406
The Green Room / Daylight Savings Time
« on: Oct 31, 2014, 06:44 pm »
Just a friendly PSA- Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday at 2:00a. Don't forget to set your clocks back! (and enjoy the extra hour of sleep).
News:
14 Jan 2021: Happy 21st birthday, SMNetwork! I replaced the old broken mobile theme. -K
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407
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: DEAR ABBY: Trouble with a new devised musical
« on: Oct 28, 2014, 09:14 pm »
Have you talked to the director about your concerns at all? It sounds like they need to start making decisions.
If the director didn't address these concerns when you brought them up, I would go to the producer(s) and have a really frank discussion with them about the situation (again) and lay things out for them clearly and in no uncertain terms- that if certain decisions aren't made, you won't be able to tech the show. (At this point, I would go to the producer regardless of what the director says- they need to weigh in).
If you've only been talking to one person in the administration, like the PM, it's time to get other people involved. Bring up the points that you've mentioned here:
1. When is the script being frozen?
2. When are the costume designs being decided? At this point they have to be something that can be executed in the time you have left.
3. You can only call the actors for X hours- what's the plan to get you to tech? Mention the fact that the actors are not memorized.
4. What is the plan for tech?
My sympathies- this is a crappy situation to be in. I was the SM for a new musical once that had the same kind of problems. The show was completely rewritten the day before tech- and how do you tech something that you've never rehearsed? We ended up rehearsing instead of teching, and the designers wrote cues on top of rehearsal. In terms of triaging, that might be as good as it gets. We also ended up canceling a couple of previews. Cast morale was terrible, and I thought some of the actors were going to quit. (The show was a mess, despite being a really interesting idea with very talented performers, and ticket sales were so bad that we closed a week early.) Ultimately, despite having a good history with the company, I didn't feel like they supported the production and didn't involve themselves in the issues, even when I brought them up. Not a place I wanted to work after that.
If the director didn't address these concerns when you brought them up, I would go to the producer(s) and have a really frank discussion with them about the situation (again) and lay things out for them clearly and in no uncertain terms- that if certain decisions aren't made, you won't be able to tech the show. (At this point, I would go to the producer regardless of what the director says- they need to weigh in).
If you've only been talking to one person in the administration, like the PM, it's time to get other people involved. Bring up the points that you've mentioned here:
1. When is the script being frozen?
2. When are the costume designs being decided? At this point they have to be something that can be executed in the time you have left.
3. You can only call the actors for X hours- what's the plan to get you to tech? Mention the fact that the actors are not memorized.
4. What is the plan for tech?
My sympathies- this is a crappy situation to be in. I was the SM for a new musical once that had the same kind of problems. The show was completely rewritten the day before tech- and how do you tech something that you've never rehearsed? We ended up rehearsing instead of teching, and the designers wrote cues on top of rehearsal. In terms of triaging, that might be as good as it gets. We also ended up canceling a couple of previews. Cast morale was terrible, and I thought some of the actors were going to quit. (The show was a mess, despite being a really interesting idea with very talented performers, and ticket sales were so bad that we closed a week early.) Ultimately, despite having a good history with the company, I didn't feel like they supported the production and didn't involve themselves in the issues, even when I brought them up. Not a place I wanted to work after that.
408
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / DEAR ABBY: Trouble with a new devised musical
« on: Oct 27, 2014, 09:18 pm »
Our members sometimes have questions that they want to ask the group anonymously. They can submit their questions to members of the staff, who post the questions on their behalf. Here is one of these letters:
Quote
Dear Abby,
I'm currently working on a new devised musical. It's a company I loved working for up until this project.
We had an intensive workshop of creating material and improvisations that led to the creation of an outline of a plot, which was never finished, and although we have 120 pages in the script we have still not written the ending. If we were to stage the material we have it would probably be 5 hours worth of material. Today is Monday, Tech begins on Saturday. Due to various rules of this particular situation, I can only call the actors for 4 hours a day from now until Tech.
