Messages

76

Tools of the Trade / Re: Management Books

« on: May 02, 2008, 12:47 pm »

How to Enjoy Your Life and Your Job, by Dale Carnegie. It's short and easy to read. Lawrence Stern sent me a copy, when I was a young SM frustrated with the learning process, and needed some guideance. The anecdotes are a bit dated but the lessons are definitely transeferrable and pertinent to what we do.

77

Tools of the Trade / Re: The Internet

« on: May 02, 2008, 12:32 pm »

I too am at a college; our LORT D space is part of the Department and we often have MFA, and occasionally, exceptional undergrad actors onstage. Most of these students have had a computer in their primary household for most of their lives; they are very accustomed to receiving all kinds of information in this manner and some, I would imagine, depend and expect to receive info at the speed which the Internet can provide. I'm definitely going to add that option to my info form.

In your experience, what are the benefits of incorporating the internet into stage management?  Also, what are the pitfalls?

In my experience, this forum is one of the best benefits of incorporating the Internet into stage management. I have made really great acquaintances and learned loads of practical information from my colleagues.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Plotting Points on a grounplan

« on: Apr 30, 2008, 01:06 pm »

I also use the plaster line and centerline relative to the set as reference for locating my points. This is something that will never change, no matter what your theatre looks like, unless you're in the round. Measure all the corners of the major platforms, step units, and level changes. If you have them on the set, make sure to denote which direction a door opens, on/off  or up or downstage. Arcs can be easily taped by finding the center point of the arc and, (I usually do this in the room) by placing a tape measure at the center point, have your taping buddy slowly rotate the tape while placing small pieces of tape every so often along the arc. Think of the way a clock hand rotates, to visualize this. Some folks use a piece of string the same way. I've never triangulated.

Some SMs have a grid made of 1/2" (usually standard) squares printed on a sheet of acetate and lay that over the groundplan. This helps you to measure more easily. Like Paul does, I use small pieces of tape and number them according to how I measure. I prefer to reserve the first ten or so points for those that fall on the centerline, and then I usually measure SL and then SR, so we can put the points down in order and we don't have to flop back and forth. Then, it's connect the dots. I've attached a point plot form, I hope it's useful to you.

79

Tools of the Trade / Re: The Internet

« on: Apr 29, 2008, 06:29 pm »

I agree, Jessie, with your last two posts, and I didn't at all think you would rely solely on e-mail to communicate the schedule, nor did I intend to telegraph that I did...did I? In any event, with your permission, I'd like to add your idea of asking the actors to state their preferred method for receiving the schedule to my info form. I will always post schedules on the callboards, regardless of anyone's preference.  I think the last few posts are a good example of how electronic communications can be misconstrued just as easily as verbal exchanges. Even more so, because the lack of visual body language leaves the "listener" with fewer clues about the real intent of the "speaker."

Yes, Justin, thank god for the tech week bump. When we are doing large shows, or for example, a show like Doubt, not everyone is called all day if we start where we left off the night/day before or if a character like Mrs. Muller doesn't even come onstage until an hour into the show. So sometimes, it is different. I know it only takes a few moments to record and I certainly don't mind doing it. But, even a few moments at the end of a 36 hour weekend can seem like forever. Especially if one is supertired and messes up the recording and has to re-record three or four times, in addition to recording for the show that's currently in rehearsal. Stage managers are human, too.

Back to Kevin's original questions, though.  I've had directors ask if I could pull up a video posted on You Tube for the cast to watch as research and dramaturgs ask if I could locate a book in the university library. We use IM programs to communicate between the rehearsal hall and the costume shop, especially during fitting times. I think that SMs should, like Jessie has done, consider the best of what the Internet has to offer, and pick and choose the things/programs/resources that are most beneficial to your personal process and the production as a whole.

80

Tools of the Trade / Re: The Internet

« on: Apr 28, 2008, 08:36 pm »

Having the responsibility lie on the actor to check the schedule on a hotline is much safer than relying on an email sent to them.

I completely agree with that; maybe there's a way to compromise. Maybe information can be included on the production calendar that states the schedule will be e-mailed during tech. Hm. I dunno. It's a thought.

81

Tools of the Trade / Re: The Internet

« on: Apr 28, 2008, 01:54 pm »

For Cast:
99% of the performers I work with prefer to have the schedule emailed to them.  In fact, I rarely do a rehearsal hotline anymore.

