Messages

46

The Green Room / Re: Trivia Tournament II: Electric Boogaloo

« on: Dec 24, 2008, 01:52 am »

Okay...really...enough with the Dark Tower questions. How many Dark Tower books are there?

47

The Green Room / Re: Trivia Tournament II: Electric Boogaloo

« on: Dec 21, 2008, 06:47 pm »

I got two knitting questions today. I don't knit!

48

The Green Room / Re: WELCOME TO THE GREEN ROOM

« on: Dec 18, 2008, 11:59 pm »

Huzzah!

49

Tools of the Trade / Re: Going Green

« on: Dec 16, 2008, 03:34 pm »

We could ask Equity to stop sending SM packets; we can download what we really need at any time from the website.

50

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Actor Cuts throat on Vienna Stage - BBC News

« on: Dec 13, 2008, 11:57 pm »

From the story...

"The knife even still had the price tag on it," one officer said.

Really? And no one noticed it wasn't the prop?

51

The Green Room / Re: Trivia Tournament II: Electric Boogaloo

« on: Dec 05, 2008, 02:49 pm »

I'm with you, Kevin. I got some weird questions.

52

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Yale.

« on: Dec 02, 2008, 03:46 pm »

I really didn't get a STUDENT'S perspective, as opposed to other programs where eager to get me in contact with both graduates and students.

Ditto for me. I had to initiate a brief e-mail correspondence with a current student but it wasn't enough to sway my decision.

I chose Iowa over Yale for money reasons, even though Yale was going to give me a lot of money. I chose also to skip a traditional "conservatory" training for the ability to develop other parallel passions, i.e. lighting design. I think my education was outstanding. OTOH, I also believe you do not need an MFA, unless you intend to teach. And even then, I'm dubious.

53

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Let's Talk "Places, Please"

« on: Nov 20, 2008, 09:06 pm »

Do you do a head count, through your ASM (or otherwise) to insure everybody who is supposed to be there IS there? 
Do you only check to see that only leading or supporting players are ready to go? 
Do you only check that actors who are onstage when the "curtain" goes up or who enter immediately are present? 

If I have an ASM, he or she will give me a head count of those who need to go on within the first few minutes, or those actors who like to be present at places. If I don't have an ASM, I assign crew members to do the same.

Do you let your company know that 2 minutes (or 3 minutes, or whatever is standard for the space you work in) after you call "Places, please" the show will begin and it is THEIR responsibility to be in place and ready to go, that you will not hold for them or even check on them, and that THEY must communicate with YOU if they are going to late to their place for any reason?

On the sign in sheet for the first tech, I explain how my preshow sequence is called. Half-hour at 30 to curtain, 15 at 15 to curtain, etc. 3 minutes to curtain is my standard places call. I've never thought it necessary to tell the actors it's their responsibility; I'd hope they'd assume that was part of their job.

Or, do you do something else entirely?

I SM'd The Music Man this summer and we had a cast of 40 kids, ages 9 - 18. I thought to myself, "How the hell am I gonna keep 40 kids straight with two green ASMs?" At intermission, I made them go to the green room and pick up an index card with a number and their name printed on it (alphabetically, beginning with 1, of course). They all had to enter the stage by the same stairwell so I posted a crew member at the bottom and as they passed by, they handed the crew member their card. He read off the numbers to me and I checked them off a list. I knew immediately who was missing, and intermission never ran over.

Does it vary depending on the cast or production?

Except for the above, no.

And, if you do a headcount, what do you use as you criteria as to who should be present at "Places" call before you begin the Act?

I assume anyone entering on the first or second page and anyone entering within two minutes of curtain and then, depending on the script, I ask if anyone else would like to be counted at places.

54

The Hardline / Re: Actor Notes - After opening

« on: Nov 13, 2008, 10:30 pm »

I usually poll my casts to see if they prefer notes in person following a performance or typed up in a private correspondence for delivery prior to the next performance. Full company notes, I feel, can be distributed via the sign in sheet. I also, like Matthew, speak with the director before he or she leaves (if not local) and try to set up parameters for what really needs scrutiny.

55

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: When the show is going bad

« on: Nov 13, 2008, 10:17 pm »

At the end of the day, I don't work for the director, I work alongside the director.

[Aside: I wish the majority of directors felt the same way.]

I can count on one hand the number of really great shows on which I have worked. I can count on both hands and both feet (x10) the number of "shows" on which I have worked. Most were solid and delivered the goods, but some of them were klunkers, no matter who might've stepped into the room to watch. I've worked on shows I was certain were garbage but audiences ate up with hedonistic abandon.

As much as we'd like to ensure that every show we usher to opening will be fantastic, that will never, ever be the case. It always hurts my feelings, yet I have to accept it [but I don't have to like it] and make strides to better the show in the ways that are most feasible to me. And, you must remember, that our paying audiences have very, very different tastes than those of us who look closely at the same product for 8 hours a day, for x weeks of rehearsal. Step back, try to look with an objective eye and see if you still feel the same. If you do, try to find the threads you can weave into a safety net. Then invite the producer to watch and hope for the best.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: When the show is going bad

« on: Nov 10, 2008, 02:05 pm »

Well said, Jessie.

57

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: When the show is going bad

« on: Nov 10, 2008, 03:07 am »

I agree with Paul. We are to facilitate the director's vision. In the same vein, if the director asks you your opinion of a scene, or the show, do you give it? It always makes me uncomfortable to give my opinion of a crappy show/scene, even if the director asks, and even if couched in the most forgiving language.

58

The Hardline / Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six

« on: Oct 20, 2008, 08:33 pm »

I'm also a fan of the mixed week; just like all the rules, there are very practical applications of the straight six, as those above have mentioned.

In my vision of a perfect world, all Production Managers would have been Equity Stage Managers.

Amen. Having come from a heavy technical background myself, once in a while I entertain the notion of transistioning to an assistant production manager position. I agree with Scott, I think it's a very natural career move for SMs to make.

59

The Hardline / Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six

« on: Oct 19, 2008, 08:31 pm »

Thanks, gang. I am of the same mind as all of you. It's a vote, and if we haven't rehearsed yet, we haven't voted. I'll take it to admin to see how they would like to proceed.

Like Digga, I don't think I've been part of a company that hasn't voted for all of the straight 6 options, but it is still a vote.

60

The Hardline / The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six

« on: Oct 18, 2008, 10:21 pm »

So, I was wondering...Situation: a director knows and insists s/he wants to schedule all straight sixes, all the time.

Question: Can you schedule a straight six for the first rehearsal day before the company has voted to do so?