Messages

256

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Musicals with lots of dancing.

« on: Oct 09, 2006, 12:59 pm »

Also, if you've never taken dance classes yourself before, you might want to pick up a small dictionary of dance terms.  Mine's in storage right now so I can't tell you the exact name, but it's a little pocket size book, purple cover.  Or I found this online http://www.abt.org/education/dictionary/index.html

No one else is probably going to look at your script to find out the dance combos, so don't worry about exact spelling of things.  But it will familiarize you enough that if they use the term "battement" (BAHT-MON is what it ends up sounding like) or "chassé" (SHA-SAY) you may somewhat recognize them.  Just remember many dance terms are French in origin and it'll help you pronounce them.  To those of you who are ballet stage managers, yes, I'm bastardizing things, but I think you see what I'm getting at.

Erin

257

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Musicals with lots of dancing.

« on: Oct 09, 2006, 12:49 pm »

If you have a dance captain, or a choreographer who's going to be around for the whole production, you don't have to be as specific with your blocking notes.  I happen to be pretty good at writing down choreography, so I tend to do it...if I'm there when they block it.  Especially if you're working off a cd or something, you can help keep track that they're not blocking the same section 2 different ways (trust me, it happens).

If you're seeing it later, you can add in the "bigger picture" moments to your script like...big travel SL, claps start, or shuffle step.  Especially useful is to write down whatever terms THEY use to call things, so that you know if they want to take it from the "lift combo" that means measure 89 or whatever. 

I tend to write dancer counts in either my blocking page of the script or make the actual script out of dancer counts (takes less room than calling off music, and if you happen to not read music I've been able to teach many people to call this way rather than learning to actually read music).  So a song with a 16 count intro and then a held note a little after they start singing would look something like this:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
THEY SING THEN HOLD THIS NOTE OUT 2 3 4

Then if they have a lot of choreography in that 16 counts, you can write an individual move for each beat if needed....I tend to put X's for claps.  "BC" for ball change...a turning arrow or an infinity sign for a turn...whatever works for you.

The numbers for music beats is especially helpful to me for calling a show, so I can always call on exactly the right beat, and as I said, takes much less room than the actual music.  Though I have also cut-and-pasted music into the script if it's easier to read a section that way.

I'd also recommend making several full-page size groundplans of the set and having blanks of those available.  It's great to quickly jot down everyone's position for new sections of a big group number.  Easiest for chorus is to just write in their initials where they stand - but take time ahead of rehearsal to make sure no one has the same initials and you have ways of differentiating those people!

Hope this helps.

Erin

258

Employment / Re: Part-Time Work

« on: Oct 07, 2006, 12:19 am »

Try applying with a Temp agency.

I've done temping several times, but lately I've found it frustrating because I test so well in Word, Excel, type 85+ wpm, etc. that they want me to do a temp-to-perm position...where it's a long-term gig.  Sure, it's technically temporary, so I could lie and say I'd be available a long time, but that's just not my style.  I WILL end up talking about theatre.  Granted, this was for OfficeTeam (a large temp company) and was in Ohio where people don't tend to move around too much as jobs and certainly aren't used to theatre people, so others may be more flexible.  And many places in Ohio use temp workers rather than hiring their own full time people so that they don't have to worry about health benefits until they're sure they like the employee.  (Sad, but true in the places I worked.)

But I did enjoy temping because it was incredibly easy for me, yet everyone thought I had a strong work ethic.  And, funny when I worked a government job they actually told me to bring in a book to read because I was completing tasks too quick for them.  And then creative "fixes" for things...like basically creating a prop mailbox system one time...the other office people find incredibly intriguing.  And whenever I do it, it reminds me how much I LOVE the theatre jobs.

Erin

259

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Diva Musical Directors

« on: Oct 06, 2006, 08:32 pm »

Wow, I've never worked with anything that extreme.

