, unpatronizing discussion with the teens as well; tell them that you know it’s boring, but waiting and watching are as much a part of theater as actually being onstage. Tell them that you really appreciate their patience, and know the set-up of the hall makes it even harder to stay quiet. Spell out the fact that noises are distracting to the people trying to rehearse on stage, so keeping their voices down is the considerate thing to do for their fellow performers. Ask them for their own ideas on what they can do quietly, what the challenges are to staying quiet, and how they can help each other overcome them.
If you have an ASM (or can recruit a rotation of parents, since it’s community theater), maybe you can have someone act as kid wrangler, so at least you don’t have to personally walk backstage every time the noise level goes up. Any chance they could go into a different room for a while, if you had an extra person?
Good luck!
246
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Who's Job???
« on: Sep 14, 2006, 10:52 am »
Most of my ASMs are actually non-equity interns, apprentices, or people with day jobs, doing theater on the side, so I'm generally pretty hands-on until I'm sure they can handle things. I always have them give me copies of their paperwork, so I can make sure it’s accurate, functional, and understandable to someoen other than it’s creator (as well as just in my possession should they be hit by a bus).
As others have mentioned, I’m usually more involved early in rehearsals. As we get closer to tech, ideally the ASM will take ownership of the set and props, and have the initiative to do as much as possible on their own. But in many situations, I do help. Often it’s because there is more to the shift than one person can efficiently do on their own, and we know we will have crew (or technology) to help the ASM during the run, so I’ll help in rehearsals knowing we’ll have other resources later. Sometimes we are in the middle of intensive actor stuff, and want to move into the next piece of work quickly, so I’ll help speed up the shift rather than sit on ceremony while the ASM does the shift in real time. Other times we are planning to make the shift highly choreographed in time for the run, but aren’t ready to work out the mechanics of that yet, so I’ll jump into the shift in the interest of keeping the rehearsal moving forward.
I agree with Scott’s point about breaks; I usually tell my ASM ahead of time that the AEA break is the only one I get (pee now or forever hold your pee!), but I’ll give them a staggered break later if they work through theirs. Still, I usually return to the rehearsal space bfore the break is over to be sure we’ll be ready to get back to work.
It sounds like you and your ASM responded professionally to truly unhelpful actor input. Maybe his comment comes from working on shows where more crew was expected for tech, and that’s why he’d see the SM working on shifts in rehearsal. Or, he’s worked on shows where the ASMs were incompetent, and the SMs had to jump in or nothing would get done!
As others have mentioned, I’m usually more involved early in rehearsals. As we get closer to tech, ideally the ASM will take ownership of the set and props, and have the initiative to do as much as possible on their own. But in many situations, I do help. Often it’s because there is more to the shift than one person can efficiently do on their own, and we know we will have crew (or technology) to help the ASM during the run, so I’ll help in rehearsals knowing we’ll have other resources later. Sometimes we are in the middle of intensive actor stuff, and want to move into the next piece of work quickly, so I’ll help speed up the shift rather than sit on ceremony while the ASM does the shift in real time. Other times we are planning to make the shift highly choreographed in time for the run, but aren’t ready to work out the mechanics of that yet, so I’ll jump into the shift in the interest of keeping the rehearsal moving forward.
I agree with Scott’s point about breaks; I usually tell my ASM ahead of time that the AEA break is the only one I get (pee now or forever hold your pee!), but I’ll give them a staggered break later if they work through theirs. Still, I usually return to the rehearsal space bfore the break is over to be sure we’ll be ready to get back to work.
It sounds like you and your ASM responded professionally to truly unhelpful actor input. Maybe his comment comes from working on shows where more crew was expected for tech, and that’s why he’d see the SM working on shifts in rehearsal. Or, he’s worked on shows where the ASMs were incompetent, and the SMs had to jump in or nothing would get done!
247
The Hardline / Re: MRE
« on: Aug 31, 2006, 07:39 pm »
I worked an SPT show where the Equity ASM left the show permanently for MRE as an Actor in a production at another theater (he was actually taking over for an actor who had to leave that show). As I remember it, the outgoing-ASM was training the take-over ASM during the first part of Tech Week, and the take-over was running the show for all or most of Previews.
