Messages

46

Employment / Thinking through a Bad Fit

« on: Sep 21, 2013, 11:58 pm »

Tomorrow I'll finish a show at a theater that I probably won't work for again.  I imagine this thought is mutual.  This is the first time that I worked for this company and it simply wasn't a good fit.  There are ups and downs on both sides, but its the first time that I've been at a company where the culture of the theater was so vastly different from the attitude of my interview, the multiple conversations prior to me taking the job and the word of mouth I'd heard from past employees, all things I take pretty seriously when considering work for new places.

Not everything has been bad, and I keep circling back to the reasons I took the job and if they were in fact met - trying to clarify my expectations.  We've talked in other posts about what we look for in jobs or seasons and what I've learned is that when I put the non-work related reasons into work decisions I find the job less satisfying because the satisfaction lies outside of the work.  (That's a terribly awkward sentence, I apologize.) 

For example - one of the strong points of this job was the schedule.  36 hours a week, 6 performances a week with Mondays and Tuesdays off and no weekday matinees/understudy rehearsals/reason to be at the theater before 6pm, etc.  That sounded great because it lined up with the start of my teaching year so I could get students off to a clean start before moving onto more demanding shows later in the year.  What it actually means is that I'm quite happy with the time I can put into school but not happy with the show because I didn't accept the work for what the show had to offer me.  I liked the periphery which is great when I'm not at the theater but gives me a totally different attitude while I'm at work. 

I'm still processing - and am enjoying closing weekend - and thought others here may have had similar experiences.  One of the things I like about being freelance is that when relationships with theaters don't work out your contract already has an end date on it.  There's no rancor or drama with this one, the relationship will eventually end on its own.

47

The Hardline / Re: Mandatory meetings with no contract

« on: Sep 09, 2013, 05:11 pm »

Were you given the dates and times of the meetings prior to your signing on?  Was you availability for those meetings taken into account when they offered you the position?

If the answer to either of those is no then I second what others said - if you can't make it ask to be brought up to speed during your preprod week.  I'm curious about how the meetings have benefited from your presence and suffered in your absence up to now?  Were you the one taking notes and keeping people on an agenda (since there isn't a PM)?  What is the director's expectation of your role at those meetings - do they want you kept informed and are afraid it won't happen if you aren't there?

Keep us posted - and yes, having no PM would scare me as well.

48

The Green Room / Re: VENT: The trouble with spouses, pets and couches

« on: Jul 23, 2013, 04:15 pm »

Ah...rules about work and which jobs to take.  When my husband and I were engaged our pre-marital counselor suggested that we try to formulate something so there would be guidelines about which jobs I took, or even applied for, so that it didn't get emotional every time a work situation arose.

We came up with a few that worked the first few years, mostly by chance, I was happily working for a steady company on a regular basis and because I had just graduated college I was used to living frugally with not a lot of stuff.  As I remember it boiled down to these three guidelines:
1) I would only look out of town for work if there was no work available in town.
2) After three weeks apart someone was going to have to travel for a visit.
3) Limit out of town work to 1/4 of the year.

This worked for us for the first five years - but they also shaped my career and my opportunities from the start, in both positive and negative ways.  We don't have anything set now, we just take each season as it comes.  There was one terrible year where I was out of town for six months then came back to a demanding show at home and my husband said he missed me more when I was back but never available.  It's not easy.

This year we're trying something different.  I'm working at a smaller theater that is far less demanding of my time and energy, followed by four months of me working out of town.  The hope is that while I'm in town we'll actually have time together to be more than roommates and the out of town work covers us financially.   There was a lot of discussion to get to this point, who knows if we'll do something similar in the future.  One of the big things that has helped us in the past two years is that he has changed to a job that also requires him to travel.  He travels less, and only for a week or so at a time, but it feels more balanced, and he isn't the one constantly getting left behind.  The poor dog hates it when either one of us travels. 

That's a window into our life, I hope it's helpful to others trying to find a balance.

49

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Invaluable Advice

« on: Jul 10, 2013, 03:59 pm »

Two things that have stuck with me over the years.  Both were invaluable to me in my first few years out and I still think of them often.

1) From a guest speaker while I was in college, "Learn the difference between situations where it is okay to say 'I don't know' and when you need to fake it and find out FAST."

2) From a mentor right before my first real post-college interview, "Listen for what they're REALLY asking you."

50

The Green Room / VIDEO: opera summer stock

« on: Jul 09, 2013, 05:09 pm »

I know several people at De Moines Metro Opera and they usually put out very creative videos in advance of their summer season but this most recent has become a favorite of mine.  It's intended to highlight the voices of opera but I think the real star is the stage manager.  Enjoy!

EDIT: Fixed embedding. - PSMK

51

The Hardline / Re: Actors/Directors: Taking Photos in Rehearsal-A Disturbing Trend...or Not...?