However, in college, we had a musical director who many people found difficult and demanding.  He happened to like me, but I think part of that was that I did my best to keep him absolutely informed and find out his needs.  When I SM a musical, I also create a document that lists everything possible about songs for quick reference so that at any given point you can give the Song Number (used by the orchestra usually), the script page (director), score page (music director), libretto (performer), as well as which singers are in it.  And because I read music, I can often give the measure number too if I know it.  Doesn't take an incredibly long time to compile the sheet, but boy does it save time and confusion during rehearsal.

A little off topic, but one way to reassure/calm some of the slightly diva musical directors.

Erin

260

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Leatherman

« on: Oct 06, 2006, 08:27 pm »

I thought of this thread when I saw Leathermans in Target this week.  Take a look in any fishing/outdoorsman/sport area of most department stores.

Erin

261

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Actor Calls

« on: Oct 06, 2006, 08:22 pm »

I do roughly the same as Matthew, though I do 15 at true 15 saying "15 minutes until the top of the show" (note, I didn't say "until places".

I've been a fill-in SM for places where people call 20 and 10 minute calls, but especially in a place that doesn't have a PA system (one was this way) it seemed impossible, and I was just running in circles around the theatre. 

Some actors may be used to other calls, so you might just want to make an announcement at the beginning of tech, etc that says what calls/how often you'll give.

And places for me is usually at 2 minutes, but if the performers are slower or faster getting to the stage, I adjust it.  (If the dressing room is literally right off the stage, some can do it in 1 minute (this is rare)...if they have to go several flights of stairs, I do 3...And when I subbed in ballet I had to give a "Final Places" call JUST before we started to the folks onstage (I'd normally hand this responsibility to an ASM to make sure those onstage knew we were in the final set of cues to start).

Erin

262

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Call Board Karma: Keep or drop?

« on: Oct 06, 2006, 10:46 am »

While at first I was somewhat intrigued by the karma thing...lately it doesn't seem to be that useful.  I had virtually no karma rating for a while because I was very busy and not on the callboard much, though a year ago or so I was a very active poster - and thus not much karma rating.  I get that.  However, I've "woken up" in the SMNetwork community in the last few weeks, but other than teasing Fuzzy about his/her username can't think really of what I've said that might deserve a "smite"...and lo and behold, today I have one. 

Having been burnt in the past for what I've posted online (not here, but another theatre forum) and having it come back to bite me in the butt professionally, I usually try to truly think about what I type - oh, I'm sure I slip up from time to time, but everyone on this board should really think about whether someone could figure out who you are in real life and whether it might tick someone else off.  (Said previous experience was me venting during a past show that involved a famous person in it...someone did a Google search for that person's name, found my post, cut-and-pasted it out of text onto a fan website for that person, and then co-workers of mine saw it.  It was me venting about 1 stressful day of tech, but what was taken out of context seriously jeopardized my career at that theatre.)

Having just positive karma points could be interesting, but from what I've seen, I don't think it would make statistics that "accurate" or fair either.

Of course, this smiting event could be my friend Balletdork who just feels that I am left out of the smiting for now....love ya!

Erin

263

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: How to keep kids *quietly* busy at rehearsal when they're not needed onstage?

« on: Oct 04, 2006, 03:36 pm »

I once tried to keep a little girl quiet backstage by teaching her sign language (I knew all the letters and a few signs...gave me a reason to teach myself some additional ones).  Would work great until once or twice BACKSTAGE she said quite loudly "WHAT'S THAT ONE?"  Oh, well...

The very first show I ever did - when I was 7 - was a community production of The Wizard of Oz that included something like 50 kids (as munchkins, Ozonians, deadly poppies...even yellow bricks!  I happened to play the Witch when she shrank...all of about 7 seconds long).  One interesting thing they tried was they made up paper placemats for local restaurants that were like coloring book pages, and they had the double use of acting as advertisement as well as occupying the kids during rehearsals.  I'm not sure it went over that well for us kids (I remember turning them over and drawing my own things on the back...some of which I have as mementos of my first show; I drew the main characters and had them sign them), but it was an interesting idea.

