Messages

481

The Green Room / Re: Introducing the Unicorn Rainbow Sparkly Theatre Company!

« on: May 30, 2012, 02:49 pm »

Have we confirmed yet that all contact info is complete, and all email and phone numbers are without typos? And that the tech folks and designers read and act on/respond to notes in a timely fashion?

482

The Hardline / Re: It Is Official

« on: May 25, 2012, 02:42 am »

three cheers for the good guys winning!

483

The Green Room / Re: Introducing the Unicorn Rainbow Sparkly Theatre Company!

« on: May 24, 2012, 11:57 am »

All rehearsals end early enough for the SM to leave the theatre while it's still light out.

...except the week prior when the cast adjusts to evening hours, and tech/dress, which start late enough that the SM actually gets a 12 hr turnaround without cheating on both ends.

484

The Green Room / Re: Trivia Tournament IV: Trivia's Revenge!!

« on: May 24, 2012, 03:10 am »

HATE when my computer freezes, esp when I am trying to click the submit button. Today, it even changed an answer!

485

The Green Room / Re: SMASH - the TV series

« on: May 23, 2012, 05:53 pm »

yup saw that this afternoon - really sad abt Brian D'Arcy James, I was looking forward to seeing how they were going to find a way for him to show off his mad skills - they wrote 3 of those lovely and talented men into inescapable corners, and I was hoping they'd find a way to salvage the 4th but ah well, I guess not.

486

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Stage Management Manual - What to Include

« on: May 23, 2012, 04:28 pm »

hopefully you are searching the entire site, not just the forum you were in - I typed in both words (manual and handbook) and got several pages of info - hope this helps

487

The Green Room / Re: SMASH - the TV series

« on: May 22, 2012, 08:28 pm »

there was a rehearsal pianist, at least for a moment -

488

The Green Room / Re: SMASH - the TV series

« on: May 22, 2012, 05:27 pm »

Backstage also reported that they are adding 3 regulars to the show, all young, two men (one straight and macho, one gay) and one woman.

http://www.backstage.com/bso/news-and-features/nbc-s-smash-casting-three-new-series-regulars-1007115752.story

489

The Green Room / Re: Introducing the Unicorn Rainbow Sparkly Theatre Company!

« on: May 22, 2012, 05:24 pm »

    The building's heat, cooling, plumbing and electrical systems work perfectly and as designed, requiring only standard repairs.

I assume there's also separate control for the stage, auditorium and dressing rooms?

...and booth?!

Opening night will include special thank you gifts for stage management and crew.

Actors will remember lines, blocking and concept shifts, and all blocking, prop, set and costume issues will be resolved and locked before tech.

The stage managers will be able to take lunch and appropriate breaks.

When places is called, actors will come to places.

 

490

The Green Room / Re: One actor's performance divides a community

« on: May 19, 2012, 09:00 pm »

Is this a union show? That's actually a fire-able offense.

I did a show where the lead tried to hold the show hostage because he never learned his lines - we delayed opening once but used "Responsibilities of an actor" to fire him and replace him with someone who COULD learn the lines - ironically, the replacement's first two performances were with earpieces and lines stashed all over the stage, but even then it was a better show for his onstage partners to have the lines present!

491

The Hardline / Re: Calling all SPT stage managers

« on: May 17, 2012, 04:47 pm »

My challenge is convincing all those other SMs across the country who wrote me, some of whom sent formal letters which I gave to Joe to introduce, to speak up, because it is NOT isolated, NOT only in the west and NOT only at my theater. It was initiated in Dallas because it's endemic there. But I have emails from folks from New England to Milwaukee to Atlanta to Colorado to Seattle who chimed in.

And - truth be told, half the problem is how many members who have worked SPT for years simply didn't know the rule existed, so part of the frustration for those where it has recently been required is that it is not being enforced except randomly as staff finds out. I hope others will get enough courage to speak up, especially those doing work-arounds or deliberately ignoring it. Right now, seems there are maybe 3 of us willing to bear the brunt of this. Sad.

492

The Green Room / Re: SMASH - the TV series

« on: May 17, 2012, 09:43 am »

anyone else wonder why the costumes weren't rigged for QC tho? I actually had an interesting battle w a film-trained costumer about this once, trying to explain why and how costumes get built for QC - she kept buying stuff at thrift stores and expecting our dressers to make tight shifts with complicated zippers and buttons (and side zippers on period clothes).

493

The Hardline / Re: Calling all SPT stage managers

« on: May 15, 2012, 02:12 pm »

there are many members who are not able to earn their health weeks now that this rule is being enforced, since companies won't hire for a second show if it means over 12 weeks of work. Frankly, much more important to get health weeks, and frankly, I would gladly concede the tiny pittance that is vacation pay for the sake of my health benefits.

494

The Green Room / Re: What do we do?

« on: May 15, 2012, 12:56 am »

I met an SM the other day who said our job was a cross between air traffic controller and hostage negotiator.....

495

The Hardline / Re: Calling all SPT stage managers

« on: May 14, 2012, 08:03 pm »

SPT requires vacation pay at 12 weeks in a season. This is impacting many - tho not all - SPT stage managers.

It is not universal, but the rule is not enforced uniformly either. Many folks didn't know about it in the first place. Of those who knew, some were getting vacation pay and happy with the rule, but others were not being rehired so their companies don't have to pay vacation stipends, therefore losing much-needed health weeks.

A member in Dallas, where members seem to be disproportionately impacted, had raised concern, and I was on a subcommittee to research the issue and, hopefully, suggest ways to bring it in line with similar sized contracts. And then I was impacted by the rule as well, when our staff rep decided to enforce this rule for the first time, and our developing theatre committee decided that the pittance that is vacation pay could not be conceded despite the willingness of the impacted members to refuse it in return for health weeks.

Ah well.

If you are impacted by this, write to your AEA rep and send me a copy please.