Messages

361

Uploaded Forms / Re: Performance Reports

« on: Mar 02, 2011, 03:01 am »

Here is one of my most recent performance reports for ballet. However, this is not the most typical style. Along the right hand side you'll see the entire layout of the crew by department, which is used for reference when we perform this ballet again.

There are a lot of styles of performance reports, though most importantly you must list run times and time stamp your acts. Also, at the ballet we work with a union symphony, so tracking the exact start and end times, before bows, is extremely important, should someone cite an overtime issue.

362

The Green Room / Re: Do you add a personal touch to your booth?

« on: Feb 28, 2011, 01:34 am »

I call backstage at the ballet, but the console is mine and not the theaters. I decorate my console based on the holiday or show theme. It's draped in garland during Nutcracker, shows around Easter get Mrs. Potato Head dressed as a bunny... And we have a running gag since the fall of 2008 called The Jota Chicken. If we can't sneak him into a set piece or basket of flowers during a show, he sits on my console, adorned according to the ballet. His most recent outfit was a cummerbund and black tie for Puccini Songs.

363

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: ASM Calling the Show

« on: Feb 02, 2011, 02:48 am »

I agree with Bwoodbury. A meeting should be called to discuss the concerns of the Director and TD. If I were in this student SM position, I would prefer the meeting be with the TD, Director and myself, not with anyone else. Having the ASM present could only make the situation more awkward for me, and possibly the ASM. After the initial meeting alone, the ASM could be brought in to help discuss solutions. It must already be strange for the SM, since this situation seems to be being discussed with everyone but her.

It is a college production, and students can never learn to call shows properly without having the opportunity. If this is similar to any other college situation, the SM and ASM were chosen for their respective roles by the TD, which assumes that the TD felt those people could handle the SM and ASM roles they were given. And should they decide to swap the positions, it may feel to the original SM that she might as well just leave the theater department. Students have to be given a chance, and if guidance is necessary, then the TD must step up to the plate and assist. Or, if you are the one teaching the SM, then you may need to step in and help get her on the right track.

Personally, I never took SM classes and only learned how to SM by observing others. My sophomore year of college I was given a series of One Acts to SM, and while I was scared, the TD was present during the paper tech (since the LD & SnD were also students) and helped me fully understand what I was doing. The faculty must help take responsibility for these students and help them gain the knowledge they require to do their jobs - instead of tossing them to the side because they feel they are "not on top of things."

But that is only my opinion. And if the ASM and SM are your responsibility (you say you're helping teach them), then you may need to step in and find out exactly what's wrong. Hearsay helped no one. Perhaps you should go into a meeting with the TD and Director to get to the heart of the matter first - and see what can be corrected or assisted before things get ugly and people's feelings get hurt.

364

The Green Room / Re: Being friends with other stage managers

« on: Aug 11, 2010, 01:29 pm »

I will say that with my current project, there are 5 Stage Managers working on different shows at the same time for the same company (which includes me). Yesterday, three of us were rehearsing at the same time, and we found ourselves texting each other on breaks, working out schedules for using a shared room, and figuring out the playing space, etc.

I've found that this project, while a bit under-organized, has brought us closer together as a group. We really support each other. (And we don't feel in competition with each other since we're all working for the same company at this exact same moment.) After my rehearsal was finished, I spent time talking individually with each of the other SMs about their day, how things were going, and letting them vent their frustrations to me, and I in return to them. I also shared information that I had that didn't seem to get passed onto them, which was frustrating for them - but at least they had information that they needed.

During last week, only one other SM was rehearsing while my show was in rehearsal, and he and I would spend at least a good half hour or more each night, after hours, talking about our day, our shows, how things were going, etc. It's nice to have someone who understands exactly what you do and what you're doing right now. Perhaps I'm just lucky to be working at the same time with these exact SMs, as I don't feel any tension/name dropping/cattiness whatsoever.

For being as stressful as the project is, it's nice to have other SMs that are going through it with me, and I with them.

365

The Green Room / MIA Stage Manager - what would you do?

« on: Aug 03, 2010, 01:40 am »

To be as vague as possible to protect the possibly innocent...

As we all network and chat with other SM's on here, we may make a "virtual" friend, meaning one we may never meet in person, but still can go to for advice, etc. Say your virtual friend is working in a theater that you are about to work in. You want to view their spaces and mention that to your friend, and that perhaps you should contact a member of Production Management to do so. Your new friend says that you don't need to contact Production Management, since they are already in the theater and the theater's spaces - they can coordinate a tour for you, and the other upcoming SM's. They say they will get back to you. Time starts to get close to your starting date, and you never hear back from them.

Then you get your production schedule and you have a question. You don't want to make a fool of yourself in front of the person who just hired you, so you email your new friend again, to ask if this kind of schedule is common at this theater. And they never respond.

What would you do? Is it OK to feel let down that your virtual friend who made promises didn't follow through? Do you let it go, because you're going to get into your rehearsal space eventually, and maybe you can find someone else at the theater to confer over the schedule with? Do you ever confront (in a polite way) this person for dropping the ball?