Erin

264

Stage Management: Other / Re: Professional Road House

« on: Oct 03, 2006, 11:38 pm »

A few things I've picked up:

Be aware that if you play the Palace in Myrtle Beach the proscenium is NOT centered on the house.  If you want your audience to be centered with the show, go off the center front seats (basing it on the center of the two aisles).  I went in to put spike marks down and had a large discussion with my production manager because the added apron to the stage (I can't remember at this point whether we built it or if it was theirs) was centered on "center".

Both the Buell Theatre in Denver and the Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte have strange neon-ish lights in the house...if I remember correctly the Buell are set to specific colors, but Charlotte's can be set many ways....they set ours for a Christmas show in REALLY BRIGHT red and green...and they love to have fun during preshow check...watch your eyes!

If you play at the Milwaukee Theatre (in Milwaukee), you can thank our show for being there during renovation and insisting they have an access to stage right from upstairs (instead of only stage left).  In fact, they put our producer's name over that entrance (thinking they were being funny and snide, I believe, but he and we loved it!).  Don't know if it's still there.  Not a real handy entrance, but it's an entrance.

If you use the elevator between dressing room floors SR at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, know that a donkey used to ride that same elevator once per show for us....hee!

Erin

265

Tools of the Trade / Re: What is Gaffer Tape?

« on: Oct 03, 2006, 07:59 pm »

I don't think anyone's mentioned that really gaff tape can be used for ANYTHING.  Just today I used it to fix a prop...they liked the size of a spiral bound book, but wanted it to look like a regular book.....so I gaff taped around the spiral to create what looked like standard binding....

I can't begin to think of all the ways I've seen it used, especially in fixing broken things quickly or attaching things....including making "pockets" or cubbyholes in walls of the set or backstage...But having a supply of both black and white - and labelling YOUR name or department on it to try to prevent a few thefts (doesn't necessarily work, but you can claim it back later if you see it!) - can accomplish quite a few things.

Erin

266

Tools of the Trade / Re: Binder Spines - I need your feedback!

« on: Oct 03, 2006, 07:52 pm »

I just use a label maker and affix that to the spine so...

Ditto.  I use a labelmaker these days....though I manage to stick 2 lines from the label maker INTO one of those slide pockets last week

Erin

267

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Call Board Karma: Keep or drop?

« on: Oct 03, 2006, 02:05 am »

Posted by fuzzy_7:  I think it is a very immature thing to have on such a professional forum.

Says the person whose username includes the word "fuzzy".  Hee. 

Sorry, couldn't help myself from commenting....

Erin

268

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: The Ultimate Decision

« on: Oct 02, 2006, 10:55 pm »

First off, I have to say how much I smile seeing how many of us have Muppets as our icons! (Mine is a scan of a framed drawing a friend made of me and the Muppets...including she knows I dislike Piggy, so she's barely in it)

Anyway, I thought I'd already posted about my becoming a stage manager, but evidently I didn't!

I think I was "destined" to do something with theatre...my parents' first date was supposed to be to go see a show, and then the night Mom delivered me they were supposed to see  A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - funny thing, that!

I got into theatre first as a child actor, when I saw a friend playing a bluebird in Snow White and I thought "I can do that".  Proceeded to act from the age of 7 right up until my sophomore year of college...I entered as an acting major but quickly learned during freshman year that I made a very good chorus person but not much else.  But meanwhile, I had been the one before in our rinky-dink community theatre reminding people backstage "Remember, this is when we need our luggage!", etc.  Found out that there were such things as stage managers in college, and quickly realized that was the place for me.  Besides, growing up I'd loved working out those logic puzzles (there are 4 students, 4 animals, and 4 time slots.  Becky is allergic to furry things and has to be to the dentist by 3 pm, etc).