« on: Jul 06, 2013, 04:48 pm »

I've been in situations where rehearsal photography drove me crazy and others where it was great.  Most of the time I don't allow photos in my rehearsal rooms during work time and make it a point to tell the cast that anything I take - preset pics, fight/dance choreography video is strictly monitored and won't make it to the communications department for the theater's use as publicity, etc.

Three specific instances come to mind:
Christmas a few years ago - I was ASM on a play with a fairly well known lead.  One of the younger cast members took a few photos in an early staging rehearsal and our lead very politely stopped her stage business and said, please don't take pictures of me while I'm working, I find it distracting.  The actor apologized profusely and was very embarrassed.  He came up to stage management at the next break to apologize to us and also to say that he was confused because someone from the theater's admin offices was the one who had asked him to take photos to use on the blog.  We apologized for the theater putting him in awkward situation and told him the theater should have asked the permission of the full cast before directing him to take pictures of his co-workers.  We called AEA, and other that no photos being taken in rehearsal nothing ever came of it because the theater was on a skeleton crew for the holidays.  No one from that department was working when we desperately wanted to talk to them.  Years later, the various level at which things went wrong still pisses me off.

Earlier this season - I was doing A Raisin in the Sun and had a cast where most people had worked together before, or at with one other person in the company, or with the director.  It was a very tight knit group and it ranks as one of the most moving rehearsal processes I've ever been through.  An actor with very little stage time was added as a silent character that was called for every rehearsal, not knowing if we'd use him in a given scene or not.  He had just started getting into photography and asked the cast and the director if he could take photos from the sidelines while they worked.  Everyone said yes.  The actor told me he had obtained permission.  The director told me she had given permission.  Everyone trusted this man to use his actor instincts to know what was okay to shoot and what wasn't.  I almost never noticed him taking pictures in the room, he was very unobtrusive.  After we closed he put a few on facebook and it is amazing how well they tell the story of a remarkable group of people and a remarkable process.  Those pictures are precious to me, I think, in part because there is nothing casual about them, and also because they were posted post-closing, separate from the press/personal pr machine, when they were about celebrating and sharing an individual's perspective on a significant experiance.

The non-union opera I just closed is very formal in it's press and the designers are very adamant about not releasing pictures of anything before hand.  They bring in a very talented photographer to shoot pictures of rehearsal, tech and invited dress, but they rarely release those before opening.  The costumes are always spectacular and a singer this year posted a pic of himself from a costume fitting.  He made it his facebook profile picture and got rave reviews.  He mentioned to the costume designer that everyone liked his picture and she said, 'Actually, I should have told you not to do that.  I would have preferred that you didn't.  You see, until the curtain goes up on opening night everything is a surprise.  They don't know what to expect.  And now, they've seen the most spectacular costume there is which doesn't appear until Act 3.  So you've ruined Acts 1 and 2 for them. So in fact, I don't think it's very good.'  The singer felt bad and removed the picture.  After opening the designer told him to put it back up.

Until something more specific comes out from AEA or AGMA I'll stick to my current routine of checking with theater management and the director on how they would like to handle rehearsal/tech/backstage pictures being taken or being posted to social media.

52

Stage Management: Other / Re: Professional Ballet or Dance Company Shadow

« on: Jul 03, 2013, 12:30 pm »

I think it's great that you're looking to expand your understanding in this area.  However, since you're open to traveling I'd recommend searching for companies within your acceptable travel range and approaching them directly.  Or if you really want an introduction rather than sending cold emails, search the BTDT feature to match folks on this site who have worked for the companies near you.  That may get you results faster.  Good luck and happy shadowing!

53

Tools of the Trade / Re: Tape-out on Carpet

« on: Jun 25, 2013, 08:55 am »

Last Thanksgiving I was in a space that didn't allow us to use spike tape on the floor.  Our set was simple so we taped cheap brown construction paper/butcher paper together, cut out our set pieces then taped them to the ground with painters tape.  They swept clean and worked pretty well.  It was a tedious morning or taping and cutting though.  I think the rolls of paper were between $3-$5 at Home Depot for a 3'x50' roll.  We were going on top of a wood floor so it was quiet, depending on your carpet you may get an annoying sound or it may become rumpled very quickly.

54

Stage Management: Other / Re: COMMUNICATION: When things happen on the day off

« on: Jun 14, 2013, 11:52 am »

The piece is Handel's Almira - not often performed in full (4 hours long) and done with Baroque instruments, not easy to find a sub!

55

Stage Management: Other / Re: COMMUNICATION: When things happen on the day off

« on: Jun 13, 2013, 10:21 am »

Matthew, sadly I've gotten used to problem solving on the day off.  That rarely phases me anymore.

Kiwitech, thanks for your post, it was helpful.  We moved another musician to fill the empty chair and played one short.

