Messages

256

The Green Room / Re: Suffering from what I call "theatredox"

« on: Jan 04, 2011, 09:08 pm »

I've been in that for a couple weeks! I cleaned out my closet and my apartment, cooked a lot, saw friends (on proper weekend nights!), and took a WEEK to spend time with my family. (Though that was longer than intended....NYC blizzard was trying to tell me something!)

257

The Green Room / Re: set design extending into the house -

« on: Jan 02, 2011, 08:08 pm »

For a production of Genet's The Balcony that I saw, all the actresses who were playing prostitutes sat in the lobby in robes, holding number cards. Each reservation was given a girl preshow who took them to their seats. Silently. Bored. It was actually a really neat idea.

My last production of Balm in Gilead had actors spilling out into the lobby during the preshow- prostitutes, hustlers, addicts, people bumming cigarettes and trying to pawn jewelry. They were also in and out of the aisles at various points during the show, talking with audience members. It definitely made some audience members uncomfortable, but that was the point: the whole show is about watching the people you hurry by on the street. We also had some buskers, which actually helped earn a couple dollars for the theater every night!

It did take a lot of communication between the house manager and I...as well as a lot of timing and trust for the actors to assure that they were in the right place once the lights dimmed!

258

The Green Room / Re: Happy New Years!! My Resolution is....

« on: Dec 31, 2010, 01:56 pm »

Theatrically- I want to branch out! I've worked for the same few directors, and while I love them dearly, I need to network more and meet more people.

Lifewise- Get back into a fitness regimen. This has been a post-closing resolution, really. I think I need a class. Hoping to get back into boxing, and the girls from my last show are doing a private poledancing class!

259

The Green Room / Re: Life (As Seen Through Performance Reports)

« on: Dec 23, 2010, 05:23 pm »

Incorporating a 6-year-old child into Cooking added an extra 20mins to the runtime, and resulted in pink frosting on most of the set.

COSTUMES: Can we get aprons for the 6-year-old for the next performance? Should aid in laundry needs.

260

The Green Room / Re: Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark

« on: Dec 23, 2010, 12:35 pm »

Kay's probably right about the PR folks.  "Any press is good press."  Right?
In that vein, one thing the "Spider-Man Debacle" (as it's been dubbed at my theatre) has done is get your average Joe talking about live theatre.  At least live theatre is popping up on the publics' collective radars, again.
I may be an irrepresable optimist, but I'd like to think this whole thing can still turn out well for the whole field!

I will say, I was at a high school reunion cocktail party last night (yikes!) and every person, after finding out what I do, wanted to know my opinion on Spiderman. I think all of this HAS raised more awareness for what goes on behind the scenes to mount a show.

261

The Green Room / Re: Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark

« on: Dec 22, 2010, 10:08 pm »

All 41 maneuvers that involve a tether, rope or wire attached to a harness will now be supervised by at least two stagehands. The first stagehand will make the attachment; the second stagehand will verify that the connection has been made and will also alert the stage manager that it is safe to proceed. The actor involved in the maneuver will also perform a self check and has the right to say if he or she still feels unprepared to perform this stunt; in fact, the spokesperson said, actors are encouraged to speak up if they do not feel safe.

I've never done a show with effects like this, so maybe I'm off base, but wouldn't this procedure of confirmation and double-checking be standard in this type of stunt? Why would the SM continue the cues without the confirmation from the stagehand?

262

The Green Room / Spiderman's Stage Managers

« on: Dec 18, 2010, 01:16 pm »

Spiderman: Turn off the Dark has 7 SMs (2 PSMs, 5 ASMs)...more than any other show in Broadway history.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118029227

Nice article and interview with the head SM.

"What I'm struck by in this process," says Page, "(is that) you know this is part stage management, part air traffic controller. That kind of appetite for the challenge has been so inspiring to me."

263

The Green Room / Re: Did he REALLY ask me that?

« on: Dec 14, 2010, 04:40 pm »

"Hey on_headset, can I talk to you? See, I was wondering if we could get some condoms for the green room..."

DON'T WANT TO KNOW
DON'T WANT TO KNOW
STICK YOUR BITS INTO WHOEVER YOU LIKE
BUT I DON'T WANT TO KNOW

Are you sure they weren't for mic packs?

264

Tools of the Trade / Gifts!

« on: Dec 07, 2010, 04:04 pm »

So, what's everyone hoping for for Xmas/Hanukkah/generic holiday gift-giving?

Personally, I'm hoping for a new rehearsal bag, like this one:
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/40308?from=SR&feat=sr

265

The Green Room / Re: United States of Artists

« on: Dec 07, 2010, 04:02 pm »

Saw this today too...it reminds me a lot of Kickstarter, which I've seen a lot of smaller theater companies using (a friend used it to take a show to Toronto Fringe, for example).

266

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: FORMS: Reports - Getting people to read them

« on: Dec 06, 2010, 04:12 pm »

To ensure the cast was reading emails I sent (tech schedules, notes, etc), I started putting silly show-related links in...a Youtube clip of a German production of our show, for example.

267

The Green Room / Re: Funny definitions

« on: Dec 04, 2010, 12:52 pm »

Post-Show Q Anxiety: the frantic feeling you get when you hear a song out in the real world from a show you've done and start anticipating the cues that go with it.

268

The Green Room / Re: Any Ideas on how to get over a break up with someone you work with?

« on: Nov 28, 2010, 08:24 pm »

I'm currently working with a guy I dated for a year and a half (set designer/occasional TD). I don't know the circumstances of your breakup, but ours was pretty amiable. Basically, in rehearsal/tech I knew I was there to do my job first and foremost...it kept me from worrying about him, a great distraction, and the focus was necessary! Otherwise, I had a few close friends who were involved in the production as well, so they were always there to grab coffee during a break or get dinner if I needed to get out of the room and talk.

I know high school is a bit different, but keep your chin up and your brain focused on your show and it'll definitely help.

269

The Green Room / Re: Funnest Tech Run Ever

« on: Nov 28, 2010, 08:20 pm »

We had to keep running a complicated entrance/exit in Cherry Orchard. Lopakhin had a cue line to Gaev- "And YOU! You sound like an old woman! An old woman!" In one of the runs, he reached into the well and pulled out....an archival photo of the actor playing Gaev in drag. As an old woman (from The Importance of Being Earnest, actually). Everyone lost it.

270

The Green Room / What was the last nice thing someone did for you?

« on: Nov 23, 2010, 01:09 pm »

A lot of times this is a place to come and vent about your show. But what was the last nice thing someone did for you in your rehearsal/show?


Last week, one of my actors pulled my ASM and I aside and said "Thank you for everything you do for us. I know it's not easy, and you're doing a great job." Then he gave us each a small bottle of whiskey. It was so out of the blue and nice to know that hard work wasn't going unnoticed!