331
Introductions / Re: New to the Community
« on: Apr 16, 2015, 03:26 pm »
Hi and welcome aboard!
News:
14 Jan 2021: Happy 21st birthday, SMNetwork! I replaced the old broken mobile theme. -K
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332
Introductions / Re: Introducing AnyCole....
« on: Apr 14, 2015, 12:21 pm »
Hi and welcome! Tell us a little about yourself.
334
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: INTERNS: Creating a High School Internship
« on: Mar 31, 2015, 08:00 pm »
I don't have a handbook for you, but one thing that I think is important is to have some form of "check-in" with the intern throughout the course of the internship. It could be weekly, or at the beginning and end of the internship, or after every show- the frequency might be determined by the length of the internship.
Having a check-in allows you to ensure that the intern is getting an educational experience, and identify any potential issues with them before they become big problems. It allows you to hear from them about their experience- what they are having trouble with, what they're enjoying, what they would like to learn more about, etc. It also allows you to give them constructive feedback, and adjust their responsibilities and assignments accordingly.
I also think it's important to have them keep a timesheet, so that there is an accurate record of hours worked.
One theatre that I worked at did a bi-weekly staff meeting, and at the end of the meeting we had the interns tell us what they were working on that week, and what outside shows and projects they had going on. It really made them feel like a "part of the team" and the staff was always happy to hear about their work.
Having a check-in allows you to ensure that the intern is getting an educational experience, and identify any potential issues with them before they become big problems. It allows you to hear from them about their experience- what they are having trouble with, what they're enjoying, what they would like to learn more about, etc. It also allows you to give them constructive feedback, and adjust their responsibilities and assignments accordingly.
I also think it's important to have them keep a timesheet, so that there is an accurate record of hours worked.
One theatre that I worked at did a bi-weekly staff meeting, and at the end of the meeting we had the interns tell us what they were working on that week, and what outside shows and projects they had going on. It really made them feel like a "part of the team" and the staff was always happy to hear about their work.
335
Job Postings / SM needed for ArtStream (DC area)
« on: Mar 27, 2015, 12:53 pm »
ArtStream, a company that creates original theater productions with people with disabilities, is seeking a last-minute replacement SM.
Looking for someone to begin ASAP on Tuesday nights. The rehearsals are from 7-9 at Round house Education Center in Silver Spring. (metro accessible)
925 Wayne Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Rehearsals Every Tuesday night except April 7.
Tech and performances at Silver Spring Black Box Theater (also metro accessible)
8641 Colesville Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Load in June 15th (during the day)
Tech rehearsals June 15 - 18 ~5-10pm
Performances June 19 (7:30pm), June 20 & 21 (2:30pm), June 26 (7:30pm), June 27 & 28 (2:30pm). STRIKE immediately following the final performance. This is a paid position. If interested, please contact Patti Woolsey at p.woolsey@art-stream.org.
Looking for someone to begin ASAP on Tuesday nights. The rehearsals are from 7-9 at Round house Education Center in Silver Spring. (metro accessible)
925 Wayne Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Rehearsals Every Tuesday night except April 7.
Tech and performances at Silver Spring Black Box Theater (also metro accessible)
8641 Colesville Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Load in June 15th (during the day)
Tech rehearsals June 15 - 18 ~5-10pm
Performances June 19 (7:30pm), June 20 & 21 (2:30pm), June 26 (7:30pm), June 27 & 28 (2:30pm). STRIKE immediately following the final performance. This is a paid position. If interested, please contact Patti Woolsey at p.woolsey@art-stream.org.
336
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Completely Lost. Please Send Help.
« on: Mar 25, 2015, 10:05 pm »
Stage management is something that you don't necessarily need formal training for. While I think some kind of training (via school or internship/apprenticeship) can be incredibly helpful/beneficial, there are a lot of SMs that learn these skills on the job. 90% of what I've learned has been from working with other people.
