Messages

46

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Teaching someone to call the show

« on: Apr 02, 2012, 09:18 pm »

Most of the time, it's the old standard - observe 1-2 times, be observed 1-2 times and then it's yours.

That's what my experience taking over shows has mostly been as well, with seeing it from the audience once in addition to observing it 1-2 times.  I find that that first show when you're calling it being observed is the most informative, as there are things that you thought were clear while observing are less clear when you're the one calling it. 

I'm also a fan of practicing tricky sequences over and over preshow, both on my own and with sound/light help as available.

47

Employment / Re: Health insurance

« on: Mar 23, 2012, 06:51 pm »

I've been lucky enough to work enough weeks to get it from AEA since I first hit the 12 week minimum after I got my card four years ago (I also had the incredible good luck for my first contract to be exactly 12 weeks long).

As a PA, I got it through the theatre, and before that I went two years without (as back then I aged out of my dad's coverage when I graduated from college)

48

The Green Room / Re: Things Stage Managers Say

« on: Jan 29, 2012, 09:59 pm »

"If you are not onstage acting in a scene, you should not be eating the props."

...said in reference to a bag of cheese curls.

49

The Green Room / Re: Things Stage Managers Say

« on: Jan 28, 2012, 08:58 pm »

"I'm just calling to make sure you're on your way.  Rehearsal began at [time].  Call me if there's a problem."

"Take 10, ladies and gentlemen!  Ten minutes, please!"

50

The Green Room / ARTICLE: Confessions of a Serial Intern

« on: Dec 22, 2011, 09:10 pm »

A very interesting article about interning:

http://www.howlround.com/2011/12/21/confessions-of-a-serial-intern-by-annah-feinberg/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HowlRound+%28HowlRound%29

51

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: call times

« on: Oct 31, 2011, 08:27 pm »

I also call half-hour (house open), 15, 5, and places, and I definitely cheat.  The degree to which I cheat depends on whether or not I have a page mic or I have to walk around to each dressing room.  If I have to do the walk around, I go to the booth at 5, and my assistant calls places.   If I have a 15 minute intermission, in the interest of getting started against as soon as possible, I will give the house manager a 10 minute call, though I only call 5 & places to the cast & crew.  On the musical I was doing this summer, the conductor requested a cue to tune approximately 30 seconds before I sent the curtain speech.

52

Tools of the Trade / Re: 5 fingers

« on: Oct 07, 2011, 06:36 pm »

I have never worn them for SM stuff (other than sitting in the booth), but I've had a pair (The sprint) for about a year that I mostly wear to the gym and I love them.  My worry for backstage would be that the sole is so thin it might not provide enough protection.  They have great traction though, and are really quiet. 

53

The Green Room / Re: Hurricane Irene and your Company's plans

« on: Aug 27, 2011, 09:45 pm »

I got an email from our business rep in Boston on the NEAT contract, that let us know contingency plans.  It was an "FYI, this was the email sent to your producers". 

54

The Green Room / Re: Hurricane Irene and your Company's plans

« on: Aug 26, 2011, 10:15 pm »

Yeah, AEA called my theatre company and said we would be allowed to cancel Sunday rehearsal and schedule Monday rehearsal, on our day off.

Which is odd, because it would mean seven days straight, leading into staging and tech - which I do not think is a good idea.

We shall see where we are at Saturday before we make a decision.

Yeah, our theatre got the same phone call this morning, and I got an email from the business rep.  Our show was already looking at 7 days straight, so this just switched which 7 days it is.  Before it was this past Tuesday through next Monday (and both 10 out of 12s).  Now it's next Monday through Sunday (still including both 10 out of 12s, as one of those is what we're moving).

55

The Green Room / Re: Hurricane Irene and your Company's plans

« on: Aug 26, 2011, 05:48 pm »

We were due to start tech on Sunday (in Boston), but we are cancelling that day and, with Equity's blessing, rescheduling that day of tech for what was supposed to be our day off on Tuesday (We'll still have Monday tech as previously scheduled, barring more extreme weather).  We are still planning to have our rehearsal tomorrow as scheduled as of now.

56

The Hardline / Re: AEA Application?

« on: Aug 22, 2011, 01:07 am »

I also got a packet in the mail after the contracts had been submitted.  A few weeks after...  Equity moves slow.

57

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Calling cues for the spotlight operator

« on: Jul 24, 2011, 11:44 am »

On the last show I did, I had 3 spotlights.  During tech, the ALD generated the cue lists (as other have experienced), and I also jotted down general things like frame numbers and size in the margin of my book.  Right before opening, the ALD finalized the cue lists and she made sure I had a copy of all of them for my records.  For the show, I chose not to call the majority of the spot cues.  Most were ordinary entrance/exit pick ups, and my ops were on top of it.  I did call any time two spots had to switch who they were on mid-scene (due to sightlines and spot throw), and there was one musical number that almost entirely spot bump cues, and I called all of those.  Again, though, I trusted these spot ops (and so did the LD) because they proved early on that they were attentive and focused.  If that hadn't been the case, if I had doubts, I probably would have called everything.

58

Employment / Re: To tattoo or not to tattoo

« on: Jul 20, 2011, 11:33 am »

Let's be honest here we're not supposed to be seen so why should it matter?

I've worked in a bunch of small theatres where I have to physically find the house manager in the lobby full of patrons to give a time call, or wade through patrons in the lobby to get to the booth.

I'm not saying I'm against tattoos (to each their own), just that we are visible sometimes as part of our jobs.

59

The Hardline / Re: Going Equity 'Young'

« on: Jul 20, 2011, 11:28 am »

I got my AEA card a few weeks before I turned 26.  I was in the middle of my second year as a PA at a big regional theatre, and was on the day off between two 10 out of 12's for the show in our smaller space, when the production manager called me and offered me the ASM slot in the other space.  She had lost the person slotted for that position at the last minute, and thought I was ready to move up (and she'd figured out how to sub me out of the other show).  I took the opportunity.  I had never earned any EMC points, because the model at the theatre I was working at was that if they were happy with you after you PA'd, you usually got offered an AEA ASM position. 

One of the trickiest times for finding work since I got my card was that first summer.  I got my card in February, right in the middle of hiring for the summer.  That summer I managed to persuade the small new play festival that I had worked at for 4 years to hire me as an AEA Guest Artist. 

For the most part, I have done well in keeping myself booked.  I have established a relationship with a smaller Equity house in Boston in addition to the big regional theatre that I have worked at on and off since college, so between the two of them I have remained reasonably well booked.  I have also branched out working at various theatres around the country, though getting my name out there outside New England is still something I am struggling to do.

I will say that the best thing that happened to my career at the big regional theatre came out of an unfortunate circumstance.  A dear friend of mine was SMing a show there, and was diagnosed with cancer (she is now fully in remission).  I was brought on to sort of tag team the rest of that rehearsal process, allowing her to remain involved to distract herself, but be able to step out when needed for appointments, etc.  We teched the show together, and then she handed it off to me for the run.   I feel like without stepping up to take on this experience (it was a difficult new show with the cast at odds with the playwright), I would have remained on the ASM track at that theatre for a while longer, but instead I started getting offered PSM positions.

Ultimately I am happy with when in my career I got my card.  I was 4 years out of college, and I had a relationship with a large theatre, so I had the experience necessary to continue to find AEA employment.

60

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Re: ESCRIPTS: Post your requests for electronic scripts here!

« on: Jul 11, 2011, 11:43 am »

Does anyone have Big River?