Messages

61

Employment / Re: Civilian Jobs?

« on: May 05, 2011, 06:46 pm »

I worked at a retail location during all 5 years in my undergrad. If/when I will not be stage managing, I most likely will try to find jobs in the production/management side of entertainment (music, movies, TV, etc) and see if I can find a more "solid" job there.  I'm not putting much vested interest in this right now because, obviously, my passion is stage management and that is what I hope to be doing for a long time to come. 

My family did the same thing, and eventually, you learn how to tune them out.  If you are dedicated, you will have no real issues finding work or staying busy. Trust me.

62

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Labtop vs. Pencil and Script/Notepad

« on: Apr 23, 2011, 11:17 pm »

I'm an old-fashioned person generally.  However, I am buying an ipad over the summer and seeing if it helps...I know there are a couple apps that can be used to write directly on a document with a stylus, as well as switch between documents to take notes. We'll see once it comes in. 

63

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SHOWS: Ragtime! Advice

« on: Feb 08, 2011, 07:13 pm »

I PSM'd a production of Ragtime a couple of years ago. One of the biggest things we had was sound.  There were not enough body mics available, so we had to do a pack change during intermission! Also, the two sound designers were there at each performance live mixing.  We also had 6 mics backstage that the actors gathered around to sing when they were offstage to bolster the vocal quality. 

Another fun thing was Coalhouse's car.  We had rented one from a props company that was designed for stage use-aka, quiet, smaller, easy to operate, etc.  However, it was stalled more often than it worked, so we had to attach fishing line to the back of it and create a pull system to get it onstage and offstage if it did not work. 

Like in previous posts, it really depends on the vision of the designer and director as far as how complex the show will be.  Good luck to your production! 

64

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SAFETY: Food allergies in rehearsal

« on: Feb 08, 2011, 07:03 pm »

I've had actors that have had a myriad of serious allergies, peanuts being the most common.  I had one that was allergic to grapes once! (I about died, I love grapes) So, I always double check for any food allergy, and make it very clear to everyone what is allowed and what isn't because of safety. 

65

Tools of the Trade / Re: Digital Prompt Books (Do you use them?)

« on: Feb 08, 2011, 07:00 pm »

Oh yes, I have every show now in digital form: all paperwork, forms, designer drawings, etc. 

I like to scan then edit my scripts via Adobe Acrobat (it lets you cut an paste-also save as a word document) and then digitally put in cues.  Lord knows how many time pages have been ripped out. 

Usually, once a show is in production, I keep all my un-necessary paperwork on a USB drive in my book-this includes, rehearsal reports, dailies, weeklies, fitting schedules, breakdowns for rehearsal, designer finals, etc. I don't like bulky books when I call, so I try to keep all of these items in one place, yet on-hand if anyone needed to access them.  I also keep all my files on dropbox, and have shared this with the other SM's working at my theatre (we all use it) so that we all have access to any needed paperwork at any given time, anywhere. 

However, I would never call off of my computer if I absolutely had to.  I like having the hard copy, emergency and medical procedures, and actor information right in front of me for a show, so that, god forbid, I have to pull that up quickly, I can flip through a book instead of clicking a bunch of files.  I'm weird about it, I know. 

66

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: SCENERY: Video

« on: Oct 26, 2010, 07:10 pm »

On a recent mount of "A Comedy Of Errors" that I staged managed, we hired a separate designer for the projections, which was a slideshow on a gigantic "laptop screen" and a live video chat (intranet) projected onto a smaller screen in front of the second fire curtian at top of show. 

Another show I recently saw using projections/video is the remount of Roger Waters does "The Wall" and it was absolutely amazing how they used projections on the wall and the 15 foot diameter screen upstage.

67

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: How Many times have you stage managed?

« on: Jun 30, 2010, 01:02 pm »

I have stage managed 12 shows in 4 years in college (sophmore-5th year) and 1 show professionally so far. 

68

Tools of the Trade / Re: Headset-suitable eyewear

« on: Jun 17, 2010, 09:56 pm »

MONACLE! No, really, I actually haven't had a problem with mine. I own a pair of the "nerd" glasses; the ones that are thick black frames with wide sides? They tend to sit a bit flatter than normal glasses, and actually work quite well. 

69

Tools of the Trade / Re: File Totes

« on: May 05, 2010, 04:30 pm »

Did you guys see this?! This would be PERFECT for us two-binder people!



Moderator note:  touched up bbcode.  -kmc307

70

The Green Room / Re: Thread to vent about / Actors behaving badly / As haiku only

« on: Mar 29, 2010, 04:53 pm »

You're a senior.
You have special permissions.
no you don't.

(in reference to seniors in the department thinking they are "special")

71

The Green Room / Re: Best one-liner from a performance report

« on: Mar 29, 2010, 04:49 pm »

this was from a rehearsal report: "(Actress) is wondering if she can take her clothes off now."

For my last show, "Comedy of Errors," I went into the habit of putting quotes from rehearsal at the bottom of each report. Everyone who got the reports loved it and couldn't wait to get the next one so they could read them (also my little trick to get them to LOOK at the reports ) and this one was from the director:

"Let the stage shine with your bodies."

72

The Green Room / Re: How do you "play?"

« on: Mar 29, 2010, 04:28 pm »

If I get a chance, I go Civil War Reenacting. It's nice to take technology out of the playbook for a few days and go back to simpler times. And I also am a huge gamer like Matthew. I'm working on getting a PS3, and am currently enjoying WoW. 

73

The Green Room / Re: Favorite Easter Candy

« on: Mar 29, 2010, 04:21 pm »

Peeps. Speaking of which, have all you peep lovers seen the peep death videos on youtube?

74

The Green Room / Re: Best showing of appreciation from a cast?

« on: Mar 21, 2010, 07:46 pm »

For the cast party after the closing of  "It's a Wonderful Life" my cast all got together and got me a very nice snowglobe with my name and show engraved on it, as well as a picture frame with a collage of pictures from the show.  I was almost in tears, it meant so much that they thought of that. 

75

The Green Room / Re: Olympic-sized technical difficulties

« on: Mar 21, 2010, 07:41 pm »

On a production of "Ragtime" the gates for Ellis Island weren't weighted correctly, and almost came down on an actor.  I also saw a production of Phantom when the chandelier stalled halfway up into the theatre during the opening concerto.  The whole show was held for about 15 minutes until they could fix it.