Just curious as to how some of you may handle this situation...

366

The Hardline / Re: AEA Experimental Contract - Workshop Musical - Help with Meal Break

« on: Jul 29, 2010, 02:33 pm »

I'm sorry Heath, now I'm confused. I thought the rule was that you could rehearse up to 5 hours on a performance day, pending your run time, including half hour. Since our anticipated run time is 2.5 hours, plus half hour makes 3 hours (which is less than the listed 3.5 hours in the book), we can still have a 5 hour rehearsal the same day as a show. That's my interpretation of the rule (50.C.3)

Which part do you want me to call LA to check on?
Post Merge: Jul 29, 2010, 03:28 pmAnd worried SM FTW! The Casting Director spoke with Prod Mgmt and it has been understood that the previously arranged schedule will not work. We are now going with my suggested schedule, which means no additional tech time.

Sometimes I think it would be a good thing if the Prod Mgmt team would consult, at least with their resident SM's, before making schedules like that. Or, they could just read up on their contracts.

Thanks everyone!

367

The Hardline / Re: AEA Experimental Contract - Workshop Musical - Help with Meal Break

« on: Jul 29, 2010, 03:05 am »

Ah, Heath, yes....

So, I ended up speaking with Casting Director this evening and she told me that I am NOT under an Experimental Contract, but actually under a Lort D for this workshop. I discussed the day in question with her, and she believes the reasoning was probably looking at when the theater was available. Another show has a performance that day at 2pm, and my tech the day before is only 3 hours, so she assumed that they wanted to make sure I got a full 4 hours of tech before opening.

This season, all workshops are rehearsing at the school that shares the parking lot with the theater, so that really isn't a super-big deal. It's just a walk across the parking lot. (And another show is in the theater's rehearsal hall.) For other Lort theaters I've worked for, if an actor is rehearsing one show and performing a different show in the same day for the same company, the travel time has been part of their meal break - so those actors tend to vote for a 2 hour break before half hour. I know it seems sucky, but sometimes it's the only way to get them for 5 hours of rehearsal and still honor the 12 hour turn around.

Since we haven't started rehearsal yet, we have no idea of the run time, but we assume no more than 2.5 hours. Though it still doesn't excuse the over 5 hours of rehearsal the PM scheduled on a performance day, even if he thinks he can call it at 10/12, which I just don't think is possible on a performance day, period.

No, this it the first time I've come across this kind of wacky schedule - though I am seeing some odder ones for another show in the Festival. Some of these schedules just don't make any sense to me, but I'll leave that to that show's SM to figure out.

Thankfully, the Casting Director will speak to said PM and get this sorted out tomorrow. Basically, I'll just lose additional tech time, which means cramming as much dangerous stuff (if there is any - we do have stairs and doors this time) as we can into the 3 hours of tech we will have, and maybe I'll just pop in and try to tech alone with the LD on the break before the show.

At least it's good to know that I'm not crazy and that this schedule does worry others as much as it worried me. Sometimes I feel I get a bit rusty on my Lort rules working at the ballet so much.

Thanks guys! 

368

The Hardline / Re: AEA Experimental Contract - Workshop Musical - Help with Meal Break

« on: Jul 28, 2010, 06:55 pm »

Matthew,

You're right, I should've corrected my schedule to be:

11:30-4:30 Rehearsal
4:30-6:30 Break
6:30 1/2 Hour
7pm Performance

And that did not even occur to me - a 10/12 can't be a performance day, it can only be in the week leading up to the first paid public performance - and that is our first performance. I misspoke earlier, my first tech is the day before, I haven't had a performance yet by this day.

When I worked this last year, we were always referencing the Lort, as that's what the resident SM and casting director said. I've tried contacting them, but haven't heard back.

Thanks for your feedback and I'll see if I can't get ahold of the resident SM another way, to figure out how to extinguish the fire before it gets out of hand (aka, the first rehearsal).

369

The Hardline / AEA Experimental Contract - Workshop Musical - Help with Meal Break

« on: Jul 28, 2010, 04:10 pm »

Hi Everyone,

In the past 2 seasons, I've only worked AEA under Experimental Theater Contracts on Workshops, as my regular gig SM'ing a ballet company keeps me tied up the rest of the year.

After learning that a Musical meal break is 2 hours, or 1.5 hours, pending the cast's vote, I made note that if my day is 10-7, I get 2 hours, and if we vote for 1.5 hour meal, it's 10-6:30pm. So, 7/9 or 7/8.5, depending on the vote. With that in mind...

With my 10/12 day, my Prod Mgr has slated my schedule as follows:

11-3 Rehearsal in Studio
3-4:30 Meal Break
4:30-6 Tech on stage
6:30 Half Hour
7pm Performance

Now, this is a huge RED FLAG for me. If I've read my LORT correctly, there must be a break between rehearsal and Half Hour, and I don't really think a 1.5 hour tech counts as a break for the cast. Even though the PM has inserted a meal break between the rehearsal and tech, which one of us is right? In my mind, the day should be:

11-4:30 Rehearsal in Studio
4:30-6:30pm Break
6:30pm Half hour
7pm Performance

And I'll just have to wing it without a tech, since it is our second performance during the workshop run.

