Messages

301

Tools of the Trade / Re: Stage Write - an iPad app for idiots, by idiots

« on: Dec 28, 2011, 06:36 pm »

Until they create a program that will automatically read my mind and do everything I want it to do before I ask and run on endless never-needs-to-be-charged-and-won't-ever-crash power...then I'll put down my pen and paper.

But if that really happened I'd probably out of a job.

302

The Green Room / Re: Picture Wars!

« on: Dec 27, 2011, 01:06 am »

In the reply box, click the insert image icon. Then on your picture online, right click and select to 'copy image url.' Go back to the reply box, right click and select 'paste.' That should do it!

303

The Green Room / Re: Picture Wars!

« on: Dec 23, 2011, 11:17 pm »

The flu! We've gone viral 

304

Tools of the Trade / DPS to sell digital scripts on iPad

« on: Dec 16, 2011, 02:07 pm »

Just read this morning that Dramatists Play Service plans to sell digital copies of scripts through MyTheatreApps.com and Scene Partner. My pro list for buying an iPad just got bigger.

http://www.stage-directions.com/industry-news/3848-dramatists-play-service-to-sell-digital-scripts-through-mytheaterappscom.html

I don't have any Apple products, but I venture to guess that if this becomes the 'new normal,' the next step would be to be able to take notes directly onto the scripts for actors to read off of. Or for stage managers to take notes and write cues. Or maybe it's just a new way for an actor to forget his script ("Sorry, I left my iPad on the table.").

305

Self-Promotion / ABC teams with CTC

« on: Dec 14, 2011, 08:35 pm »

There's a cool collaboration happening here at Children's Theatre of Charlotte: we're co-designing and fabricating two children's bedrooms for a local episode of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. We're set to "Move that bus!" very soon. My mother, a big Ty Pennington fan, thinks this is the most wonderful thing I've been involved with.

From the press release:

ABC’s Emmy award-winning television reality show “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” has selected Children’s Theatre of Charlotte to co-design and fabricate two children’s bedrooms in an upcoming build in the Charlotte area. 

“Who knows children and their imaginations better than Children’s Theatre?” says Senior Producer Diane Korman.  “The Theatre has a team of extraordinarily talented designers and craftspeople – a perfect match for the rooms we will create for these deserving children.”

The design work and fabrication will be completed at Children’s Theatre’s facilities at ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center. 

“We are very excited to be part of this worthwhile project and to lend the talents of our artists to create unforgettable spaces for these young people.  This opportunity is being embraced by our entire team here at the Theatre, especially because it is happening during the holiday season,” says Linda Reynolds, Managing Director of Development, Marketing and Sales.

306

Self-Promotion / Re: TITUS ANDRONICUS

« on: Dec 14, 2011, 08:22 pm »

Sounds like the cost of a story is a pint of beer and a bar stool!

307

The Green Room / Re: Thread to vent about / Actors behaving badly / As haiku only

« on: Dec 06, 2011, 08:21 pm »

Please check your email,
you won't get call times by text.
You've worked here how many times?

You slept past your call,
somehow you make it MY fault?!?!
No, I'm not your mom.

308

Self-Promotion / Re: TITUS ANDRONICUS

« on: Nov 29, 2011, 06:42 am »

Happy opening!

309

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PRE-PRODUCTION: Rights & Royalties

« on: Nov 23, 2011, 09:34 am »

I'll admit I was blindsided with this one. I went into the meeting thinking we were going to talk about the season, and the next thing I know I'm being told the basics of obtaining royalties and being thanked for being so willing to take this on, as if someone already told them I knew about it. I don't like these kinds of surprises and I'll admit when I went home that night I was upset.

I intend to have a discussion with my supervisor and artistic director about it, but this meeting happened the day before first tech, so I've had to put my feelings (and the project) aside until I can devote some time to it without taking away from the current production.

310

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Re: ESCRIPTS: Post your requests for electronic scripts here!

« on: Nov 21, 2011, 10:31 pm »

If anyone has editable versions of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (revised edition) or Secret Garden (musical), preferably in Word format, you'd make a tired girl very happy.