 

I think I'll try that next season. I view with the utmost displeasure recording the hotline after two days of 10/12s. Funny how telecommunications is being supplanted by electronic versions of information management.

I'm trying a website for the summer show for which I'm working, and I will password protect the site so that only the company members (which is comprised in part by 40 kids and their parents) can access the information.

Here's a link to a previous topic concerning IM programs in rehearsal. Here is another link to a topic about effective communications as it relates to technology and here is a link to a thread about rehearsal reports with regard to time management and the way we communicate through rehearsal reports. I love it that we are revisiting this topic again. Thanks Kevin!

I love it that the Internet has allowed many of our distribution lists to become nearly paperless, but as kiwitechgirl points out, there's no guarantee that just because you send out a report means the recipient will read and/or acknowledge it. This is an effect of the speed at which we are able to disseminate information; we are not able to follow up at the same rate. How-fast-do-you-want-it is a symptom of the capitalist consumer mindset.

It's evident that our interpersonal communications systems are evolving, and continue to evolve, because of current technologies; I think SMs should endeavor to use the Internet, and any other attendant technologies at their disposal, to increase efficiency, when applicable. For instance, a stage manager is in the rehearsal room and the director wants to add a sound cue of breaking glass that will motivate the actor's next movement. Is it stepping over the line or on the sound designer's toes if the SM goes to any one of the myriad sound effect web sites and downloads a free .wav file of breaking glass to play over the rehearsal hall sound system, through which the SM's laptop is connected? Or is the SM being efficient?

82

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Help! My ASM is USELESS.

« on: Apr 17, 2008, 05:00 pm »

Buona fortuna, Geoff.

83

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Cast/Crew call format question

« on: Apr 17, 2008, 05:00 pm »

At the half hour call, I always say, "Ladies and gentlemen of the <name of show> company, this is your half hour call. If you have not signed in and read the notes, please do so. Half hour, please."

Sometimes not everyone signs in right away, so a reminder is not a bad idea. Then I go and check the sign in sheet and see who, if anyone, I need to call. The crew obviously knows this does not pertain to them, since they have gotten to the theatre earlier and already signed in on their own sign in sheet. I do, however, encourage the crew to read the notes on the actor's sign in sheet.

I find that making calls relative to five minutes and places muddles the information. Therefore the five minute call is usually five to curtain and places falls anywhere between 2-3 minutes before curtain.

84

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Help! My ASM is USELESS.

« on: Apr 13, 2008, 08:13 pm »

If you are going to have another person on headset during the show, why don't you simply switch hats with those two individuals? Perhaps the relief of not being the ASM will spur her on to being a better crew person, taking directions as opposed to giving them...?

This is an excellent idea. At the very least, it's worth a shot. With two pairs of eyes (and ears) on cans, one would hope your safety and efficiency factors increase. Maybe she's not a natural leader and needs that "velvet hand in the iron glove" sort of motivation; with the shared responsibility, it's possible she'll come 'round.

85

Employment / Re: Stepping In

« on: Apr 13, 2008, 08:00 pm »

Do you have an original position with the show? As in, are you the ASM taking over, or are you just taking over the last two weeks of a show with which you are previously unfamiliar? If it's the latter, then I would agree with the previous posters. If you are the ASM, then "Calling ASM" seems to make sense to me.

86

Tools of the Trade / Re: Headset Side

« on: Apr 13, 2008, 07:55 pm »

I'm left-eared, too. Maybe because I'm right-handed?

87

Tools of the Trade / Re: Cue Lights

« on: Apr 13, 2008, 07:50 pm »

Augh. I'm jealous! But, yay! A new cue light system!

88

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: USITT in Houston

« on: Mar 06, 2008, 08:08 pm »

Next year, I'm working it into my contract that I must be able to attend USITT; I've been too many years away.

89

Tools of the Trade / Re: Spike corners

« on: Feb 24, 2008, 06:56 pm »

For permanent spikes, I use paint pens or Sharpies...I use spike corners for rehearsal and for tech, if applicable.

90

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Meeting Minutes [part venting]

« on: Feb 21, 2008, 06:15 pm »

Meetings:  None of us is as dumb as all of us.

Excellent.