The transition went smoothly, in part because the PSMs of both productions were friends, so there was good communication about where the outgoing ASM would be on a given day, and our production was given priority since we were opening sooner. Also the incoming-ASM had worked under our PSM before, so there was as little anxiety as possible about how The New Kid would fare. Even though it seemed like everyone understood the ASMs motivation for leaving, and weren’t personally angry, it unavoidably added stress to the production process. I’m not sure how the producers felt about the situation, as far as whether they would be willing to hire ASM 1 again.
The transition went smoothly, in part because the PSMs of both productions were friends, so there was good communication about where the outgoing ASM would be on a given day, and our production was given priority since we were opening sooner. Also the incoming-ASM had worked under our PSM before, so there was as little anxiety as possible about how The New Kid would fare. Even though it seemed like everyone understood the ASMs motivation for leaving, and weren’t personally angry, it unavoidably added stress to the production process. I’m not sure how the producers felt about the situation, as far as whether they would be willing to hire ASM 1 again.
248
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Resume References
« on: Aug 17, 2006, 08:45 pm »
My references consist of stage managers I’ve ASM’ed for, Production Managers, Directors, and supervisors from non-theater work. I do basically the same thing as ljh007. My resume is one page long, and I have a separate page listing references (usually 3, maybe 4) whom I choose based on the position I’m applying for (though I don’t give descriptors other than their title). As others have said, I think it’s important to offer references from more than one company, and who worked with you in a variety of capacities.
You should absolutely ask before listing someone as a reference; I had someone list me without my permission, in an application to a theater I was working for at the time. When my colleagues told me the position he had applied for and asked me what I thought, I was honest and said he would not be a good fit for that job. If this guy had asked me whether or not he could use my name, I probably would have said he could only on a case by case basis (he was a decent sound op, but I wasn’t willing to vouch for him on other positions). His not asking first made him look worse than the fact that I didn’t recommend him for the job.
Most of my references have given me the OK to use their names whenever I’d like, but I still at least send them an email letting them know what I’m applying for, and how what they know about me or my skills applies to the position.
I rarely see jobs requesting letters of reference (outside of internships or apprenticeships). But if you have someone who was willing to write you a letter, chances are they’d be willing to get a phone call about you as well. Just ask before you use their name that way.
You should absolutely ask before listing someone as a reference; I had someone list me without my permission, in an application to a theater I was working for at the time. When my colleagues told me the position he had applied for and asked me what I thought, I was honest and said he would not be a good fit for that job. If this guy had asked me whether or not he could use my name, I probably would have said he could only on a case by case basis (he was a decent sound op, but I wasn’t willing to vouch for him on other positions). His not asking first made him look worse than the fact that I didn’t recommend him for the job.
Most of my references have given me the OK to use their names whenever I’d like, but I still at least send them an email letting them know what I’m applying for, and how what they know about me or my skills applies to the position.
I rarely see jobs requesting letters of reference (outside of internships or apprenticeships). But if you have someone who was willing to write you a letter, chances are they’d be willing to get a phone call about you as well. Just ask before you use their name that way.
249
Employment / Re: Skills
« on: Aug 15, 2006, 09:27 pm »
I’ve never used a skills section on a theater resume. When I first started applying to SM jobs, I broke my resume into sections (Stage Manager/Assistant Stage Manager/Crew/Events…plus Profile & Education) then listed the show, theater, director, and dates for SM or ASM stuff, and the show, theater, my position, and dates for the Crew or Events categories. In my case, I held a number of different positions, especially in college, and I felt that listing my work in lights, props, sound, etc, demonstrated my range of skills better than bullet points would.
I can see doing a Special Skills section if your skills really are special. CPR/First Aid or languages would make a lot of sense for an SM to include, but I think Word & Excel skills should go without saying. I feel like employers can figure out the types of contracts you’ve worked under based on the theaters you’ve worked for, but I don’t think it would hurt to include that info too if you need to fill some space. Also, I’d put skills near your Education info, and make it specific for each job you apply for, if possible; maybe a Festival setting would use your screw-gun-wielding abilities, while in a small Equity production lighting background might be more useful if you’ll have an inexperienced crew.