311

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PRE-PRODUCTION: Rights & Royalties

« on: Nov 17, 2011, 07:31 pm »

Our stage management team has been delegated the task of pursuing and obtaining the rights for our seasons, beginning with 2012-2013. I have never ventured into this part of arts administration, and though I haven't heard of an SM team being the ones negotiating these types of contracts, I'm sure it's not a new idea.

Has anyone else gone down this road before? Any tips or tricks? We have the basic information so we're not going into this blindly. But I would love any 'insider tips' that will make our lives easier doing this in-between rehearsals and performances.

Edit to subject line.

312

The Green Room / Re: The Great SM Gift List

« on: Nov 16, 2011, 08:18 pm »

I'd love a bonus for Christmas!

As for the giving part, I'll be baking this year. Cheesecake locally, apple butter for out-of-state.

313

The Green Room / Re: "The Wind Beneath My Wings" or "With a Little Help From my Friends"

« on: Nov 14, 2011, 02:56 pm »

My husband is Mr. Mom for our 3 year old son, since he's gone back to college and I've been working full-time since January. He makes dinner nearly every night, takes care of our son when he isn't in daycare, does all the grocery shopping...everything I did when I was working part-time. He could easily feel resentment at the role-reversal, or play video games all day long and still expect me to do the house-related tasks, but he's taken up his new role wonderfully. He also shields me from friends who don't understand what I do or ask why I don't have a 'normal job,' which helps more than you'd think.

When I was freelancing my mom never understood why I didn't call her on a regular basis - she would ask if I had fallen off the face of the earth. Now that I'm staff and she's gotten used to hearing "I'm in rehearsal" or "I'm in tech" for a few years, she assumes that if she hasn't heard from me in a while that I'm okay. Facebook helps there, too. She understands that I'm an East coast girl at heart, even though the rest of my family is in Arizona and I've said I can't see myself moving back just yet.

I have a friend who I also hire as my ASM when I can, who has quickly become a sounding board for me. She's helped me immensely in keeping my sanity, especially this past year.

314

Employment / Re: Staying competetive in multiple markets

« on: Nov 08, 2011, 08:31 pm »

I have applied to jobs with theatres in cities where I have relatives or friends who have offered their homes to me for days or weeks at a time. The last time I accepted a short-term job (2 weeks) that was out of my immediate area (Southeast), I was able to stay with a friend in Boston for free - the perk being that they lived on-campus at Harvard. If you have enough people that you know spread out in enough places, it's possible to pull off.

Another option is a short-term room for rent, especially near college campuses where this option is popular. Sometimes a local technician or theatre employee will be willing to rent a room for $50-$150/week, depending on the city. It never hurts to ask for assistance, but don't put the entire burden of looking for lodging on the potential employer.

As Maribeth said, don't take a job that will end up costing you money.

315

Self-Promotion / 'The Christmas Doll' in Dramatics Magazine

« on: Oct 25, 2011, 05:06 pm »

http://schooltheatre.org/publications/dramatics/2011/11/christmas-doll-web-extra-2

This was an original musical work based on the book, performed originally at Children's Theatre of Charlotte in NC. They have quite a bit of information available, include a video synopsis and the original music.

From the Dramatics Magazine website: "A note from the editors: The Christmas Doll, Joan Cushing’s musical adaptation of the novel by Elvira Woodruff, is the first full-blown musical we’ve ever published in Dramatics—a breakthrough made possible by the multimedia capabilities of our new website. Here you can listen to Cushing’s delightful score, performed by the show’s original company and recorded at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte in 2007. Here too are firsthand reflections from members of that premiere company, including CTC artistic director Alan Poindexter and actors Mark Sutton (who played both Mr. and Mrs. Nuggins) and Emily Calder (Glory), as well as Woodruff’s own descriptions of characters and settings from the story. Many of those scenes come to life in the narrated slide show, also from 2007, featuring Todd Sumlin’s fine photographs of the Charlotte production."