Messages

91

College and Graduate Studies / Race question on applications

« on: Jan 16, 2009, 04:17 pm »

Hi, all!

So I am in the process of applying for graduate schools. 
I've come across a bit of a quandary though.

Most of the applications as the Race question.  And only offer a handful of options and the word "Other" is not part of that. I am Arab-American, but there is nothing middle east related about any of the options.

One application simply gives 4 options and they are all so cut and dry:
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Asian or Pacific Islander
White
Black


That really leaves no wiggle room. I don't want to lie on my applications, but has anyone out there who has applied to grad school come across this?  Does it factor into who they can accept and who they cannot?

Just wondered. Thoughts anyone?

92

SMNetwork Archives / Re: I could have kissed them!

« on: Jan 10, 2009, 07:49 am »

I could have kissed my entire Stage Management class.  I gave them an assignment that consisted of 7 situations that often come up as a stage manager and asked them how THEY would deal with them (things like tardy actors, missing crews, mid-show power outages, etc.).  We discussed the assignment in class and everyone had great answers, especially the one who started an answer with "First, I would stay calm," and the girl who said, "I would make sure to keep track of tardiness in my rehearsal reports."  Turns out they do listen when I lecture!!

Yes! I've done this before for a stage management class.  It's awesome the answers they come up with

93

Tools of the Trade / Re: Protecting your tools

« on: Jan 09, 2009, 11:55 pm »

With anything of decent size, I would write "stolen from", and then put my name or the name of an organization, written in black sharpie. If someone has possession of something that says stolen, it gets attention, especially when its not their name on it.

HA! I like this!  It would work really well for me if I put that and used my last name, which is very distinctive in my theatre community.  It's distinctive anyway.  I like this...don't know if I would do it

94

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Who is part of the crew and who is part of the creative team?

« on: Jan 09, 2009, 12:11 am »

In order to avoid hurt feelings, I sometimes list "Production Staff" and "Crew" instead of "Creatives".  The only people I put under crew in these cases would be run crew, wardrobe crew, board ops.

Allison

This is exactly what I do. Anyone involved on the production team as a director, designer, technician, etc are listed as Production Staff. It's pretty all encompassing.  This could also include production managers, producers, box office manager, assistants..whoever else is part of the process.

Crew is, as mentioned, the running crew, board ops, etc.

95

Stage Management: Other / Re: Your most interesting "Other" Project

« on: Jan 08, 2009, 04:58 pm »

My most interesting "other" project I do every year:
to act as production/stage manager to a preliminary pageant called "Miss Spirit of the State."  It's a prelim to the Miss America program and is an open Michigan pageant. (In other words, this is one of the pageants that sends its titleholder to the Miss Mighigan pageant, from which she can compete for the state title and go on to compete at Miss America).

It's one weekend of tech, final dress, opening a show and closing a show all in a matter of a few days...and dealing with scholarship contestants is very different from dealing with performers.  We've taught a few of them to say "Thank you" after we give our calls!

It's exciting and stressful and you never know what you're gonna see. But it's a good time...

96

Tools of the Trade / Re: Holiday SM Gifts

« on: Jan 05, 2009, 05:51 pm »

I got this amazing pencil sharpener that can stick on to any surface, and once it's there, it acts as if it is screwed in to the wall.  Its cool because if I keep this in my kit, I don't have to deal with the annoying handheld pencil sharpeners.

Ah! Where from?! I want one!

97

Tools of the Trade / Re: Holiday SM Gifts

« on: Jan 05, 2009, 02:54 am »

This wasn't a holiday gift.
And I don't know if this applies.

But I recently ended a show where I was the stage manager/mentor for a college production.  I was the mentor to my student ASM.

At the end of the run, along with a booklet/starter handbook I had drafted with another stage manager previously (just your basic description, outlines, paperwork...things the school really didn't provide), I gave her a high quality stop watch.  (The same one I use and love).

Yes, not exciting but still so special to her (and me). She never had one because it never occurred to her to use anything other than her cell phone to tell time or time breaks/show.  My stopwatch is with me at all times and she knew this.  Valuable tool, if you ask me!

To be honest, being a stage manager, it's rather easy (and enjoyable) shopping for other SMs....because you know what they will need, use and enjoy (though it's often not exciting to other folks but usually your basic necessities!)

Ha!

98

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: A matter of procedure

« on: Dec 29, 2008, 05:57 pm »

If it were me, I'd make 110% sure your director and the appropriate staff was made aware of this before contacting the cast.  If your emails are not getting responses, you should put in a call to them as well. 

99

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: cookies

« on: Dec 23, 2008, 02:40 pm »

Wizard of Oz.  Royal Shakes version.  One of the opening scenes has Aunt Em brining a plate of cookies to the farm hands.  Now I just need to figure out a way to keep cookies moist-and hopefully only have to get/make them once a week...

Oh, well do they have to eat THAT much cookie? I mean, the number we had revolved around the cookies.

Usually putting a slice of bread in a bag or container with cookies will help. the cookies absorb the moisture.

This lnik is helpful: http://www.ehow.com/how_2169133_keep-fresh-baked-cookies-moist.html

100

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: cookies

« on: Dec 23, 2008, 10:38 am »

So...I will start with the direct question:  I need a cookie recipe, to be eaten onstage.  No known allergy issues, but the cast will be talking (and singing) shortly after eating said cookies.  I was leaning toward a simple sugar cookie-any ideas or comments? 

