Messages

31

The Green Room / Re: SMASH - the TV series

« on: Apr 13, 2012, 12:37 am »

I'm hoping that at the end of the process, they (whoever "they" is, NBC?) will release Bombshell (originally titled "Marilyn: The Musical") to theaters to produce. They're doing a bunch of the work, they might as well let it make money into the future, right?

32

The Green Room / Re: The Greatest Show Never Made

« on: Apr 03, 2012, 07:56 pm »

Ken Ludwig wrote Midsummer/Jersey, a mash-up of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Jersey Shore.Review . Granted, it's not a musical.

There have already been two movies about 9/11 created. My wife and I started watching the Nicolas Cage one (World Trade Center) and after about 10 minutes, I couldn't watch it anymore. I've seen one staged reading of a 9/11 survivor's book, That Day in September.

James Bond, the Musical? Harry Potter, the Musical? iPad, the Musical?

33

The Green Room / Re: STG MGR

« on: Apr 03, 2012, 07:44 pm »

My license plate is STG-MNGR. Gee, I really need to find time to work a show again. Right now, I feel like I'm living a lie.

34

The Green Room / Re: When is it abuse?

« on: Mar 21, 2012, 09:14 pm »

I've been abused a couple times by directors/producers. They were learning experiences, and I'd handle the situation very differently now than I did then. One lesson I learned was I have to be ready to walk out; another lesson is I have to be able to stand up to the person in charge (dir/prod) if they are "abusing" an actor, designer or tech crew member.

One place I worked had a very strong hierarchy detailing who reports to whom, it was even referenced as part of the contract. I learned from that show to hold the company/producer to whatever they make me sign. That doesn't make it easy to have to deal with abuse issues, but I know now that I must deal with them when it occurs.

35

The Green Room / Re: Hell in a Handbag (A Game for Stage Managers)

« on: Mar 10, 2012, 10:51 pm »

Where under the set? Upstage, downstage, left, right, center? Do we need to build a platform so we can even get "under" the set, or can a false floor be good enough? Will the set's carpeting affect the placement? Is the location under any furniture? How will the journal be found? Will the floorboard be destroyed during the search? Any safety problems with a hole in the floor? New props to aid in the uncovering (hammer/axe/crowbar/screwdriver/maybe a toolbox to carry everything. How about a utility belt instead?) What about the journal (see earlier notes on Maria's book) itself. Is it part of a set?

And don't forget that Jon needs to wind the clock after his mother leaves to get the plate of food from the kitchen.

36

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: POLICIES: Responsibility breakdown

« on: Feb 20, 2012, 04:16 pm »

While I can definitely see how a true handbook would get out of date quickly, you should still keep written notes on who is responsible for what. Maybe make a note it in your daily rehearsal reports. Or worse case, keep a note for yourself that John the producer told you Sam the carpenter was responsible for X.

37

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: POLICIES: Standard policies for a SM's authority?

« on: Feb 12, 2012, 07:41 am »

In my own experience stage managing for community theater, it comes down to the working styles of the group. Some groups feel they "need" the director more than the stage manager, so the director gets to do whatever they want to do. Same thing with producers. Through the rehearsal process a stage manager should learn how the director will act during performances. If the director is hard to work with during rehearsal, why should you expect it would be different during a show? Stage management comes down to managing people, be it a technician (managing down the chain of command) or a producer or director (managing up). Keeping the lines of communication open between the SM and producer/director should help, but there will always be those directors who will create headaches. Good luck.

38

Employment / Re: Websites

« on: Feb 01, 2012, 05:50 pm »

WordPress.com is good. Let them take care of all of the infrastructure issues. For a few bucks per year you can use your own domain name. Later you can easily export all of your posts to sue on a different system. If you are technically oriented, look at using WordPress.org; the same basic system but you (or your web host) is in charge of the infrastructure.

39

Employment / Re: Response Time

« on: Dec 29, 2011, 04:30 pm »

Everyone has a smart phone these days.  Send me back an email, even if it says I've received this.

I've been trained to the following intervals as acceptable:

Text message, Facebook chat - 5 min tops
Voicemail - 1-2 hrs
Facebook inbox, Facebook or twitter @msg - 4-12 hrs
Email - 12-24 hrs

And always reply using the same medium: if you receive an email, reply by email.

I don't have a smart phone. As ubiquitous as they appear, not everyone can afford them. And if you call my home phone (I give out home and cell number) and leave a message there, I won't hear the message until I get home after my show or day job. I am slowly switching over to my google voice number, so I only give out one number which rings both home and cell.

40

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Perspective Please! <(^_^<)

« on: Dec 20, 2011, 09:26 pm »

-calling all shows (I suppose that's a given)

Calling the show isn't necessarily a given. A couple different theaters I've worked did NOT have the stage manager call the show. One group has the tech director call, another group has all of the operators call their own cues. Every theater group is different, with a different history and set of needs. Be flexible. Good luck with your school's projects.

41

Stage Management: Other / Re: iPhone Stage Manager

« on: Nov 16, 2011, 11:26 pm »

Yep, found it. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-show-must-go-on/id465068740?mt=8 It was missing for a few days, honest!

42

Stage Management: Other / Re: iPhone Stage Manager

« on: Nov 13, 2011, 12:06 am »

Hmmm, not in the US app store any longer. Guess I should have got it when I first read this thread.

43

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PRESS RELEASES

« on: Nov 06, 2011, 11:08 pm »

I have no idea how the politics of this type thing work in the real world at the equity level. But of all the community theater shows I've worked, my all-time favorite one is coincidentally the one where I was mentioned on the nice full-color over-sized poster. I'd work for that director or producer again; and probably for the theater as well.

44

The Green Room / Re: Stage Management Handbook

« on: Sep 06, 2011, 03:25 pm »

I recently helped out two different people who are stage managing their first shows. These are the books I’ve read, and can recommend. If you’re just starting out, start with the less expensive ones, and work your way up as you get more experience.

• The Back Stage Guide to Stage Management, by Thomas A. Kelly. Very detailed. $14
• The Stage Management Handbook, by Daniel A. Ionazzi (aka the yellow book). Basic, an easy read, a very good introduction. $16
• Stage Manager The Professional Experience, by Larry Fazio. A solid read, aimed at professionals. $58
• Stage Management, by Lawrence Stern. A great book, aimed at professional stage managers. Lots of real world examples. $90

45

Tools of the Trade / Re: Software-packing a truck

« on: Sep 03, 2011, 08:12 am »

When I went to the college first year, my parents and I packed the trunk of the car pretty densely, like Tetris. And I took a bunch of stuff. The second year I pre-packed the stuff into boxes, trunks, lots of square-shaped containers. While it may not have been as efficient, it was much easier to load and unload the car. Does the same principle (pack stuff into cubes, then just pack the cubes) hold for show equipment?