Messages

46

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROMPT SCRIPT: Assistant Stage Manager Paperwork

« on: Aug 13, 2015, 12:32 am »

When I would ASM, I only noted entrances/exits and where the props were moving around the stage.

The only time I asked an ASM to take blocking for me was when we split rehearsals (we had 2 directors) and I needed someone to watch the other rehearsal. Unfortunately, they didn't take any blocking of value and we were lost when the rehearsals combined. In hindsight, had I known their blocking notation skills weren't that strong, I would've asked them to take more blocking notes prior to that split, so that I could help them be more effective in the future.

Unless it's a big scene with too much to make note of, I may ask for help on tracking entrances/exits while I try to get all internal blocking myself.

47

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: TOURING: Venue info/questions

« on: Aug 11, 2015, 06:13 pm »

I would also add:

• Building Access Hours

• Are you (as the SM) permitted to post directional signage

48

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / COMMUNICATION: Unable to communicate with Director

« on: Aug 11, 2015, 04:29 pm »

I'm working on a new works festival that I've done for 6 years. Starting last year, there is a new Associate Production Manager (acts like the PM for the festival) and a new Director of the Festival. They showed a lot of promise, and are very hard-working individuals, but they never seemed to follow up on anything last year.

This year the director of my work is the Director of the Festival. I was looking forward to working with this Director, until it came time to start communicating. There was no response to emails, texts, phone calls. (Mind you, this is a LORT company, on a CER.) Finally I told the Director that I had until 5:30pm the day before the first rehearsal to communicate with them, then I was no longer available. They finally responded and called me at 5:15pm. I understand that being a director of a 2 week festival is very demanding, but your own show does need some attention. They told me what they wanted for the first day's schedule, and we ran down a few basic questions, then I had to go, because I had to pick up my son from daycare. During this 15 minute phone conversation, the Director was in the bathroom.

On the first day of rehearsal, the Director asked why I hadn't provided X, Y, and Z. I responded that for the last 5 years I'd worked for this festival, those items were provided by Company Management. I was not aware that they were not provided this year, so I rushed to provide those items. At the end of the day, I barely was able to get the director to confirm the next day's schedule and how they wanted the room set. They promised me a drawing in the morning. They also asked about my thoughts on the festival and how SMs were provided information (or lack thereof), and that we should have a meeting to discuss the SMs needs. The director said we would talk on day 2 to figure out when to meet to chat.

Coming in for day 2, the director said I misunderstood about the meal break for the day. When I asked "When do you want to take a break?" and they responded "At 3," that meant to me - 3pm. To the director, it meant, "after 3 hours." I rushed to inform everyone and all was well. No set up drawing was provided (as promised) and the Director hastily moved around the music stands and chairs I had arranged for rehearsal the night before. When we were nearing the end of the day, the director asked how long we had until the next break. I replied, "You have 12 minutes until the end of the day." The Director was shocked, even though I had generated a show calendar and given them a printed out schedule on their desk that said the day was ending at 5:30pm. The director is aware that we are under a CER and days 2-4 can only be a max of 6 hours. Needless to say, we never touched Act 2 until tech on day 3, and with that, we didn't even finish it. I was rushing to take blocking notes during the actual performance for the final 19 pages we never touched.

There was no discussion on day 2 or day 3 about the requested meeting to plan for next year's festival. When I brought it up just prior to leaving after our performance on Day 3, the Director looked like they didn't know what I was talking about. Once I reminded the director of their request of my time, I offered to email with my availability on a specific day, and they gladly accepted and said they would get back to me to arrange the time.

Today is the day we were planning to meet to discuss next year's festival. Needless to say, it didn't happen.

I've never felt more out-of-touch with a director before. I've always been a big communicator - when I discovered that the projected tech schedule the APM provided broke AEA rules, I worked hard and fast during rehearsal to get it adjusted so that we would have the time we needed (even though we still ran out of time). This director is never available; starts to speak to me then wanders away mid-sentence. It's difficult because the director is such a nice person, means well, and is very polite. I can't grab the director and demand an audience, as they need to take care of the other 4 shows as well.

Personally, while I would like to offer feedback to make it better for next year, at this point I'm giving up. I'm not going to fight to spend my personal non-compensated time if the other party who requests my time isn't putting any effort in. I've worked with a variety of directors - from those who respect what we do to those who couldn't care less if you were there or not. And I've worked well with all of them. But this one in particular, while they said they are so excited that I'm their SM, I can't effectively communicate with to save my life.

What would you do in this situation?

49

The Green Room / Re: ARTICLE: Career or children?