I've notified the producers several times that the work is in trouble. There seems to have been no intervention. Now that we are coming down to the wire, I'm noticing more and more that I'm being blamed for a lot of things that are completely out of my control.
Cast Morale is shot. The actors do not have enough time to learn the piece, they have no confidence in the director, the devising process, or the piece itself. The costume designer has not had a chance to design because the work is so far behind. We don't have the time to rehearse this for character development, much less memorization.
It's also worth mentioning that although there is a director, the composer and lyricist (one person) also has a heavy artistic input into the show, and this person has some level of fame. The composer and the director are openly fighting now and the director has stated that he will never work with the composer again. Also, with this being a "devised" piece, the entire cast (lets say in the range of 10-15 people) all have creative input into the show, and they can't agree.
The point: With massive script changes coming in rapid fire, the entire show being reworked with no time to rehearse it, and the many other issues I'm watching unfold, I'm at a loss of how to effectively triage the situation. I have future work with this company and I need to stay on good terms, but I cannot see a situation in which this show is a success (If I'm being honest with you all for the sake of getting effective advice). In reality, I've really just scratched the surface of the issues going on here.
Anybody have any advice? I really just want to protect my cast from a process and a creative team that failed them. It would also be really great to somehow save my own skin and my sanity, but sometimes we have to take one for the team.
409
Employment / Re: Social media links on website
« on: Oct 25, 2014, 09:22 pm »
Personally, I don't like it. It doesn't seem professional to me- but, I confess to not being active on social media so I'm probably biased by my own preferences. I just like to keep my personal life and professional life separate.
However, if you want to showcase your personality, I think there's way to do that on your professional website. Have you thought about including an "About Me" section?
However, if you want to showcase your personality, I think there's way to do that on your professional website. Have you thought about including an "About Me" section?
410
Employment / Re: Which is better?
« on: Oct 20, 2014, 12:08 pm »
From your post it's hard to tell if you already have the community theatre credits, and are trying to decide whether to include them or not, or if you are trying to decide if you should take a community theatre gig.
It's good to have credits from different places and working with different people. If what you have is school credits and community theatre credits, then include those. When you're a young stage manager early in your career, it's okay to include school credits, but as you get more experience, you can phase those credits out.
I would argue that your resume should be more limited than a CV- generally one page. Rather than listing every show you've been involved with, I would limit it to your 'greatest hits'- once you have enough credits that they don't all fit. (I have about 40 on my resume. As I add new shows, I decide which old ones aren't as useful and phase those out.)
It's good to have credits from different places and working with different people. If what you have is school credits and community theatre credits, then include those. When you're a young stage manager early in your career, it's okay to include school credits, but as you get more experience, you can phase those credits out.
I would argue that your resume should be more limited than a CV- generally one page. Rather than listing every show you've been involved with, I would limit it to your 'greatest hits'- once you have enough credits that they don't all fit. (I have about 40 on my resume. As I add new shows, I decide which old ones aren't as useful and phase those out.)
412
College and Graduate Studies / Re: Change of School
« on: Oct 07, 2014, 06:39 pm »
Hi Grant,
Can you talk a little more about some of these factors?
-Location- big city?
-What kind of classes are required/available?
-Size of the program
-Practical experience- what's required, what opportunities there are
-Employment opportunities (if you plan to work while in school)
-Campus life outside of theatre
-Connections to the community at large
-anything else that's important to you in a school
I think you might get a lot of suggestions of places that other members have attended and enjoyed, but you can narrow it down a little more if you can tell us a bit about what you're looking for.
Maribeth
Can you talk a little more about some of these factors?
-Location- big city?
-What kind of classes are required/available?
-Size of the program
-Practical experience- what's required, what opportunities there are
-Employment opportunities (if you plan to work while in school)
-Campus life outside of theatre
-Connections to the community at large
-anything else that's important to you in a school
I think you might get a lot of suggestions of places that other members have attended and enjoyed, but you can narrow it down a little more if you can tell us a bit about what you're looking for.
Maribeth
413
Introductions / Re: Hello!