What show? Make sure they are moist, not crunchy.  I did a production of "A Year with Frog and Toad" where there is a song about cookies...they sing and eat and dance.... we used sugar cookies, but made sure they were super fresh so they melted in the actor's mouths, essentially.

I know that's a challenge, but that's my 2 cents on it.

What about a meringue (spelling sorry) sort of cookie. Those are fluffy...they look like cookies sometimes from the audience, and they are pretty allergy friendly. (Well, they are friendly to those with lactose issues).

I don't have any recipes either sorry.

101

SMNetwork Archives / Re: SM: the musical

« on: Dec 19, 2008, 01:34 pm »

But is this a comedy or a drama!?

Yes.

What if it's part improv? Because, afterall, a lot of what we do as stage managers is thinking on our feet, no matter how prepared we try to be!  I think the show should reflect that.

What about a Rocky Horror Show feel with audience interaction: sell bags filled with a mini flashlight, gaff tape, mic tape, bandaids, a highlighter, a mini stop watch...etc. And when a stage manager says their line such as "15 minutes" or something, the audience would response (probably snarky, who knows) with "Thank you, 15" or something...

Oh, I could see the marketability now.....

102

Employment / Re: Facebook through an Employer's eyes?

« on: Dec 19, 2008, 10:47 am »

I have removed all my responses to this topic; don't wish to argue/discuss this particular topic anymore.

Happy Holidays to all.

I thought your responses were extremely valid, and it was great to see the other side of the argument.

Sorry if the replies were a little argumentative. I didn't mean for the thread to turn out this way.

I thought they were valid too!

I think this is a good debate/discussion to have, as it's really relevant.

I think what we have to remember and remind ourselves (as there are is no voice inflection and such via a discussion forum) is that we are all entitled to our opinions, and most of the time, we probably post with better intentions than what it comes across as.

Anyway, those are my 2 cents. I feel like we need to cue music here... you know that "touching moral of the story" point in sitcoms where the music plays? 

Cue music.

(kidding)

103

Employment / Re: Facebook through an Employer's eyes?

« on: Dec 18, 2008, 09:19 am »

Look, as someone who hires, it is impossible to get a full picture of anyone from just an interview and talking to to their references.  It's one of the reasons if I know someone on someone's resume who I know who they don't list as a reference, I will contact them and try to get a more information about the person.  This is why I do a web search on a person and their shows to get a sense of "what they are not telling me".

It's amazing how much information you can get on a person by a web search, usually by e-mail address.  I think I would learn a lot about the person via facebook that would help me pick a stage manager.  Look, the general skill set used to stage manage a trained monkey could do.  What we do isn't that hard, really.  But, what makes the difference from just an ordinary stage manager and an excellent stage manager, one I hire over and over again, is their personality, their humanity, their sense of humor.  Things that are usually very hard to read on paper.  One of the main reasons I like face to face interviews is I get a sense of what that person is, rather then just what they are presenting to me.  If I can't stand to spend one hour with you in a room together, I am not going to be able to spend 10 hours together in a room. 

So, I strongly disagree that a social networking site would be a poor use to measure the potentiality of an employee; it would be foolish is to be the only source of reference, but it would help complete the picture of who that person it, what circles they travel in, and get a sense of who that person is.  Now, with facebook, unless we are already friends, I am not going to get too much information from them, but for example, I did found that A. Baj (just using her as an example) and I have one friend in common, who I would contact about a reference, I was also able to get a picture of (what I assume is) her, I was also able to get her full name, and thus did a full web search, getting all her contact information - from a piece of paperwork for a show SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH THE SHOW - all of this based just on her e-mail address typed into facebook which lead to a google search.  Now, I didn't find anything that was incriminating. 

I am sure someone doing a search for me on line can find a lot of stuff about stage management, but would also find my other interests (the fact I am gay, the fact I have two min-pins, the fact, for a time I was very vocal about father's right and divorce, I was very into musicals, and that I shared a lot about some health concerns about my past).  The net is very public thing, and things don't go away here.

And the facebook security is good for a casual user to block, but if someone wanted to get the dirt on you, being a friend of a friend, can lead to pictures being passed down the line.

All well stated...and I'm a little creeped out...

I agree with all of the above.

104

Employment / Re: Facebook through an Employer's eyes?

« on: Dec 18, 2008, 02:39 am »

Though I agree with the posters who caution how explicit info on the internet can be used in more than one way, Facebook is, above all, a social networking site. Using Facebook to measure the potentiality of an employee is like using a strainer to measure a cup of water.

True.

However, it does inform a bit of how someone is socially and a lot of what we do as stage managers is pretty social, isn't it?
Also, take for instance, someone has inappropriate pictures (and by inappropriate, let's say it's a photo album of one too many drinking binges and partying)...if this person is hired for a company, this person therefore becomes part of the company's representation.  How does that reflect on the company?  It's just a minor consideration, you know?  Just to be cautious, is all. 

I'm not saying it's right to judge that way, but it certainly can work that way....

105

The Green Room / Re: WELCOME TO THE GREEN ROOM

« on: Dec 17, 2008, 11:00 am »

Yay!