466
Stage Management: Other / Re: Re: Risk Assessment
« on: May 31, 2010, 01:18 pm »
Thanks for the info, I have never heard of this before either.
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467
Employment / Re: Child Wrangling
« on: May 31, 2010, 01:16 pm »
Child wrangling is how I wiggled my way onto the SM team of Turandot at VA Opera. No one on the team wanted the task of watching 16 kids and they were about 2 seconds away from drawing straws. I said I'd do it on the condition that I'd get to watch all the rehearsals and shadow them when I didn't have the kids. They said yes before I finished my sentence. And it was a tour, so I finally got to do a touring production!
Honestly it wasn't bad at all. They were all really good kids and aside from two minor incidences I didn't have any problems with them. I did it again for Annie and Oliver! and out of all of those productions I only had one crazy stage parent! Besides, if you want to be a stage manager, if you can handle a crowd of kids without killing any of them you can handle any manic actor that comes your way.
Honestly it wasn't bad at all. They were all really good kids and aside from two minor incidences I didn't have any problems with them. I did it again for Annie and Oliver! and out of all of those productions I only had one crazy stage parent! Besides, if you want to be a stage manager, if you can handle a crowd of kids without killing any of them you can handle any manic actor that comes your way.
468
The Green Room / Re: The Stage Manager's Nightmare
« on: May 30, 2010, 01:12 pm »
Mine is always the one when I think opening night is still a few weeks away, but I show up at the theatre and it turns out it's that night. Nothing is ready, everyone is freaking out and it's all falling apart around me...then I wake up with knots in my stomach.
469
The Green Room / Re: Best showing of appreciation from a cast?
« on: May 26, 2010, 08:13 am »
I don't think it's a show of appreciation necessarily, and it was from a past team member, but I appreciated it!
I recently attended "Evita" with the director of programming for the PAC - who was also considering hiring me for a few shows - and the musical director just happened to be one I've worked with once years before. After the show, with the director of programming a few feet away, she gave me a huge hug and gushed about how much she had missed my work and how I was the best she'd worked with. Then she looked right at him and said, "She is absolutely the best in town!" Boy, was her timing perfect - she may have just secured future work for me!
I recently attended "Evita" with the director of programming for the PAC - who was also considering hiring me for a few shows - and the musical director just happened to be one I've worked with once years before. After the show, with the director of programming a few feet away, she gave me a huge hug and gushed about how much she had missed my work and how I was the best she'd worked with. Then she looked right at him and said, "She is absolutely the best in town!" Boy, was her timing perfect - she may have just secured future work for me!
470
The Green Room / Re: Finish this sentence: "If all the world's a stage..."
« on: May 22, 2010, 07:44 pm »
"If all the world's a stage, where are the kiddie wranglers?"
471
The Green Room / Re: THOUGHT OF THE DAY: What's your day job?
« on: May 22, 2010, 07:41 pm »
I currently work as the After-School Care Director at a private preparatory school. Although I kind of fell into education with younger children, it's amazing how much those SM muscles get used in my classroom.
472
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: ESCRIPTS Archive June 09-Dec. 10
« on: Apr 14, 2010, 11:00 pm »
Anyone have *deep breath* Annie? Ouch, that hurt to type. PM if you have script/libretto/any combination thereof 
473
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: NEW WORKS: when the show sucks....
« on: Apr 10, 2010, 09:45 pm »
From a bad past experience of telling the wrong personality my honest but tactful opinion, I can say you should only harp on the positive, even if you have to compliment how well the crew is sweeping the floor. Especially when the director is playing more than one role (actor, producer, playwright, etc.) as feelings are bound to get bruised no matter how nicely you state your opinion. You can't take a chance, no matter how good of a job you do, that the only thing you'll be remembered for is negativity come time for rehiring.
That being said, I have had several directors ask my honest opinion on specific aspects of the show, usually because they need another perspective. In that case I give my honest opinion, but try to keep it simple and don't elaborate, and they have all appreciated it. If they ask me the general question "What do you think about the show?" - I'm always on the positive.
That being said, I have had several directors ask my honest opinion on specific aspects of the show, usually because they need another perspective. In that case I give my honest opinion, but try to keep it simple and don't elaborate, and they have all appreciated it. If they ask me the general question "What do you think about the show?" - I'm always on the positive.
