Messages

301

Employment / Re: Websites

« on: Dec 30, 2008, 02:53 pm »

Hey all,
Here's my website...let me know your thoughts!
www.JosephHeaton.com
Thanks,
Joe

Hey, Joe!  It looks nice, very polished!
However, I'm not sure I'd put my home address on it, if I were you.  Phone and e-mail are usually sufficient first points of contact.  If you really feel you need an address, do you have a P.O. box, or would the theatre you're currently working for let you get mail there?  Just looking out for you!
Also, I'd love to see a quick blurb about yourself, aside from just your current project.  How long have you been stage managing?  What are some of your favorite projects?  How'd you get into this mad field in the first place?  Resumes are great, but a small written piece can communicate so much personality!

302

Tools of the Trade / Re: Holiday SM Gifts

« on: Dec 30, 2008, 02:45 pm »

I recieved a new photo quality printer, which, while I'm really excited about, I haven't set up yet.  Mmmmm, I'm having fantasties about props tables with a detailed photo of what it should look like posted right over it, or photos of sound board settings!

Given?  Closest to that I can come is the pen I gave my husband.  It had a rose made out of duct tape on it.  (Couldn't find red gaff!)  Why is this an SMish gift?  Because I've found that if I use really outrageous pens in rehearsal, no one asks to borrow it and then ends up stealing it.  No one at his job will steal it, either!

303

SMNetwork Archives / Re: SM: the musical

« on: Dec 21, 2008, 01:55 pm »

Which of course means it would have to be a dark night show, on Monday, since so many of us have Christmas shows!

Can you picture the house?  They wouldn't even have to lower the hosue lights; so many of us would probably be in blacks, it would just absorb all the light.
And power outages?  No problem!  The lights go out and suddenly a couple hundred mag lights snap on in the house and illuminate the stage!

304

SMNetwork Archives / Re: SM: the musical

« on: Dec 19, 2008, 12:06 pm »

We've got two Chriastmas parody songs already, sounds like the show within the show needs to be Christmas Carol, or something else "seasonal."  But is this a comedy or a drama!?

305

SMNetwork Archives / Re: SM: the musical

« on: Dec 17, 2008, 12:37 pm »

And of course, the lighting design will all be done in dark blue, or dark red, with a bit of spill coming on stage from the "stage" in the wings.

306

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Costuming the Crew

« on: Dec 17, 2008, 12:28 pm »

I think it's definitely a show-by-show thing.  I've done both blacks and costumes as a crew member, and had good and bad experiences with both.  We did a production of Candide where they dressed all the girls on the crew up in grey tights and leotards with giant wicker horsehead masks and feather boas that trailed from the back of the masks and attached to our butts.  We were supposed to be sea horses, and we waved a giant blue sheet to represent the sea.  I have never felt more ridiculous and less capable of doing my job in my life!
But, I have to (reluctantly) admit, blacks just wouldn't have worked in that situation.

Since I'm now working in a theatre with no main rag, the disucssion comes up every show.  Last show took place during a concert, so not only were we in blacks, but encouraged to wander about the stage after house open, mess with cables, discuss props, sweep, etc.  Current show, being a snarky Christmas show, I've got my crew in blacks backstage, but if they're ever come on stage, they're to wear some sort of "seasonal accessory."  It works.

307

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Daily rehearsal report notes

« on: Dec 06, 2008, 02:05 pm »

I was told to send RR to the director, producer and president. No one else gets them. It seems that sending RR to all designers would simply overwhelm them with extra paperwork, resulting in the reports not being read at all.

This absolutely boggles me.  The designers would get overwhelemed by one piece of paperwork a day, but the administrative staff who frequently live buried under paperwork need an additional piece, daily?  </sarcasm, sorry!>

Seriously, though.  I don't think you stepped over the line, as far as doing the job of an SM goes.  But, we all know that different thatres have vastly different expectations, and that may just be the way things work at the theatre you're currently working for.  Since you don't seem to be working under "normal" circumstance, I'd explain that you have very good reasons for doing what you did, and would like to keep the designers in the loop about things that affect them, to make the process run smoother later on.  Having spent brief stints in both costuming and props design, I know that was a note I'd rather have sooner than later.

Actually, I'd probably go straight to the designers, ask how they'd like to get notes like you gave, and start doing that without consutling anyone, as it's part of my job.  But it sounds like you're in a poltiically charged situation full of control struggles, so my first suggestion is probably more politic.  I'm not so politic, myself.   

308

SMNetwork Archives / Re: I could have kissed them!

