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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: The Ultimate Decision
« on: Jul 02, 2006, 11:32 pm »
I don't know how I got here!
I did theatre in HS. took acting classes, was invited to take advanced acting classes. In addition to acting and singing, I was a choral director for one show and sort of an ASM for another (using the term "ASM" VERY loosely).
In college, I started at a liberal arts school, not sure what i wanted to major in. maybe music, maybe psych or ed. I had signed up for a theatre class my freshman year. The prof asked me to try out for shows. I didn't feel ready, I was nervous, but then he really encouraged me to be involved, so I did lighting for a few shows, then I tried out and for the most part did acting for a few years. Then my professors approached me about directing. They really felt I had a talent for it based on some of the discussions in workshops and classes. So i was called on to AD a show, then I did a lot of directing and they just kept asking me to co-direct. It was wonderful. I planned to go for my MFA in a few years once I could afford it. I decided to try SMing my last show in addition to co-directing. I just wanted to get SM experience to see if it was something I would enjoy and to have it on my resume and learn how to do it so that I could have it as a standby because SM jobs are a little more accesible than directing jobs. It turned out I really liked SMing. On the last show I remember my duties as an SM more clearly and distinctly and immediately than as a director. SMing is just such an intense experience once you move into tech and performances. I remember for the first tech runthrough the TD gave me the go ahead for places and said "it's your show" I really took that seriously, and I felt it. Instead of feeling the uselessness of the director on opening night, I felt invigorated. I had a great time SMing.
I looked for jobs and sure enough there are a lot more SM jobs than directing jobs, esp among people who are willing to hire people right out of college. So i applied for a few jobs and started working on this show. I'm not really sure what my future is regarding SMing v. directing, but I'm figuring ti out
I did theatre in HS. took acting classes, was invited to take advanced acting classes. In addition to acting and singing, I was a choral director for one show and sort of an ASM for another (using the term "ASM" VERY loosely).
In college, I started at a liberal arts school, not sure what i wanted to major in. maybe music, maybe psych or ed. I had signed up for a theatre class my freshman year. The prof asked me to try out for shows. I didn't feel ready, I was nervous, but then he really encouraged me to be involved, so I did lighting for a few shows, then I tried out and for the most part did acting for a few years. Then my professors approached me about directing. They really felt I had a talent for it based on some of the discussions in workshops and classes. So i was called on to AD a show, then I did a lot of directing and they just kept asking me to co-direct. It was wonderful. I planned to go for my MFA in a few years once I could afford it. I decided to try SMing my last show in addition to co-directing. I just wanted to get SM experience to see if it was something I would enjoy and to have it on my resume and learn how to do it so that I could have it as a standby because SM jobs are a little more accesible than directing jobs. It turned out I really liked SMing. On the last show I remember my duties as an SM more clearly and distinctly and immediately than as a director. SMing is just such an intense experience once you move into tech and performances. I remember for the first tech runthrough the TD gave me the go ahead for places and said "it's your show" I really took that seriously, and I felt it. Instead of feeling the uselessness of the director on opening night, I felt invigorated. I had a great time SMing.
I looked for jobs and sure enough there are a lot more SM jobs than directing jobs, esp among people who are willing to hire people right out of college. So i applied for a few jobs and started working on this show. I'm not really sure what my future is regarding SMing v. directing, but I'm figuring ti out