Messages

46

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: Projections...how do you call it?

« on: Jul 22, 2014, 10:14 am »

Just like the rest of my calls, I reduce the number of syllables as much as possible.

Projections = Slide

47

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSALS: Fight Notation

« on: Jul 22, 2014, 10:08 am »

Is there a standard or common fight notation?
Would someone be able to show me an example? I would deeply appreciate it.

48

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: MUSIC: How much should I be able to read?

« on: Jul 22, 2014, 10:03 am »

Sometimes you don't need to read music at all. If the design team will be following the text and placing cues off the text or visuals, then reading the music won't be necessary.

For one musical, the LD had majority of the cues taken off visuals, while a few were text.

Another musical, the LD had some cues taken off music, some off visuals and few off text.   

49

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Emergency Contact/Medical Info forms for Students

« on: Jul 22, 2014, 09:42 am »

In a school setting, the administrative staff already has that information on file and the director and instructor already had the training on what to do in emergency.

As a student, I do not see the administrative staff (including director or instructor) will be willing to or be legally allowed to give you emergency contact information of other students.   

I'd consider asking the cast for any known allergies.

50

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / RUNNING: Cueing people not on headsets

« on: Jun 18, 2014, 03:29 am »

Sometimes, there may not be enough beltpacks and headsets to go around or may be unreasonable to give everyone a wired beltpack. 
 
How does one create run sheets and/or cue sheets to reflect this?

 

Edited to add topic tag. - Maribeth

51

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / FORMS: Mic Plot help

« on: Jun 15, 2014, 01:42 pm »

I need to make a mic plot for a production of King Lear. There are a total of 16 actors and 14 wireless mics, but because of the sound equipment only 6 mics can be patched into it at a time. (6 available channels)

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can make a mic plot for this kind of situation? 



Edited to add topic tag. - Maribeth

52

Uploaded Forms / Re: Sample Props Schedule

« on: Feb 16, 2014, 06:37 am »

The first two columns are check boxes for rehearsal and final props.
"Location" refers to each prop's preset location backstage.
The "categories" of props (courtesy of Thurston James) are defined on the 2nd worksheet--click the tab at the bottom.

What does the column "source" refer to?

53

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Script Copy

« on: Jan 21, 2014, 12:21 am »

Thank you!

I was really not looking forward in to having to destroy a couple copies of the book script to make a prompt book.

54

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROMPT SCRIPT: Script Copy

« on: Jan 20, 2014, 02:24 pm »

I have a couple questions regarding photocopying drama scripts. We ordered a total of 15 copies; 10 for cast, 1 for director, 1 for stage management, and 3 for the design team.

1. I have two Assistant Stage Managers. Can I make a photocopy of my script for their use?

2. I have a small handful of actors requesting for a photocopy of a script, to help make it easier for them to notate and write in. They have been given physical copies of the script.

3. Can I make a photocopy of the script for use by our technical staff? As of now, I only know of 1 tech that may need one.
We will be having a soundboard operator to run microphones and sound cues. They will most likely need an annotated script for turning on/off mics and to set up sound effects. If I could, I'm planning of making a marked binder that will house the script and it will be required for them to return it after each rehearsal/performance. 

Edited to add topic tag. -Maribeth

55

Introductions / Re: Here to Learn!

« on: Jan 17, 2014, 05:25 am »

Hey Christian,
Welcome aboard! It's always nice knowing that performers are interested in stage management, it's rare to find these days!

56

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSALS: Giving line notes

« on: Jan 16, 2014, 03:41 pm »

I can see how giving hard-copy notes in front of the cast can help light a fire underneath them. That's a good idea!

57

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Not being the calling stage manager

« on: Jan 15, 2014, 10:23 pm »

My last show there was a Production Stage Manager (myself), a Stage Manager, and two ASMs. It was my job to teach the two ASMs as this was their first show and to oversee the SM crew. We had two ASMs mainly because of their scheduling conflicts but one was interested in stage management while the other had to fulfill hours for a course requirement.
 
During the show I was tasked to act as gun wrangler and sword wrangler, having to hand-off the gun and swords to the performer before they got on and to pick it up and lock it up after the actors exit.

Aside from that I guided the ASMs in running the deck to the point that they were comfortable, then I watched the show from the greenroom taking notes for actors or for the SM (when I wasn't wrangling the weapon props), and checking in with backstage from time to time.

I'm mainly interested in what stage managers do when they're the ones not calling the actual show. it was an unique experience for myself.

58

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Not being the calling stage manager

« on: Jan 13, 2014, 09:10 pm »

Im interested in hearing the experiences of what you did during a show you were stage managing that you didn't call the show. Whether it was called by someone under them, they called it so they could get taught to call a show, or somebody else who just came in to call the show.

59

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSALS: Giving line notes

« on: Jan 06, 2014, 04:24 am »

Some shows, I notate the line error in my script and email the notes to the actors after rehearsal. Other shows, i transfer the line notes from my script to slips of paper to pass to the actors when the director is giving notes.

How do you go around doing line notes or what is your method? what about performances?

60

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Running Book

« on: Jan 06, 2014, 04:00 am »

Well, the back story is I work on pretty big classical theatre pieces (although I have done this a lot when I used to do musicals, which seems like a whole life ago.)  This is a non-union crew situation.

We meet the last week in the rehearsal process, my staff and the run crew chief and the prop crew chief with Pizza or Chinese food - we usually plan on 2 hours.  Ideally, this is right after the crew has seen a run - but sometimes that gods are not happy and we can't schedule it that way.

I had out my scene by scene and the run book (which goes by many names - but it's the backstage run crew assignments - which is every prop move, every entrance by an actor, every scene change, quick changes, all the fire tracking, all the blood tracking, all the rail moves, all the automation crew . . . everything.)  We go through the show scene by scene and go over the major set changes, blood issues, and tricky spots  (Like crew member B will have to RUN from the trap run to the fly rail in about half-a-page . . .).  It brings the crew up to speed and we can problem solve before we actually get to the theatre.  We also work on any backstage storage issues here.  It can also allow the automation person to get a jump on programming a rough version of automation.

When I am calling a big show, I can't really get into the nitty gritty of how the backstage is run  - so, this is really my last time to take the time and discuss specifics of backstage life. 

The whole meeting is probably 90% of me or my assistants downloading information and 10% discussion.  I do find it very interesting because sometimes, even from the team being in the room during rehearsal, when we go over this for the crew, some aspect of the change will become clear ("I never knew that's when that was going to fly in.")

I know it sounds like a pain, and probably a needless meeting to some, but at the end of the day, if it saves 2 hours of tech time and added stress, it's worth it to take the time to go over all this outside of the tech time.

Would you happen to have any example paperwork that you'd be willing to send me as a guide?