From your profile, it looks like you're still in college, so are there opportunities at your school to shadow or work with other stage managers? Have you considered doing an internship?
Regarding blocking notation: I know that there are some "standard" systems, but most of the SMs that I have worked with have developed their own shorthand that works for them. As long as it's legible, it works. It's helpful to put a "key" in the front that explains your shorthand, so that someone else can decipher it if needed. (It happens).
Poke around the site a little. There are a LOT of helpful threads that might answer your questions. For instance, if you look in the Uploaded Forms section, there are preproduction forms that have info about questions to ask the director. If you do a search (in the upper right-hand corner of the page) for "questions director" some great threads will come up.
For info about getting gigs, check out the Employment board. There's info there about resumes, finding jobs, etc.
And, if you can't find a thread that answers your question, post a new thread! Welcome to the site- there are a lot of great stage managers with all kinds of experience on here, so chances are good that someone can answer your questions. Best,
Maribeth
From your profile, it looks like you're still in college, so are there opportunities at your school to shadow or work with other stage managers? Have you considered doing an internship?
Regarding blocking notation: I know that there are some "standard" systems, but most of the SMs that I have worked with have developed their own shorthand that works for them. As long as it's legible, it works. It's helpful to put a "key" in the front that explains your shorthand, so that someone else can decipher it if needed. (It happens).
Poke around the site a little. There are a LOT of helpful threads that might answer your questions. For instance, if you look in the Uploaded Forms section, there are preproduction forms that have info about questions to ask the director. If you do a search (in the upper right-hand corner of the page) for "questions director" some great threads will come up.
For info about getting gigs, check out the Employment board. There's info there about resumes, finding jobs, etc.
And, if you can't find a thread that answers your question, post a new thread! Welcome to the site- there are a lot of great stage managers with all kinds of experience on here, so chances are good that someone can answer your questions. Best,
Maribeth
337
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / SCHEDULING: When do you start getting involved with scheduling?
« on: Mar 21, 2015, 11:15 pm »
Curiosity question. When do you start getting involved with creating/adjusting the rehearsal schedule for a show? Prep week? Earlier?
338
Introductions / Re: I'm "On the Town", new to town!
« on: Mar 13, 2015, 08:30 pm »
Hi and welcome!
339
Introductions / Re: Coming clean.
« on: Mar 12, 2015, 10:58 am »
Hi and welcome from another DC SM!
Amen to that.
I enjoy good gin and like to surround myself with funny people.
Amen to that.
340
The Green Room / PSA- beginning of Daylight Savings Time this Sunday
« on: Mar 03, 2015, 03:09 pm »
Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour this Sunday, March 8th (and remind your cast as well!) Nothing worse than someone running an hour behind.....
341
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Shadowing: General Q&A
« on: Feb 28, 2015, 08:00 pm »
I don't know who it is, but you might try getting in touch with the venue- they might be willing to pass the message along. Or, once the show is in town, dropping off a letter at the stage door.
342
Introductions / Re: Theatre in a NCAA Division 1 Town
« on: Feb 18, 2015, 05:18 pm »
Hi and welcome, Bob! Big casts can be fun. My current cast is 16, and we did a potluck dinner this weekend between shows- lots of fun with a big group.
Good to have you on board!
Maribeth
Good to have you on board!
Maribeth
343
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: How to politely tell people things.
« on: Feb 17, 2015, 01:58 pm »
If a board op is occasionally jumping calls, or going late, I will gently bring it to their attention, which usually helps. If it happens repeatedly, I'll have a further conversation about it- it may be that they know why it is happening and can tell you.
If it's because of another factor, sometimes figuring out what is causing them to jump the call can help fix the problem. (i.e. inadvertently taking the cue off a visual, or a music cue). Often just bringing it to their attention works.
If it's a late cue, it might help to move your "wind-up" back a few seconds, and make sure that they are paying attention during the standby, and not using their cell phone or doing the crossword.
