Messages

421

Self-Promotion / Re: Elephant & Piggie's We Are in a Play! (Shadowing opportunity)

« on: Sep 17, 2014, 05:30 pm »

It was pretty darn cute. There were some great reactions from the kids- it made my performance reports very entertaining!

422

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Sweeney Todd Rehearsal Dilemma

« on: Sep 09, 2014, 06:23 pm »

Sometimes you don't have the option of taping out the full set in your rehearsal space- there isn't always enough space. There are a couple strategies that you can use to keep things straight in rehearsal with a set piece like a revolve:

• tape out the revolve, and move around it (as previously suggested)
• canvas or floor cloth
• taping out the different orientations in different colors (can be visually confusing)
• keeping a model or other visual aid at the table
• putting something as a "stand-in" for whatever your looking at- If the director wants to know where the staircase is at any given point in time, can you put a music stand onstage where the stairs would be, and move it around as needed, so that he always has a visual reference?

Small rehearsal spaces force you to be extra creative with the room set up/tape out.

423

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Sweeney Todd Rehearsal Dilemma

« on: Sep 09, 2014, 12:14 am »

Is there a scenic model? If so, can you keep it at the table and turn the model pieces when the scenery would move?

If there's not a model, can you make a little paper revolve to keep at the table and do the same thing? I would make a copy of the groundplan, cut the revolve out, and spin it to reflect the orientation of the stage. (I've made a sort of pinwheel like this before.)

424

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / MOVED: fun article on edible props

« on: Sep 08, 2014, 06:23 pm »

This topic has been moved to The Green Room.

http://smnetwork.org/forum/index.php?topic=8329.0

425

Employment / Re: "...interviewing locals only..."?!

« on: Sep 08, 2014, 05:30 pm »

It's unfortunate, but you can hardly blame them- it's cheaper and logistically easier to hire locally, especially if they receive a lot of applicants. I've been hired "as local" for a position before, meaning that I was responsible for my own housing and travel.

Similarly, I've had people call me for an interview before, and find out that in the interview that the posted job dates were incorrectly listed (and I was not available for the actual dates.) It happens sometimes. :/

It sounds like they may have made the decision based on the number of applicants though, so it's unlikely that they would have known that when they posted the position. I think the only way you can respond is graciously, and if they are a company that you want to work with, keep in touch with them and show that you're interested.

426

The Green Room / Re: fun article on edible props

« on: Sep 08, 2014, 12:31 pm »

Very fun read, thanks for sharing!

427

Introductions / Re: I'm Katie :)

« on: Sep 04, 2014, 11:38 am »

Hi and welcome, Katie. Lighting design experience can be great for a stage manager to have- it gives you the right vocabulary to talk to the designers you are working with. Be sure to check out the Students and Novices board- lots of great info there for/from students.

428

Introductions / Re: Hello from Alabama

« on: Sep 04, 2014, 11:29 am »

Welcome to the forums, Joelle! I'd love to see some posts about what it's like to SM ballet- I've SMed some dance but it's all been modern. And I know there are at least a couple more dance SMs on the forum.  Good to have you aboard!

429

Introductions / Re: Standby Intro...

« on: Sep 04, 2014, 11:27 am »

Hi and welcome to the forums, Teresa! There's nothing like the rush of a last-minute fix- it gets everyone's adrenaline pumping! And nice to have an eager audience.

430

The Hardline / Re: Changing rehearsal hours?

« on: Aug 23, 2014, 12:48 pm »

You have to tell by the end of the rehearsal . . . but you can change it with 12 hours notice.

Doesn't make a lot of sense.

I can say at 8:00p, end of rehearsal, "Hey Rehearsal is 12:00n - 8:00p", but then change my mind at 11:00p to 1:00p to 9:00p.

Well, you could also think about it as rehearsing 10a-4p, at 4p saying "Tomorrow's rehearsal is 10a-6p," and making an adjustment at 7p. There are also a lot of touring productions that use TYA, so it makes sense if you are rehearsing in different places all the time that you might have to make a last-minute adjustment to time/location of a rehearsal.

Totally my own interpretation- no idea if that's really the reason.

431

The Hardline / Re: Changing rehearsal hours?

« on: Aug 22, 2014, 11:31 pm »

For TYA, it doesn't specify.....

(3) Notice.
(a) The Actor shall be given notice of the next rehearsal by the end of each workday.
(b) Cancellation or Change. The Actor shall receive notice of a cancellation or change in
the originally scheduled rehearsal call regarding time, place and/or length of the call at
least 12 hours in advance of said call. In the event of an unforeseen emergency,
however, the place of the rehearsal call may change with less than 12 hours’ notice,
provided the rehearsal takes place in the same city in which it was originally scheduled.

Also, note the caveat in red.

432

The Hardline / Re: Changing rehearsal hours?

« on: Aug 21, 2014, 11:19 am »

TYA has that you have to give notice of the next rehearsal by the end of the previous rehearsal, 12 hours notice on a change or cancellation, and 24 hours notice on using a straight six.

433

Stage Management: Other / Re: AGMA Rates

« on: Aug 20, 2014, 11:39 pm »

Is there such a thing? To my knowledge each producing organization has its own contract, with its own rates.

434

Tools of the Trade / Re: Laminators

« on: Aug 20, 2014, 06:41 pm »

It's also great for signage on tour. You can tape it to walls, thumbtack it to a callboard, etc. and then you can take it with you when you leave the venue and move to the next.

Ah yes, including the ubiquitous directional arrows. "Stage Left" with an arrow that you can point in the direction of stage left. An arrow in the elevator telling you what floor the dressing rooms, warmup rooms, stage, etc are on.

435

The Hardline / Re: Changing rehearsal hours?

« on: Aug 20, 2014, 06:38 pm »

Have you looked at the Guest Artist agreement? If not, it's available online - http://www.actorsequity.org/docs/rulebooks/ga_rulebook.pdf

Just looking at what's online-
5. (b) On a non-performance day, rehearsal will not exceed 7 out of 8 ½ hours in Tier I, 7 out of 10 hours in Tier II, and 7 out of 12 hours in Tier III. After 5 hours of rehearsal there shall be a break of at least 1 hour.

(d) There may be one day of 10 out of 12 consecutive hours of rehearsal for each production in the 7-day period prior to the first public performance of a production.

(e) Costume and photo calls shall be included in rehearsal hours.

But, best to check with your production manager about anything the company may have negotiated that is different from that standard agreement. If you still have questions, you can always contact the AEA business rep for that contract in your area. (If you're not sure who that is, you can call AEA and tell them where you are and what contract you're on, and they can help you find the right person to talk to.)