« on: Aug 11, 2015, 03:07 pm »

While I have been lucky in my residency, and only working evenings and weekends when I have shows, I can't return to "regular" SM work now that I have a child. At least not anytime soon. I will say, my residency has been very accommodating of my son, probably based on the fact that I've been there for over 12 years, and I was able to bring him to work with me a few days a week the first 9 months of his life. However, in an AEA situation, children aren't permitted to be around (unless they are performers), and it would be difficult enough taking care of my son's needs in addition to my workload during a rehearsal day.

Stage Managing is my full time job; my husband works for the government. If we were forced to stop daycare, I would be the one who would have to quit my job, as my husband brings in better pay. During the summers I move for an on-site job for the entire month of July. My husband becomes a single dad, going to work and taking care of my son on evenings and weekends. Sometimes they visit me, if they want to make the 4-hour round trip drive. This month-long-job is my family's limit for me working somewhat "regular" SM hours.

If my resident position ends, then I can't return to regular SM work, as that kind of schedule won't work for my family year-round. I would then have to try to find similar residency job, or go into another line of work altogether, that fits the 9am-5pm Monday-Friday work schedule. I seriously dread the day that happens.

When we decided to have a child, I thought my career would be over, but thankfully I've been able to keep it going for 3 years so far. However, when push comes to shove, I have to choose family over the job I love. I love my family more.

50

The Hardline / CER (Casual Employment Rider) and Prep

« on: Aug 05, 2015, 09:26 pm »

I did some searching and couldn't come up with what I wanted to find...

For those that have worked under a CER, you know there is no prep period associated with this rider (generally). Being a good SM, I want to do prep for my next project, but I also just came off a month-long away from home gig today and my new project starts in 2 days.

What do you do? If you're not being paid to prep, do you prep? Or do you let it slide and just work it out during the first rehearsal? In my situation, the company manager has already emailed the cast with a contact sheet, rehearsal schedule and info about the first day. This would be the first show I never prepped for, and only my second CER.

Thoughts?

51

The Hardline / Re: Opportunity to Join IATSE - To Join or Not to Join?

« on: Jun 25, 2015, 01:27 am »

Depending on the local that you are in jurisdiction of - you may not immediately join, but start out as a "local jobber." At least that's how our local is, due to the number of members. There is a list, based on seniority, and those who have been members the longest are near the top, and they are always offered the calls first. If they are on another IA call, then the call falls down the list until all current members are exhausted and then it falls to the non-union jobbers.

Keep in mind that if you do become an IA member, and you get on the "list", there may be rule that if you turn down a certain number of jobs, you are removed from membership. That would be the only conflict I see, if you have to keep turning down jobs due to a long-term SM job.

My ASM is a local jobber for our IA, and picks up load-ins and load-outs for road shows for extra cash. She's able to do those short gigs, as well as her season of ASM work, and there aren't conflicts. If she keeps up the small jobs, she will eventually be accepted into the IA, and since she'll be so far down the list, it shouldn't be an issue for her to keep working for me and do the small load-ins and outs on weekends.

Best of luck with your decision! (And, of course, your local could be different, depending on your area and the amount of work vs. available membership.)

52

Self-Promotion / Re: Lion King National Tour

« on: Jun 25, 2015, 01:18 am »

Congrats! See you when you get to San Jose!

53

Job Postings / SM Needed at Ballet San Antonio (Texas)

« on: Jun 18, 2015, 01:30 pm »

Ballet San Antonio is looking for stage managers for their upcoming season. If you know anyone who might be looking to fill up their schedule on these dates and has experience calling ballets, please have them contact Aaron Krohn, Production Manager at
 Aaron (at) balletsanantonio.org
 
 Swan Lake: September 30th-October 11th
 Nutcracker: November 30th-December 13th
 Peter Pan: February 3rd-14th
 Ballet Alive: April 4th-10th

54

The Green Room / Re: 10 out of 12 - new play off-bway

« on: Jun 16, 2015, 05:02 pm »

Anyone following this - here's the link from American Theatre Magazine. With more tidbits from the show's real SM.

http://www.americantheatre.org/2015/06/15/10-out-of-12-how-the-other-half-techs/

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROMPT BOOK: Gratuitious Paperwork

« on: Jun 04, 2015, 08:32 pm »

Our ballet company has it's own school, and once a year the school puts on two different performances in one day, and we only have the day before to tech 29 different pieces.

For my SM staff that have been working with me during the regular season and know what paperwork is created for a resident ballet company show, the amount of paperwork for this school performance may seem gratuitous to them.

While the school director gives me her idea of how long each piece should be teched and when we need to have warm-up classes, etc, as well as the casting (which can be as long as an 18 page word document - without columns) I have to rebuild this information into a format that other people can understand.