« on: Oct 05, 2014, 02:54 pm »
Hi and welcome, Katie! Congrats on graduation. Be sure to check out the Students and Novices board- there is a lot of great info there for younger stage managers.
Regarding freelancing - are there any specific questions that you have? Scheduling, budgeting, taxes, etc.
There are a couple of threads on the boards about freelancing- here, here, and here are a couple of threads about it. If you have more specific questions, you can do a search for them (search bar in the upper right-hand corner of the page). If no thread exists about your question, go ahead and start one!
Regarding freelancing - are there any specific questions that you have? Scheduling, budgeting, taxes, etc.
There are a couple of threads on the boards about freelancing- here, here, and here are a couple of threads about it. If you have more specific questions, you can do a search for them (search bar in the upper right-hand corner of the page). If no thread exists about your question, go ahead and start one!
414
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Freelance
« on: Sep 25, 2014, 12:38 pm »
Freelance is a tough lifestyle. Regarding booking gigs- it depends on where you are living/working. In my area, it's not uncommon for SMs to book in Jan-Feb-Mar for the coming season (starting in Aug). So it's easier to see ahead of time where your gaps are, and work on filling them. (I've posted here before about the difficulties of filling those gaps, but that's a whole other issue). If you can find a flexible job that you can use to fill gaps, so much the better- but finding a job like that can be difficult.
Or, you can fill them as work comes up, with workshops and sub gigs and other small projects. I think it all comes down to budgeting- if you manage your budget well, you can afford to have a week or two (or more) between gigs without going broke.
Regarding taxes, [caveat- I am not a tax expert, I'm just getting this info off of the IRS website] it depends on how you get paid. If you expect to owe less than $1000 when you file your return, you can file your taxes once a year like most people do. (This is usually the case if you are paid with a W2, and taxes are taken out before you receive your check).
If you expect to owe more than $1000, you need to file quarterly estimated tax payments, as you are considered "self-employed". (This usually happens when most of your income comes through 1099s. The IRS website has info on who needs to file quarterly taxes, and how to do it.
I've been freelancing for about 10 years. Some years have been easier than others- things line up well, and I don't have to take any "other" work. Other years I've had to be more creative- doing side projects, or branching out into other areas (I was the interim manager of a costume shop for a few months, while they searched for someone to fill the position full time.)
Or, you can fill them as work comes up, with workshops and sub gigs and other small projects. I think it all comes down to budgeting- if you manage your budget well, you can afford to have a week or two (or more) between gigs without going broke.
Regarding taxes, [caveat- I am not a tax expert, I'm just getting this info off of the IRS website] it depends on how you get paid. If you expect to owe less than $1000 when you file your return, you can file your taxes once a year like most people do. (This is usually the case if you are paid with a W2, and taxes are taken out before you receive your check).
If you expect to owe more than $1000, you need to file quarterly estimated tax payments, as you are considered "self-employed". (This usually happens when most of your income comes through 1099s. The IRS website has info on who needs to file quarterly taxes, and how to do it.
I've been freelancing for about 10 years. Some years have been easier than others- things line up well, and I don't have to take any "other" work. Other years I've had to be more creative- doing side projects, or branching out into other areas (I was the interim manager of a costume shop for a few months, while they searched for someone to fill the position full time.)
415
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Talk to me about tech...
« on: Sep 25, 2014, 12:21 pm »
I agree with what's been said about experience being the best teacher. If you want to get some hands-on experience, go on an electrics call or offer to run a sound board. Or, you could ask someone to give you a quick primer on how a light or sound board works the next time you're at the theatre.
If it were me, I would try to learn by asking questions (as has been mentioned, only at appropriate/not disruptive times) and observing what's happening around you. You can learn a little bit of the lingo/basic context from a book- something like The Backstage Handbook. If you're looking for a basic foundation for understanding the technical side of things, that's not a bad way to go.
I am constantly asking designers or tech people to explain how things work to me- and I have a technical background. Technology changes and the only way to keep up is to keep learning about it.