Truly, this wasn't a big deal, everything was dealt with quickly, mostly due to the conversations on the music side of things that happened without me, there were very few things left for me to do.  Worst case scenario, had I not been informed: start of show would have been a little delayed as I waited for a non-existent person to arrive front of house and had an ASM go looking for them (I can't start until all musicians are by the pit since they have to enter via the house), sound would have done a little scrambling adjusting the levels of the continuo in the stage monitors, the cast would have wondered what happened to the missing person (it's a very close group), there would have been an unattractive empty chair, stand and light at the edge of the stage.  All things that can easily be coped with, but better to do ahead of time.

I have assisted on operas with normal sized pits where we've begun without a player - but normally that is because they can enter the pit unobtrusively, have another chair to play that part, don't play until late in the show, etc. and no one's been the wiser for it.

56

Stage Management: Other / COMMUNICATION: When things happen on the day off

« on: Jun 13, 2013, 01:03 am »

I am working on an opera with a company I've done four other shows with and while I love the shows, their organizational structure is a little wonky.  We opened on Sunday and had two days off.  Most of the company is working on other concerts and events as part of a larger festival.  I thankfully am not involved in those events so it was two days of blissful radio and email silence while they all worked on other things.

We had a show tonight at 7pm, I got to the theater at 5pm and make the usual checking in rounds, all seems normal.  At 5:45 I learned from a company member that one of our musicians was injured following Sunday night's show and won't be playing at tonight's show, and probably not the rest of the week as well.  It's a small orchestra, only 21 people, missing one person is noticeable to the cast.

This is someone I like and of course I fell terrible that they are hurt, glad they will recover, etc, and start thinking through what needs to be done before downbeat.  I'm also wondering who's job it was to actually communicate this information to me.  Thoughts?  It really feels like everyone went into problem solving mode and just forgot the communication part of this, letting people know just slipped through the cracks even though there were several opportunities to mention that something had happened (reply to the performance report/daily call, when I checked in at the start of the call...)

The production manager hadn't been told.
The orchestra manager knew but didn't tell me when I saw them.
The company manager knew but didn't tell me when I saw them.
The music director knew but didn't tell me when I saw them.

I'm just curious - have any of you had something similar happen to you?  Everyone thought I knew, no one could figure out who's job it would have been to tell me.  Everything went smoothly, I'm just pondering how communication can be improved.

57

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Escripts=Do you HAVE to have them?

« on: Jun 06, 2013, 11:58 pm »

Do I have to have an editable copy?  No.

Does it make it easier sometimes? Yes.

I'll probably type one play a year.  It doesn't take long.  I was in prep week during the last major hurricane so we couldn't go into the office but my three PAs split the script into sections and got it all done in a weekend.  That was the script I called from, with no stage directions, it was immeasurably easier for me than the published version.  But more often I use a paper cutter and a template on a copier. 

It also depends on the theater and the amount of time the script is going to be important to me.  Some processes are so short it isn't worth it and taking the time to type it may jeopardize other work that needs to be done.  As for the comments about learning the script as you type versus talking it over with your team and designer, I think that comes down to personal learning style and how you absorb information, if you're a visual, audio or kinesthetic learner.

58

Employment / Re: Continuing Education/Certifications through Employer

« on: Jun 06, 2013, 12:48 am »

I recommend looking at local schools with good theater programs to see if you are interested in any of there summer classes.  As a faculty member at a university I am frequently jealous of classes my students get to take!  Just pursuing the course list may give you some new ideas.

59

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSAL CONDITIONS: That summer smell

« on: Jun 03, 2013, 11:48 pm »

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

Fortunately the heat broke today so it was a bit better.  Things that also helped were changing the mopping to the evening rather than the morning and the lemon juice paper towel in front of the fans.

Even with the air feeling positively heavy with water the company is very hesitant to run dehumidifiers overnight.  We have two harpsichords and a number of string instruments that prefer it moist to dry - I doubt we could ever get enough water out of the air to injure the instruments, but they'd rather not risk it.

Two more days in the rehearsal hall then into the theater, we're all ready for it.

60

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / REHEARSAL CONDITIONS: That summer smell

« on: May 31, 2013, 08:11 am »

I'm rehearsing a decent sized show right now - 16 actors, 8 dancers, 21 musicians.  The show is great, the people are lovely, the rehearsal hall smells funky.  You walk through the door and know that people are WORKING!

We're in a church hall that isn't air conditioned or vented in any way and working 9am-9pm.  We have fans going to cool the room and move air around, but can't find a way just to vent and freshen the space.  We're in Boston and temps are climbing to 90ish this weekend so opening our few tiny windows just brings in stale hot air from a back alley.

Fortunately everyone has good personal hygiene, no strong perfumes, no sweaty gyms bags/clothes other than the clothes the cast wears as they rehearse, no overly strong food smells.  Any ideas?  We're in the space for one more week.