Messages

496

The Green Room / Re: What do we do?

« on: May 14, 2012, 12:01 pm »

There have been two  prior discussions on this topic, but for some reason I can't access either (other than titles) to link here - one is in fact linked in the body of the other. PSMKay, perhaps you can help? -under "how to explain what we do"

on edit: here is one

http://smnetwork.org/forum/stage-management-plays-musicals/job-description-how-to-explain-what-we-do/msg27239/#msg27239

497

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

« on: May 13, 2012, 09:29 am »

it's weird how the time starts from clicking the link, not the page opening - I figured out why some of my times are so long, and that seems to add in to the total - meaning days when the link is slow, I get these astonishingly long quiz times!

498

The Hardline / Re: Calling all SPT stage managers

« on: May 11, 2012, 07:56 pm »

I was unable to be at the national Developing Theaters meeting on the SPT vacation issue because I was working (in performance on a TYA...) which, as you can imagine, was really frustrating. But it seems that my not being there meant a lot of the national concerns which I learned from you guys here were not raised or were passed by as imagination. So everyone who also is losing work because their home theatre no longer rehires due to the vacation pay concerns being enforced needs to dive in and get in touch with their local AEA staff reps, because it is NOT a western-only issue, nor isolated to one or two theaters. And the only way to make our point is to make sure mine is not the only voice. Please.

499

The Hardline / Re: Script rewrites

« on: May 10, 2012, 07:04 pm »

(sorry, I guess too many people were downloading and not buying, it's been a while since I did this but back then, I got an editable copy in the free trial...)

and - well, break a pencil!

500

The Hardline / Re: Script rewrites

« on: May 10, 2012, 04:13 pm »

I did the 30-day free download when I was working with an involved new play, and it helped a lot during rehearsals. However, I agree, if you need it full time, "they" shd pay for the lions share if not all of that cost.

And having FD really helped getting info out to all and sundry - and keeping the pages stet without having to reformat or re-number.

501

The Green Room / Re: SM: WORST THINGS

« on: May 05, 2012, 11:10 pm »

Finding out - esp in performance - that the director gave important prop/costume/blocking/light/sound notes and never got around to telling you -

502

The Green Room / Re: What was the last nice thing someone did for you?

« on: May 05, 2012, 05:54 pm »

A Wrinkle In Time - there are maybe 3 pages with no cues, but the director's visiion uses massive rail, light, projection and sound shifts usually off body moves. And I have to have standby's cuz the cues are clustered, there are 10 pages where I call sound cues doubling an actor's lines (which wd be a whole lot easier if the 3 others in the scene would get their cues consistent) along w light and sfx cues. It is a very physical as well as verbal workout.

I had wanted to learn more abt animation and running all those new technically complex shows, and I guess I got my wish!

503

The Green Room / Re: What was the last nice thing someone did for you?

« on: May 04, 2012, 10:10 pm »

I just got through tech on a very very complex show with a prominent LD, a local-hero SD I have worked with a few times but not recently, and a director who just doesn't get SMs and has no respect for us and our work. We walked into tech with no cues written at all (the LD hadn't even started), massive animated projections to build and cues on two boards, over 150 sound cues, too many last-minute additions to costumes especially with an actor very uncomfortable with the physical and athletic requirements of a costume the director sprang on her - and cues so on top of each other that naming them is impossible.

With everyone completely exhausted and after the producer had introduced everyone except me at our open dress at the end of the second 10/12, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that it didn't matter that no one got how challenging this show was. I wd do my job to the  best of my ability, remain calm and keep smiling. Suddenly, the LD said over the headset "Wow, congratulations. You did a magnificent job calling. You don't stop talking for over an hour and you have had one shot and there are only a couple of timings needing tweaking." And after our preview today, the SD told me that not many SMs he knew could call this show, let alone with this little rehearsal.

I don't usually need those niceities, but it surely is nice when someone notices.

504

The Green Room / Re: SMASH - the TV series

« on: May 01, 2012, 02:45 am »

This week went beyond credible. Where do I start - w a tech where actors get cut loose at 8 and have energy to party all nite? The director/choreo also designing the lights? and the SM STILL has no help? Yikes! Not counting, walking during tech, when even MRE isn't available? Holy cow.

505

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Packing for a Summerstock

« on: May 01, 2012, 02:06 am »

And I have a stack of mailer envelopes from my bank, so I can send it in as rec'd. And many companies can do direct deposit as well. Lots of solutions!

506

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Invisible spikes

« on: Apr 29, 2012, 09:32 am »

Gil - the challenges are 1) the step edges will all disappear under light and 2) we need to spike specific places on the set without breaking up the all-white aesthetic.

Yesterday was our first day on the set. So far, off-white tape is helping, along with reverse, small dance numbers (black on a white card). But spiking marks is already a problem - we labeled DC along with footmarks for two major scenes with white tape, and the actors keep floating anyway. However, we are finding some creative solves, including glow gaff, and glow tape spikes, which appear yellow-y but don't read to the house. Yay!
 

507

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Invisible spikes

« on: Apr 25, 2012, 06:05 pm »

texture is not an option because of the shoes the actors will be wearing but good thought. Colored lights will be coming from under steps so may be confusing but a great idea, will think abt that. The lip is a tripping hazard of course, but it is an option. Off-white tape won't differentiate enough but we are looking at straight glow (which is a little yellow-er), glow gaff, and I wrote in silver to see what happens....when we find a solution, will report in!

508

The Green Room / Re: Favorite Smoothie Recipes

« on: Apr 25, 2012, 10:02 am »

easy.

fruit

juice or milk (depending on the fruit).

Yogurt if you have (vanilla flavored is especially nice).

ice.

flavors if you are feeling wild.

blend.

drink.

509

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Packing for a Summerstock

« on: Apr 25, 2012, 09:59 am »

particularly if you have bills and such that you have to pay

It didn't used to be true, but now, if you have internet access, you can pay pretty much any bill online. Unless you want to do automatic payments, set up online bill pay access along with a calendar alarm (you will lose track of days/dates pretty quickly in stock) and pay when you get your paychecks! Most bills also now allow you to preset the pay date regardless of when you use the online system.

510

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / RUNNING: Invisible spikes

« on: Apr 25, 2012, 01:03 am »

OK - I have some ideas on this but throwing it out to the gallery in case some of the brilliant minds out there can come up with something better or more original

I am doing a show with an all-white set of steps from upstage to downstage, and I need to come up with a clever way to spike the things like the step edges (for safety) without it being visible to the entire house.

Yikes, right?

We do have some good ideas - a very tiny lip with tape on the back, a 1/4" glow outline (expensive, I know), glow dots etc - but ideas are welcome!

Edit to subject line-Rebbe