I can see doing a Special Skills section if your skills really are special. CPR/First Aid or languages would make a lot of sense for an SM to include, but I think Word & Excel skills should go without saying. I feel like employers can figure out the types of contracts you’ve worked under based on the theaters you’ve worked for, but I don’t think it would hurt to include that info too if you need to fill some space. Also, I’d put skills near your Education info, and make it specific for each job you apply for, if possible; maybe a Festival setting would use your screw-gun-wielding abilities, while in a small Equity production lighting background might be more useful if you’ll have an inexperienced crew.
250
Employment / Re: Listing upcoming gigs on resume
« on: Aug 09, 2006, 10:17 pm »
I’ve always been told that it’s OK to put future shows on your resume if you have a firm agreement to do them. I just list them as I would any other show; I can explain further in the interview if needed.
If you have dates on your resume, it will be clear they are future projects. I’ve also seen people use an asterisk or plus sign next to shows with a key at the bottom saying they are upcoming. If you’re applying for jobs in the same area where you are currently working, I also wouldn’t worry much since many theaters know each others’ seasons, and so would know a show hasn't gone up.
If you have dates on your resume, it will be clear they are future projects. I’ve also seen people use an asterisk or plus sign next to shows with a key at the bottom saying they are upcoming. If you’re applying for jobs in the same area where you are currently working, I also wouldn’t worry much since many theaters know each others’ seasons, and so would know a show hasn't gone up.
251
SMNetwork Archives / Thoughts on Tablet/Stylus Computers?
« on: Aug 07, 2006, 02:31 pm »
I’m looking at investing in a laptop, and the Tablet PC has caught my eye. It seems like it might be great for blocking and other quick note taking. Is anyone out there using tablet/stylus technology successfully for SM stuff? What are some pros and cons to consider?
252
The Green Room / Re: Tech dinners
« on: Aug 06, 2006, 03:49 pm »
I worked on a two person show where one of the actors really enjoyed cooking, and one day he got to talking about a wonderful new cheese he had found, and said he would bring it in and make a meal for us.
I thought he’d make a dinner for us someday in the distant future…but no. The next day, he showed up with the fixings for an Italian feast. The other actor picked up a salad, the director brought wine, and my ASM and I scavenged cookware and place settings from prop storage. The director, actors, board op,, ASM and I had a lovely, peaceful meal together in the green room during our break. It was a great way to bond a bit with the board op & ASM, who had just started during tech, and say goodbye to the director before the hectic press opening.
I thought he’d make a dinner for us someday in the distant future…but no. The next day, he showed up with the fixings for an Italian feast. The other actor picked up a salad, the director brought wine, and my ASM and I scavenged cookware and place settings from prop storage. The director, actors, board op,, ASM and I had a lovely, peaceful meal together in the green room during our break. It was a great way to bond a bit with the board op & ASM, who had just started during tech, and say goodbye to the director before the hectic press opening.
253
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: TECH - HELP!!!!!
« on: Aug 05, 2006, 10:51 am »
Working at with a new theater is always challenging, but it’s also a great opportunity to learn and grow.
I’d stay in communication with the actors as much as possible. Ask them where, in an ideal world, they would like to have their props or costumes placed, and work back from there. Even if the actors end up doing most of the pre-sets and shifts themselves, they may feel better knowing that you’re considering their thoughts, and are doing your best to make it work for them.
You mentioned already getting comments about you being well organized, so keep that in mind when you’re feeling frazzled. Good morale is one of the best things an SM can bring into tech!
By the way, I’ve had luck with the plastic hooks that have sticky stuff already on the back to attach them to the wall with. May not be the sturdiest items in the world, but they’re cheap and easy to place quickly.
I’d stay in communication with the actors as much as possible. Ask them where, in an ideal world, they would like to have their props or costumes placed, and work back from there. Even if the actors end up doing most of the pre-sets and shifts themselves, they may feel better knowing that you’re considering their thoughts, and are doing your best to make it work for them.
You mentioned already getting comments about you being well organized, so keep that in mind when you’re feeling frazzled. Good morale is one of the best things an SM can bring into tech!
By the way, I’ve had luck with the plastic hooks that have sticky stuff already on the back to attach them to the wall with. May not be the sturdiest items in the world, but they’re cheap and easy to place quickly.
254
The Hardline / Re: SMA (and AEA) Discussion
« on: Aug 03, 2006, 08:58 pm »
I joined SMA for the first time almost six months ago, and haven’t found particularly useful yet. But since there aren’t a lot of resources for SMs out there, I feel like it’s important stay in touch with those that do exist, for the occasional info they provide about the greater SM community. And I’m hopeful that SMA will improve over time, as it seems like there have been some positive changes made recently.