If it were me, I would try to learn by asking questions (as has been mentioned, only at appropriate/not disruptive times) and observing what's happening around you. You can learn a little bit of the lingo/basic context from a book- something like The Backstage Handbook. If you're looking for a basic foundation for understanding the technical side of things, that's not a bad way to go.
I am constantly asking designers or tech people to explain how things work to me- and I have a technical background. Technology changes and the only way to keep up is to keep learning about it.
416
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: FINANCE: creating a system of accountability with a difficult director
« on: Sep 23, 2014, 03:24 pm »
Are you the production manager? Managing the production budget falls outside of the normal realm of stage management's responsibility.
What kind of things does the director buy? It depends on how your particular theatre runs, but in most regional theatres it is not standard to have the director buy anything at all. That's the responsibility of the production staff/designers, and if the director bought something on their own (e.g. a prop) without prior approval, there would be no expectation of them being reimbursed.
Now, assuming that he is authorized to purchase things on behalf of the production:
I have some other thoughts on this, as I started PMing for a small theatre this year (and experienced the same issue with a set designer). When we do contracts, one of the things that is included is the amount that the designer/production staff member is authorized to spend, and that anything above and beyond that will not be reimbursed without prior approval.
What kind of things does the director buy? It depends on how your particular theatre runs, but in most regional theatres it is not standard to have the director buy anything at all. That's the responsibility of the production staff/designers, and if the director bought something on their own (e.g. a prop) without prior approval, there would be no expectation of them being reimbursed.
Now, assuming that he is authorized to purchase things on behalf of the production:
- You can't spend more than the budgeted amount (which is generally the amount that you are approved to spend) and expect to get reimbursed, period. If you're the props person for a show, you're expected to work within the given budget. If you want to make a purchase that exceeds the budget, you need the production manager's approval.
- If you ignore this and purchase something anyway, you've just spent your own money on it, and not the theatre's money.
- Do you have a 'cost-out' process, where the items that are needed are priced out, and then the designs are adjusted to fit the budget? It sounds like your director disagrees with your budget- has the design been priced out, and you can't afford the things that they want in the show, or do they just disagree that the show can be done on X budget?
- All of this has to be made clear to the director. You have to say, "We will only reimburse up to X dollars- anything spent above that will NOT be reimbursed." Then, follow through. If they don't want to continue spending their own money, they will have to stop buying things.
- The "more accountable" way to do it is that the director buys nothing, and communicates their needs to someone who can work within the existing budget. That way, if the director needs a prop, e.g. a small table, the props person can find a table at a better price than the director would, and be able to make the director's vision work on your budget. (They might also be able to borrow or rent an item from another theatre, rather than buying it flat-out).
I have some other thoughts on this, as I started PMing for a small theatre this year (and experienced the same issue with a set designer). When we do contracts, one of the things that is included is the amount that the designer/production staff member is authorized to spend, and that anything above and beyond that will not be reimbursed without prior approval.
417
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROPS: Bugsy Malone Splurge
« on: Sep 22, 2014, 12:04 am »
Hi there,
Can you explain what this prop is, and what it needs to do/how it is used? Not all of us are familiar with that particular show....
Thanks!
Maribeth
Can you explain what this prop is, and what it needs to do/how it is used? Not all of us are familiar with that particular show....
Thanks!
Maribeth
418
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Shadowing experience thank you gift
« on: Sep 18, 2014, 08:15 pm »
I would agree that a gift is unnecessary- a thank you note is thoughtful, and I thought loebtmc's suggestion was nice.
419
Introductions / Re: Hello!
« on: Sep 17, 2014, 05:38 pm »
Welcome to the boards, Lexie! Glad you decided to register. I'd be interested in hearing about your work in ballet- I hope you consider posting to the "SM: Other" board about it.
420
Introductions / Re: If all the world's a stage...
« on: Sep 17, 2014, 05:32 pm »
Hi and welcome, Meg! It sounds like you're really involved in your local theatre scene- very cool. What's your favorite production that you've worked on?