474
The Green Room / Re: Best one-liner from a performance report
« on: Mar 30, 2010, 10:14 am »
Sometimes they're real and sometimes they're not...I like to see who has been paying attention to the reports:
Real - "Heard 'mama!' several times during scene change into rape scene. Box office said they sold two child tickets (under 8 yrs old) near front row for tonite's performance. Cast and crew pleased with our contribution to traumatizing the kiddies."
Real - "Strange giggles during Blanche's monologue describing husband shooting himself in the head..." Not Real - "Realized opening night coincided with S&M convention downtown."
Sadly, very Real - "Got technical notes from actor because his friend in the audience gave him technical notes. Requested he break the radio every night rather than letting it fall onto crash pad. SM requested he stop listening to friends."
Real - "Heard 'mama!' several times during scene change into rape scene. Box office said they sold two child tickets (under 8 yrs old) near front row for tonite's performance. Cast and crew pleased with our contribution to traumatizing the kiddies."
Real - "Strange giggles during Blanche's monologue describing husband shooting himself in the head..." Not Real - "Realized opening night coincided with S&M convention downtown."
Sadly, very Real - "Got technical notes from actor because his friend in the audience gave him technical notes. Requested he break the radio every night rather than letting it fall onto crash pad. SM requested he stop listening to friends."
475
The Green Room / Re: Thread to vent about / Actors behaving badly / As haiku only
« on: Mar 30, 2010, 09:59 am »
Sent me email: "I'm sick
And wife is in Bangladesh -
Won't you please bring soup?"
What's fifty times worse--
Sick man with no wife around,
Or sick male actor?
And wife is in Bangladesh -
Won't you please bring soup?"
What's fifty times worse--
Sick man with no wife around,
Or sick male actor?
476
The Green Room / Re: Show post-poned due to quitting actor
« on: Mar 27, 2010, 10:50 am »
Without knowing anything that happened in rehearsals and at initial impressions, I find it odd that an actress would drop out of two separate productions in much the same way at the same point in rehearsals. Makes me wonder if his performance really was the issue. But again, we'll never know.
477
The Green Room / Re: Burnt Out
« on: Mar 22, 2010, 08:58 am »
I'll admit that I experienced burnout early on due to several circumstances: I couldn't continue college because of finances, I was moving every year stage managing wherever I could (5 different states in 4 years), and my family was going through crisis. Every time I called my mom on the phone just to catch up and say hi, I ended up in tears. I didn't take care of myself, I kept my health and my needs second; my personality is such that I put undue and unrealistic amounts of stress and pressure on myself. I stopped stage managing for almost four years. While I missed it, I needed to ground myself again before taking the dive back in. I'm certainly more aware of my body's cues - when I come home I relax as soon as possible, if I couldn't sleep the night before I make sure to at least rest during the day, I make sure to do something that makes me laugh...this is the first production where I haven't come down with a illness.
Everything Matthew said is right, including treating your career as a business. I didn't learn that soon enough; I thought my job was to do everything and be everything to everybody. You have to know your limitations and watch out for yourself. Listen to your body, use common sense and don't be afraid to say no.
Everything Matthew said is right, including treating your career as a business. I didn't learn that soon enough; I thought my job was to do everything and be everything to everybody. You have to know your limitations and watch out for yourself. Listen to your body, use common sense and don't be afraid to say no.
478
The Green Room / Re: Thread to vent about / Actors behaving badly / As haiku only
« on: Mar 21, 2010, 09:41 am »
Broken, missing props--
Because I'm "method acting"
They're in the wrong place.
If you want to see
Some "method stage managing"
Put the props away.
Because I'm "method acting"
They're in the wrong place.
If you want to see
Some "method stage managing"
Put the props away.
479
The Green Room / Re: Best showing of appreciation from a cast?
« on: Mar 19, 2010, 12:29 am »
I just got a 6-pack of Mike's from one cast member tonite. She reasoned that everyone else onstage gets to drink, it was my turn...that's good enough for me!
480
Uploaded Forms / Re: Deck Cues
« on: Mar 17, 2010, 02:28 pm »
I just had to make one after many, many years of never having to. My crew likes it so it works!