301
Employment / Re: Current Pay Rates?
« on: Jun 18, 2015, 02:23 am »
Sending you a PM.
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302
Employment / Re: Current Pay Rates?
« on: Jun 18, 2015, 12:34 am »
I think this is probably too broad a question.... There's a wide variety of SMs on this board, working at different levels of theatre. Here's a previous thread about salaries- there's quite an array of answers. Are you looking at a gig that would have a day rate, or a weekly rate? Is it a tour, or a local gig?
303
Introductions / Re: Just Joined...
« on: Jun 18, 2015, 12:27 am »
Hi and welcome from another DC area SM!
304
Introductions / Re: If all the world's a stage, then the stage manager must be god.
« on: Jun 17, 2015, 07:45 pm »
Hi and welcome!
305
Introductions / Re: Standby Introduction...
« on: Jun 17, 2015, 07:45 pm »
Hi and welcome from another local! I grew up in that area but live in DC now. Sounds like you're finding some interesting work!
306
Introductions / Re: Student stage manager, newly joined!
« on: Jun 17, 2015, 07:43 pm »
Hi and welcome!
307
Employment / Re: Employed LORT Design positions by Gender
« on: Jun 11, 2015, 12:05 pm »
Really interesting, thanks for sharing! You're right, I had a sense of the gender breakdown of the different design areas, but it did surprise me. I feel like in my area there are a slightly higher number of female sound designers, but a lower amount of male costume designers. Keeping in mind that I don't exclusively work on the LORT contract- would be interesting to see breakdowns on more contracts.
If you're interested in the SM split, check out the 2013 UIowa SM survey. It's really interesting to see how the gender breakdown shifts over time. More female SMs in their early 20s and 30s, but as the age bracket reaches 40s, the balance starts to shift male. (It's not broken down by AEA contract vs. gender, but I know David McGraw is an SMNetwork member. Maybe an interesting question for future surveys?)
If you're interested in the SM split, check out the 2013 UIowa SM survey. It's really interesting to see how the gender breakdown shifts over time. More female SMs in their early 20s and 30s, but as the age bracket reaches 40s, the balance starts to shift male. (It's not broken down by AEA contract vs. gender, but I know David McGraw is an SMNetwork member. Maybe an interesting question for future surveys?)
308
The Green Room / Has anyone else ever noticed....
« on: Jun 08, 2015, 01:00 am »
....that when other stage managers come to see your show, that's the night that something will go wrong?
309
Self-Promotion / Re: Zombie: The American
« on: Jun 06, 2015, 02:41 pm »
It's pretty nutty. Interestingly, they are doing a series of "events" tied to the show- a zombie makeup tutorial, panels of zombie experts (which I didn't even know was a thing), a podcast taping, and today's is called "Out of the Closet, Into the Oval: a Summit on LGBTQ Politics".
310
Self-Promotion / Re: Zombie: The American
« on: Jun 06, 2015, 01:26 pm »
Oh- if you're interested in shadowing, let me know.
311
Stage Management: Other / Re: Short-term, non-traditional stage events
« on: Jun 06, 2015, 01:23 pm »
It really depends on the production, and what the needs are of the company/person hiring you.
It could be fairly similar to a more traditional play, just with fewer cues. It could be presetting props, and then being the person who communicates with the HM throughout the evening. Sometimes it's just making sure that all of the physical needs of the production are being met- are there enough music stands, do we have pencils, where's the bathroom/water fountain, etc.
Sometimes it's just being there, documenting curtain up/curtain down times, making sure that the performers show up, and that the building doesn't burn down.
But honestly, I think it's a great question to ask during an interview for a position like this. "What are your expectations for the stage manager?"
It could be fairly similar to a more traditional play, just with fewer cues. It could be presetting props, and then being the person who communicates with the HM throughout the evening. Sometimes it's just making sure that all of the physical needs of the production are being met- are there enough music stands, do we have pencils, where's the bathroom/water fountain, etc.
Sometimes it's just being there, documenting curtain up/curtain down times, making sure that the performers show up, and that the building doesn't burn down.
But honestly, I think it's a great question to ask during an interview for a position like this. "What are your expectations for the stage manager?"
312
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROMPT BOOK: Gratuitious Paperwork
« on: Jun 05, 2015, 07:49 pm »
There are some pieces of paperwork that I generate for one purpose but end up modifying it for other purposes.
I add scene timings to my character/scene breakdown, so I don't need a separate document for that, and I mark off which scenes have been rehearsed, so I can tell at a glance what scenes haven't been worked on at all. A prop list can very easily morph into a preset checklist, as can a costume piece list.