Once I create a character/scene breakdown for 293 students, I may never reference it again, but it has helped point out quick change issues between pieces - and it helped the school director figure out how to re-order the program to prevent lagging. I also create a Quick Ref document that lists every piece, in order, with a running time down the side, that lists the basics of each piece (number of bodies per sex - for dressing rooms, what costumes are used, what the hair and makeup design is, backdrop, spotlight use, special lighting requests, etc). I don't create this kind of paperwork for any other show, but making it is a necessity to get everyone on the same page - and if I didn't, I wouldn't know the show as well.

There are several other bits of paperwork once made for the school show, that may never be referenced again, but help my team learn the show before we ever get our 8 hours in theater, as there is no chance for a do-over when you only get 1 tech per piece, 1 dress and 1 performance.

56

Introductions / Re: Start them early

« on: May 24, 2015, 03:20 pm »

Welcome!

I think it's great that you want your tech students to be prepared for theater after high school. It may be true across the board that most high schools don't have the time or the man power to help teach theater beyond acting. I know that was the case at my high school when I started stage managing. I had to take what I learned working on crew in community theater to know what a stage manager does, and bring that back to high school.

These boards have so much information - and be sure to check out the Forms board, if you want to help your aspiring stage managers get the basics of their paperwork. As you know, stage managing in high school is far different from college, community and professional theater, but if you can give your students a strong foundation, that will so helpful in the long run.

57

Tools of the Trade / Re: Ideas for a small burst bag of sequins

« on: May 20, 2015, 04:53 pm »

Thanks for the ideas.

The choreographer is going to test just putting the loose sequins in the dancer's pant pocket. I'm worried that she will have to put a lot in there for him to be able to palm the sequins quickly - but she'll find that out in rehearsal today. Her concern with using something to hold the sequins is that the dancer will have trouble popping the bag in time. We thought about velcroing the pants pocket closed, but that would be too noisy.

The other consideration is that the dancer rolls on the floor before he has to take out the sequins.

I didn't know that he had a pocket before - let alone pants (I assumed he was wearing tights). I'm going to see if I can convince her to try a small drawstring bag tacked into the pants pocket that holds the sequins.

Matthew - I also toyed with the idea of punched metallic paper, but then it would have to be fire-treated, and we don't have the materials to do that. I do worry that with mylar or sequins, someone is going to slip in their pointe shoes.


Post Merge: May 21, 2015, 12:55 pmWell, a solution has been found! When all else fails, change the choreography.

While changing choreography is not always a possible solution, this choreographer created a distraction with dancers DL so that the dancer who drops the sequins can extend his arm into the wings SR and an offstage dancer drops the sequins into his hand.

No bag to tear open or discard, no sequins falling out of his pocket, no fear of timing issues. But, we have sequins on the floor.

With the choreographer being open to alter choreography for an effect she wants, I'm guessing she's going to alter the choreography to keep the dancers off the sequins so that they don't fall down.

I guess some things are easier in the dance world.

58

Tools of the Trade / Ideas for a small burst bag of sequins

« on: May 20, 2015, 12:36 am »

I've searched several terms and nothing is popping up useful, so here goes.

For one of our ballets, a world premiere, we need one of our dancers to make glittery dust fall from his hand. My thoughts went to blood packs, filled with silver sequins. The problem is the dancer wears a shirt with medium length sleeves, so I can't hide it in his cuff/around his wrist. I don't want to use real glitter for obvious reasons (plus it's a rented dance floor). I figured sequins would be easier to clean up and would reflect well in the spot light.

If I use a blood pack design, I have to figure out how to store it on the dancer (there is no set) and how does he get rid of the empty pack without making it noticeable?

This is the last piece before intermission, so we have 20 minutes to clean it up. The downside is, it's in the middle of the piece, so dancers will have to dance on it (or try to avoid it).

I welcome any and all thoughts - or better suggestions for what to do.

(And no, our company doesn't have a prop shop, so this does fall into my scope of work.)

59

Tools of the Trade / Re: A very silly ToTT

« on: May 04, 2015, 09:27 pm »

But how much noise does it make?

60

Tools of the Trade / Re: New Drop Box Feature

« on: May 03, 2015, 07:46 pm »

Having not used Google Docs, I can't compare - but I will say this is really helpful for my company.

We have a Business Account, and therefore a ton of storage, so we archive all photos and videos to the cloud and not our computers. Marketing can ask Artistic to view a particular folder of images and they can comment on the side bar (of comments) about approvals, edits they want made, etc. Then Marketing gets a notification when comments are made. I've gone through and ID'd the artists in the comment area. A lot faster than someone writing down photo ID numbers and relaying them through email.

I can't wait to use it more!