Freshman year of college I got a role in a better community theatre - they did have a stage manager, but no assistant, and wondered if someone could get on headset to let her know when we were all at the back of the house for an entrance.  Sure I can do that.  And since you're not in this scene, could you nuke a corn dog for us?  Sure I can do that.  I'm doing another show this summer and wonder if you can assist me?  Sure I can do that....and that next show I took over so many duties she called me the stage manager and appointed herself asst director.  And that's all she wrote.

Luckily, was able to switch to SM degree in college, completing everything in 4 years, and still get lots of experience, then did the intern/pa thing for a while 'til I felt more comfortable.

Erin

269

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Email Nightly SM Reports

« on: Oct 02, 2006, 02:25 pm »

2) I've had email programs timeout on me or I've accidentally hit the back button on my browser and lost everything

I use Juno, and while I'm thinking of dumping it because of poor anti-spam issues, one reason I like it is that I don't have to be online to write emails or read old ones - all are saved on my hard drive.  Of course, it can be a pain to remember to delete old things...or if a computer crashes....

Actually, I have done cut-and-paste from word before for reports.  Again, tabs don't work well, but tables often do (both word and Excel).  But when I have the luxury of a computer in the booth (which is most of the time), I just type straight into an email.

Erin

270

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Email Nightly SM Reports

« on: Oct 02, 2006, 01:42 pm »

Wow, Trudy, it has been a while since I've seen you "around"!  Welcome back.

At the last theatre I was at, I got so tired of people not taking the time to open attachments, that I did write all my report straight into the email...thus avoiding any MAC/PC issues.  One less click of a button for these folks seemed to work.  Though if you really want to attach files, I think PDF is the only way to go.

I think what you're asking for is how the report looks in e-mail form, so....for performance reports...

Email Header/Subject Line:  Name of Show Performance Report - Date (And if 2 shows in one day I tend to put both in same email.)
Day:  Friday, March 24, 2006
Report #6
Cast: 1 (When I had alternating casts)

Preshow Announcement Begin (and if it changes, who it's done by): 7:33
Act One Begin 7:35, etc
Act One End:
Act Two Begin:
Act Two End   
End of Bows:   
Act One Run Time: X hr, X min
Intermission Length: X min
Act Two Run Time: X hr, X min
Total Run Time: X hrs,  X min

WEATHER:  Brief description.
HOUSE:  Drop Count # (or House Count, depending how given to you).  Then a description of general audience behaviour/attitude (did they clap at new moments, etc)

GENERAL NOTES: 
1) Anything effecting the general show (late start time, including traffic, big sections of the script that were skipped by accident, etc)
2) Next show is *** (Date and Time)

PERSONNEL:
1) Anything that happened to cast or crew, including understudies going on.

SCENERY:
1) Any issues or "no notes."

LIGHTING:
1) Any issues or "no notes."

SOUND:
1) Any issues or "no notes."

PROPS: 
1) Any issues or "no notes."

COSTUMES/HAIR: 
1) Any issues or "no notes."

MISC.: 
1) Any issues or "no notes" that just don't seem to fit in anywhere else!


Hope this makes sense.  One big caveat is to NOT press the "tab" key at any point.  That will definitely screw things up from email to email.  And I don't copy and paste my reports from Word or anything, I have my computer in the booth with me and am typing straight into it as the show goes.  Also saves formatting issues...not to mention time after the show.  I still have a paper and pencil near me to jot quick notes that I don't have time to type right at that second, but most shows have breaks to write longer things during...

I do similar emails for rehearsal reports, with a general description of what was run that day and rough hours...I don't usually put in exact break times, but always have in my log book in case someone needs to know.  And yes, it's technically improper (I think) to put a #1 of notes, but no #2.  Oh well.  And if anything affects 2 departments I put something like "Props Note #1:  See Scenery, Note #3" and vice versa.

Erin