I get a lot jobs by email from SMA, but they are mostly in CA or NYC, not interesting (or financially viable) enough to be worth applying for, for me personally. In the DC area, there are several local resources for tech/sm jobs and general theater that I have found more useful than any of the national sources. I wonder if other “regions” have similar local job sources that may not be well known if your out of a particular loop, and if there could be links to them on the SMA website, to make it more welcoming to those outside of NYC. I’m also not sure how much outreach to theaters is done; I wonder if it would be feasible to do a periodical mailing to production managers (or whoever does hiring) to various non-NYC theaters, letting them know that SMA exists, and that they can advertise jobs to hundreds of SMs by posting openings through SMA.
Considering the lack of awareness even among those who are studying theater (see other thread in this forum!), I wouldn’t be surprised if producers, especially the smaller ones, don’t know that SM networking resources are even out there, and can help them find good people. And since AEA is not about finding people jobs, maybe that's something SMA can do.
Going back to the original post, Kris, I like your idea of having the option of more info, such as affiliations, near our screen names, but think we can also give a little extra through our signatures.
I get a lot jobs by email from SMA, but they are mostly in CA or NYC, not interesting (or financially viable) enough to be worth applying for, for me personally. In the DC area, there are several local resources for tech/sm jobs and general theater that I have found more useful than any of the national sources. I wonder if other “regions” have similar local job sources that may not be well known if your out of a particular loop, and if there could be links to them on the SMA website, to make it more welcoming to those outside of NYC. I’m also not sure how much outreach to theaters is done; I wonder if it would be feasible to do a periodical mailing to production managers (or whoever does hiring) to various non-NYC theaters, letting them know that SMA exists, and that they can advertise jobs to hundreds of SMs by posting openings through SMA.
Considering the lack of awareness even among those who are studying theater (see other thread in this forum!), I wouldn’t be surprised if producers, especially the smaller ones, don’t know that SM networking resources are even out there, and can help them find good people. And since AEA is not about finding people jobs, maybe that's something SMA can do.
Going back to the original post, Kris, I like your idea of having the option of more info, such as affiliations, near our screen names, but think we can also give a little extra through our signatures.
255
The Hardline / What Colleges (Don't) Say About AEA?
« on: Jul 31, 2006, 08:52 am »
“Hey, how do you join Equity, anyway?”
I got this question over the weekend from a May 06’ college graduate. A theater major from a good sized university with a thriving theater department. I get asked this pretty often by crew, assistants, even actors, and we certainly see it posted here regularly.
It got me wondering (not for the first time): why aren’t undergraduates being taught the basics of how to join a union, and the pros/cons of doing so? I know I left college with only the vaguest notions of what Equity was and how to join it, but at the time I never dreamed I’d grow up to be an AEA SM, so I wasn’t looking for that info, either. I’m not suggesting colleges should be cheerleaders for Equity, but it seems like the to-join/not-to-join question is one that many stage managers and actors will face at some point in their careers.
Are my experiences, as an undergrad myself and later encountering other hapless grads, the exception or the norm? If any of you went to schools that attempted to explain union membership, how helpful and correct did you find that information?
I recognize that how to join and should I join are separate questions, and would hope that after getting a theater degree, you’re ready to look at the should.
I got this question over the weekend from a May 06’ college graduate. A theater major from a good sized university with a thriving theater department. I get asked this pretty often by crew, assistants, even actors, and we certainly see it posted here regularly.
It got me wondering (not for the first time): why aren’t undergraduates being taught the basics of how to join a union, and the pros/cons of doing so? I know I left college with only the vaguest notions of what Equity was and how to join it, but at the time I never dreamed I’d grow up to be an AEA SM, so I wasn’t looking for that info, either. I’m not suggesting colleges should be cheerleaders for Equity, but it seems like the to-join/not-to-join question is one that many stage managers and actors will face at some point in their careers.
Are my experiences, as an undergrad myself and later encountering other hapless grads, the exception or the norm? If any of you went to schools that attempted to explain union membership, how helpful and correct did you find that information?
I recognize that how to join and should I join are separate questions, and would hope that after getting a theater degree, you’re ready to look at the should.