« on: Dec 06, 2008, 01:49 pm »

As a fellow hhypoglycemic, I can TOTALLY undsertand both your bitchy and the immense level of appreciation you say you felt when you came in, and they had snacks for you!  Definitely a "could have kissed them" moment!

For me, a bananna can be the difference between functional and unconcious!

309

Stage Management: Other / Re: Your most interesting "Other" Project

« on: Dec 02, 2008, 12:37 am »

An indoor dance program for a company that used live fire as a part of every piece except one!  I call it the crazy awesome dance and fire show.

I am full of jealousy and envy.  Love dance.  Love fire. 

310

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Creating a Calling Script

« on: Dec 02, 2008, 12:36 am »

I use different colored sticker dots for the various types of cues, with the number/letter of the cue written really big on it.  1/2" circles are too big, 3/8" is about right.  This is REALLY useful in tech, as it's a lot easier to just peel up a sticker (or cluster of stickers) and move it, than to erase a nice, big, clear cue and line.  I've found this works GREAT in musicals where you're calling off the score, as the sticker doesn't get lost in the "chaos" of the music as much as a hand written cue does, and you can put it right over the correct beat.  Also, depending on how fast and furious your cues are, you can put the sticker right in place, in the middle of the text.  Sure, you lose a few words, but they're words AFTER the cue, I don't much miss them.
And, the different neon dots almost glow under blue or red running lights, making them even easier to see.
Usually I end up going back over my script and neatening things up at a point once we've opened, but the stickers save so much time in tech week.

311

The Green Room / Re: I can't believe I just had to do that...

« on: Dec 02, 2008, 12:29 am »

        

These are EXACTLY what I was looking for.  I've been laughing out loud and reading them to my husband.

312

The Green Room / I can't believe I just had to do that...

« on: Nov 29, 2008, 12:59 pm »

Here's one sure to guarentee a few laughs: What's one of the weirdest/craziest/silliest things you've found yourself doing as part of you job?  On a regular basis, or just a one-time event?

My one time event was about a month ago.  At five 'til places, a small black kitten, from Goddess only knows where, suddenly decided that it wanted to hang out on stage.  This house didn't have a main rag, so the audience laughed themselves silly as I, the house manager, my ASM and both the crew bumbled around like the 5 Stooges, and chased the silly thing all over, under platforms, across stage, through cable tangles, etc.  We finally got a hold of it and kicked it out around places.  One of my actors asked me whht to do it it came back.  All I could do was stare at him a moment until I could finally say, "You're an actor, play off your new scene partner!"

The two repeating events both involved ceilings.  For one show, I had to put a shoe back in a box on the ceiling, every night, and for another, I had to scrub copious amounts of blood off the ceiling, every night.  Just one of those things you do, but occasionally think about and go, "What am I doing!?  This is my job?"

So, what's everyone else got?

313

Employment / Re: Location, Location, Location!

« on: Nov 23, 2008, 01:21 pm »

I'm in Atlanta.  There seems to be no shortage of work, but well paying work with sane and stable companies is a little slim.  As I value my skills more than, "We'll give you $500 for the whole run," I don't work a whole lot, but I get by.

To make due, I currently have a day job in addition to my stage managing.  Luckily, it's a box office job, so they understand and can usually accomodate my need for (insanely) flexible hours.

314

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Fill in the BLANK...

« on: Nov 22, 2008, 09:41 pm »

I was surprised when I was expected to provide copious and complicated props for a play festival, that I came into halfway through rehearsals.
Needless to say, I was very firm that I was a stage manager not a props designer; they weren't really paying me enough for the one job, much less both.

315

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Let's Talk "Places, Please"

« on: Nov 21, 2008, 05:54 pm »

Here's kind of a side thought:

I've had a lot of actors look at me like I'm crazy when "Places" comes 2-3 minutes after a "5" (or less than ten minutes after a "10," etc.)

Because of this, I've tended to adjust my other calls to all be in relation to when "places" happens. Anyone else get this reaction?

I do this, as well.  Also, if I get early notice from House managment that there will be a signifigant hold, I'll space my calls 6 minutes apart, rather than five, without changing what the call is.  This often happens with bad weather or an accident on the nearby freeway.   I end up calling places a minute or two after "start," but this prevents actors getting antsy and wandering off on a five or ten minute hold.  Yes, I've had that happen with so called professional actors, so I just cut that off at the pass.
I call places for actors and house management, head to the booth, confirm via headset that everyone backstage who needs to be in place is, and then let house management know that backstage is ready for the curtain speech.