Messages

46

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SM thesis advice for senior undergrad

« on: Jul 28, 2008, 09:40 am »

is it better to show stability with a theatre company or variety?

When hiring stage managers, I always look for at least on or two repeat venues (professional) on a resume. If no one who hired you ever wanted to work with you again, why would I?

47

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Alertness

« on: Jul 25, 2008, 12:07 pm »

I've got over 1500 performances of a musical. I would memorize the script and say the lines ahead of the performers. Learn choreography and you and your board op (or "bored op") can entertain yourselves by dancing along. If this is a show where someone else has the responsibility for maintaining the production, try learning a foreign language or books on tape. I preferred that to actually reading so that I could watch the show.

48

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Tips for Packing?

« on: Jul 25, 2008, 11:16 am »

I always take a small scented candle with me. I'll actually buy several of them, and then for 3 weeks before the tour burn them each night before bedtime. I find that the familiar scent helps me decompress in the hotel room and sleep faster.

49

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Stage Director AND Stage Manager?

« on: Jul 24, 2008, 07:32 pm »

Sarah & Matthew make very good points about a director needing to cut the apron strings and entrust the running of the show to his staff - for everyone's sanity! I do understand the desire to maintain your creative product to your own standards, and I suppose if this is a 2 week regional tour as opposed to a 3 month coast-to-coast, it may work out fine for you to wear director and stage manager hats. IF those were the only hats you had to wear.

Landon, on your company's maiden national tour I should think that the president and executive director would want to be dealing in a very hands-on fashion with front-of-house and box office matters. You need to ask yourself if the contributions you can make to the success of the company/production (A Little Princess) as a stage manager & director outweigh the contributions you could make to the company/corporate (Broadway Entertainment Company) in your role as head of the producing company. In the end, aren't the personal connections you can make in South Bend, Peoria and beyond much more valuable than any backstage contributions you make to the performance itself? To be perfectly blunt, the choice is business vs director's ego.

Give this production to people you trust and then go fight to make sure that these clients become return clients in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

50

Tools of the Trade / Neat Scanner

« on: Jul 24, 2008, 05:13 pm »

I just got a new scanner in May - NEAT Receipts for Mac. I've got a few "on the road" jobs this year and felt that this scanner/software bundle would be ideal for organizing my expenses, and indeed it is. But this is a multi-use tool which has almost paid for itself in gas savings already. My summer gig is an opera festival in New York state and our office and rehearsal venues are many miles apart. Rather than having to return to the office during lunch or dinner breaks to do copying work, I now scan in the document (for instance: music changes that are handwritten by the conductor) and print as many copies as are needed. I can also send electronic copies to cover performers (opera term for understudies) who may not be at the rehearsal. My assistant conductor even used it to scan and email a PDF of his passport and work visa overseas for a last minute contract.

I don't add gadgets with any sort of regularity: a MacBook Pro, Canon i90 printer, a USB cellular card for internet access, a small atomic clock and now this scanner - all taking up less table space than a 3-in-One Printer/Scanner/Fax and fitting into a single computer briefcase for easy transport.

http://neatreceipts.com

51

Tools of the Trade / Re: Headset Headaches?

« on: Jul 24, 2008, 07:32 am »

I used to get headset headache when I wore my glasses with a large-muff headset. I found that the Eartec Cyber works well for me most of the time. It is lighter than the "feather-weight" headsets and I have no problems with my glasses. I can do 10 or 12 hour days and not even remember that I have it on. I wouldn't recommend it for situation with a high degree of ambient noise. I found that in those cases I just had to put up with my Telex PH-88.

Also, if you are at all concerned about hygiene, GET YOUR OWN HEADSET! Find the one that works for you and purchase it. You'll be very glad you did.

52

Tools of the Trade / Re: Eartec headsets

« on: Jul 23, 2008, 05:58 pm »

I own the Eartec Cyber headset and LOVE it for most applications. There are some times when it is difficult to hear, such as having an opera singer singing beside you, but for cueing at the tech table all day there is nothing I'd rather have.