I would love feedback from other AEA SM's and those who have worked under Experimental Theater Contracts. I feel like I'm going crazy because I just can't see this as a proper daily schedule.

Thanks!
-Les

370

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Currently working on my first musical

« on: Jul 21, 2010, 01:44 pm »

a number line on the stage

Yes, for musicals we run numbers across the downstage edge, with 0 at center and going R and L, labeling every 2 feet in each direction (in ballet, I was told, the stage is marked every 4 feet with 1/4 and 1/2 stage featured on either side as well eg sometimes a rope lite along the lip w a specific color light at center, 1/4 and 1/2 stage in each direction - but feel free to correct me please)

Thanks - I was curious about that! It makes sense, and is much more thoroughly divided vs. ballet. At least that doesn't scare me anymore!

Ballet is marked at center (the actual center line of the stage) and quarters (half way from center and the proscenium), with 1/8 marks between center and quarter (called "inside 1/8" SR or SL), and between quarter and the proscenium (called "outside 1/8" SR or SL). 

1/8   1/4   1/8   center   1/8   1/4   1/8

Center and quarter are generally black and 1/8 are white - and these are generally spaced 6' apart. [Though if the floor is black, some opt for the all white method, which places "T" at Center and 1/4 and "l" at 1/8's - on the DS & US edges of the dance floor.] Some may spread farther apart, if they decide to scale the marks to the actual proscenium. If you can't do it with 6' spaces between the marks, then you have to scale down so that outside 1/8's fit into the stage.

As far as how the marks are made depends on the company and if you own your own floor. My company has LED markers in contrasting colors (Red & Green) at each mark along the DS edge, and the floor itself is dotted in special stencil spray paint in Black and White as I mentioned above. The dots run the entire stage, from DS to US. For rentals, since we have to tape the marley panels together, we will put spike tape in the proper color on each tape seam, from US to DS, since we cannot permanently mark a rental floor.

371

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Currently working on my first musical

« on: Jul 21, 2010, 02:44 am »

So I am curious to know how the rehearsal process differed. I've only SM'd musicals in workshop format, but I've peeked into rehearsal halls for musicals and noticed a number line on the stage.

Did you do that? Is it simply to help with choreography? Did you use it to make any notations in your script/score? Aside from having vocal rehearsals and choreography sessions, did anything else differ at all from a straight play rehearsal?

Just curious. Best wishes on your tech!

372

The Green Room / Re: What did you learn today?

« on: Jul 21, 2010, 02:33 am »

I learned that I do NOT like Tilapia. It tastes moldy to me.

373

The Green Room / Re: Being friends with other stage managers

« on: Jul 19, 2010, 08:12 pm »

I've only had 2 experiences with a group of Stage Managers - oddly they were meetups for the same group - so somehow the vibe changed between meetings.

Back in 2003, my PSM at the time took me to a "Bay Area Stage Managers" drinks night. It was in SF in a restaurant/bar. Everyone was so nice, we sent around a contact sheet, posed for a photo and the leader of the group emailed the contact sheet and photo to everyone afterward. Unfortunately, she moved out of state and another SM took over as the organizer. We had one other meeting after that first one, and it was at the new organizer's house. It was so snarky and uncomfortable that I forced my husband to call me and say that he needed me at home immediately, so I could leave. We haven't had another organized meetup since.

Kind of sad.

374

The Green Room / Re: Stage managing your life

« on: Jul 19, 2010, 01:26 am »

Right now as I'm unemployed, I'm enjoying the relaxed life and letting things get a little slack. This morning was the San Francisco Aids Walk, and AEA had a group present. I ended up being the only SM to show up for the walk in a Sea of Actors. They all kept prodding me once the walk officially started to let them know when it was time for a break. Everyone took a turn with it. When the time actually came, I did announce "Actors on a 10, Actors on a 10!" They all turned to me and giggled. Then I told them they could waive their break in lieu of a 15 when we actually hit the porta-potties further up the road.

I had also made a point to not carry a backpack or purse, since this was a 10k walk. Though I did manage to stick some essentials into my pockets of my "springy cammo-style capris." Around the 5k point, we were all given strawberry ice cream treats. When one actor finished his, he complained that they didn't give free napkins with the free ice-cream. I reached into my pocket and offered him a clean tissue, which he accepted. Yes, always prepared - even when I'm off-duty (and even for those actors that I hadn't met before today!).

Even if we're not in a show, our minds are always in the game.

375

The Green Room / Re: What did you learn today?

« on: Jul 18, 2010, 08:28 pm »

I learned today that after walking 10k (for the San Francisco Aids Walk) and finally driving home in your car, that it's almost impossible to stand again.

Oh, and the old adage about asking someone something about themselves to get the conversation rolling: Yes it's true; people love to talk about themselves - especially actors. But they don't return the questions to keep it going. So, when they are done, the conversation comes to a halt. A little odd when you're walking next to each other in a 10k walk, but oh well.