Now, if they are deliberately taking the cue at the wrong time, that's a different conversation.
If it's because of another factor, sometimes figuring out what is causing them to jump the call can help fix the problem. (i.e. inadvertently taking the cue off a visual, or a music cue). Often just bringing it to their attention works.
If it's a late cue, it might help to move your "wind-up" back a few seconds, and make sure that they are paying attention during the standby, and not using their cell phone or doing the crossword.
Now, if they are deliberately taking the cue at the wrong time, that's a different conversation.
344
Employment / Re: Fortitude
« on: Feb 14, 2015, 02:11 am »
Heath, this post hits home for me. I'm not in the same place that you are right now, but I've been there before. I don't have a lot of advice to offer but I do send you sympathy and understanding.
At the end of last season I had most of the this season lined up, but could not fill the "first" slot of the season (August/September/early October) to save my life. I ended up taking 2 jobs that were related-to-but-not-exactly stage management (sideways moves for sure) and while they were valuable experiences and I learned a lot, ultimately neither one is a path I see myself going down. Both made me appreciate how much I really enjoy stage management.
I think it gets harder as you get older, if you form stronger ties to one particular area. Having a family and a mortgage, and a desire to spend time with loved ones is really limiting, and I agree that it makes it a lot harder to take touring or out-of-town gigs when you want to be at home. I spend a lot of time these days thinking about what I'm going to do if/when I have kids- I don't know that my current career lifestyle will work for me then.
In terms of practical suggestions- Have you thought about branching out into opera or dance? It won't help with the health weeks but it could help fill in the gaps. And a lot of opera contracts are shorter and pay a little better than theatre. Opera companies are also more used to housing out-of-town SMs, in my experience. And, you said you had reached out to your personal network, but sometimes I have found that mentioning that I'm looking for gigs to people I normally wouldn't has unearthed some opportunities that wouldn't normally come up, especially for things like subbing or workshops, which could help with the health weeks.
I go through career slumps once in a while, and when they happen I start looking frantically for other work. Inevitably something comes along, even if it's not what I thought it would be. Keep your head up- something will change, some connection you've made will come through. It happens to everyone at some point.
At the end of last season I had most of the this season lined up, but could not fill the "first" slot of the season (August/September/early October) to save my life. I ended up taking 2 jobs that were related-to-but-not-exactly stage management (sideways moves for sure) and while they were valuable experiences and I learned a lot, ultimately neither one is a path I see myself going down. Both made me appreciate how much I really enjoy stage management.
I think it gets harder as you get older, if you form stronger ties to one particular area. Having a family and a mortgage, and a desire to spend time with loved ones is really limiting, and I agree that it makes it a lot harder to take touring or out-of-town gigs when you want to be at home. I spend a lot of time these days thinking about what I'm going to do if/when I have kids- I don't know that my current career lifestyle will work for me then.
In terms of practical suggestions- Have you thought about branching out into opera or dance? It won't help with the health weeks but it could help fill in the gaps. And a lot of opera contracts are shorter and pay a little better than theatre. Opera companies are also more used to housing out-of-town SMs, in my experience. And, you said you had reached out to your personal network, but sometimes I have found that mentioning that I'm looking for gigs to people I normally wouldn't has unearthed some opportunities that wouldn't normally come up, especially for things like subbing or workshops, which could help with the health weeks.
I go through career slumps once in a while, and when they happen I start looking frantically for other work. Inevitably something comes along, even if it's not what I thought it would be. Keep your head up- something will change, some connection you've made will come through. It happens to everyone at some point.
345
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: tips for glo dots
« on: Feb 07, 2015, 06:53 pm »
You can also use a plastic lid (like a deli cup lid) or the back of your clipboard.
RuthNY has a great suggestion in this thread about how to avoid peeling the backing of the dots off.
RuthNY has a great suggestion in this thread about how to avoid peeling the backing of the dots off.