I add scene timings to my character/scene breakdown, so I don't need a separate document for that, and I mark off which scenes have been rehearsed, so I can tell at a glance what scenes haven't been worked on at all. A prop list can very easily morph into a preset checklist, as can a costume piece list.
313
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: BLOCKING: Ensemble Blocking Taking Systems
« on: Jun 05, 2015, 03:39 pm »
A couple of strategies I've used before:
1. Make "full-page" groundplans. If the ensemble ever has moments where they have to hit certain positions, draw those groupings onto the full-page GPs. Having these "landmarks" notated can go a long way.
2. Often in big group scenes, the ensemble is broken down into smaller groups, and each of those groups is doing something. So, rather than writing down "Millie, Joe, Brian, James stack hay bales" you can say "Group 1 stack hay bales, Group 2 unroll tablecloth" etc. (Just note down who is in each group).
3. Since you have 2 ASMs, use "zone defense" - have each of you take a certain section of the stage. ASM 1 covers SR ensemble, ASM 2 covers SL ensemble, and you cover principals. I have done this a lot in opera. In a big chorus staging rehearsal, when the chorus is in their first position, the SMs (with clipboard in hand) jump up and write down as much as they can on a fullpage GP. Mark that page as "position 1- top of page 3", and then when they hit the next position, make a new page.
4. Nametags! Make the names as big as possible so you can read them from far away. You can colorcode them according to voice part (sopranos pink, tenors yellow, etc)- that way you can tell at a glance if the different voice parts are evenly distributed across the stage.
1. Make "full-page" groundplans. If the ensemble ever has moments where they have to hit certain positions, draw those groupings onto the full-page GPs. Having these "landmarks" notated can go a long way.
2. Often in big group scenes, the ensemble is broken down into smaller groups, and each of those groups is doing something. So, rather than writing down "Millie, Joe, Brian, James stack hay bales" you can say "Group 1 stack hay bales, Group 2 unroll tablecloth" etc. (Just note down who is in each group).
3. Since you have 2 ASMs, use "zone defense" - have each of you take a certain section of the stage. ASM 1 covers SR ensemble, ASM 2 covers SL ensemble, and you cover principals. I have done this a lot in opera. In a big chorus staging rehearsal, when the chorus is in their first position, the SMs (with clipboard in hand) jump up and write down as much as they can on a fullpage GP. Mark that page as "position 1- top of page 3", and then when they hit the next position, make a new page.
4. Nametags! Make the names as big as possible so you can read them from far away. You can colorcode them according to voice part (sopranos pink, tenors yellow, etc)- that way you can tell at a glance if the different voice parts are evenly distributed across the stage.
314
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Wardrobe Runsheet
« on: Jun 05, 2015, 01:02 pm »
It really depends where I'm working/who I'm working with. Usually, I make a general run sheet with entrances and exits, and mark when and where QCs happen, and what the change is. (I.e. Sarah ex SL1, QC from Villager to Soldier (3min), Ent SL3). Beyond that the dresser talks through exactly how each change will happen during tech with the actor, and writes their own notes on how the change is done. I like to get a copy of those notes, just for my own reference and to have a backup.
When I'm working with a company that doesn't have a large costume staff, I might be more involved in these decisions. But generally the locations can be determined based on how much time the actors have (if they have time to go back to the dressing room, or if they should make the change as close as possible to their next entrance.)
I usually provide the designer with a character/scene breakdown before the design run and a list of timings for quickchanges.
EDIT: Megf posted while I was writing my post, and brought up a good point about makeup and other factors that affect changes. My current show has extreme makeup changes that take place in the dressing room, for better access to light, sinks, and dressing stations.
When I'm working with a company that doesn't have a large costume staff, I might be more involved in these decisions. But generally the locations can be determined based on how much time the actors have (if they have time to go back to the dressing room, or if they should make the change as close as possible to their next entrance.)
I usually provide the designer with a character/scene breakdown before the design run and a list of timings for quickchanges.
EDIT: Megf posted while I was writing my post, and brought up a good point about makeup and other factors that affect changes. My current show has extreme makeup changes that take place in the dressing room, for better access to light, sinks, and dressing stations.
315
The Green Room / ARTICLE: Arden Theatre Gala- dealing with the unexpected
« on: Jun 03, 2015, 07:43 pm »
Great story about "playing it by ear" when the Arden lost power for their recent Gala. I love that the new plan involved moving the concert to the scene shop.