Messages

91

The Green Room / Re: Funnest Tech Run Ever

« on: Mar 03, 2011, 05:19 pm »

I did a production of 'Things We Want' recently. The show is pretty simple, but I was brought into the process just in time for tech -- I hadn't even seen a run first, just read the script. (The previous SM quit quite last-minute.)

They had allotted a 10-of-12 for tech, with a dress to be next afternoon. There was even a potential TBD time for extra tech the next morning. We not only finished tech quickly, but had a dress run before dinner. And then another one after dinner. So we had the next day off until the opening show.

It was probably the smoothest tech ever. And I came on board that day.

92

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: DCTC Internship. Thoughts?

« on: Mar 02, 2011, 07:12 pm »

I don't know anything about the theatre, but I do know that Denver is an interesting climate. Being pretty high above sea level changes a lot of things-- how you breathe (and thus how hard it is to run around doing SM jobs), how things cook, all sorts of things.

93

Employment / Re: Pictures

« on: Mar 01, 2011, 02:26 pm »

SMLois, when you sent these out, what kind of quality were the pictures? Head shot-like or a good casual shot?

94

Employment / Pictures

« on: Feb 28, 2011, 05:13 pm »

So lately I've been seeing a lot of companies asking for a photo in accompaniment to a resume/application, usually just prior to an interview, but sometimes with the initial application.

My question is, how professional should this picture be? Should it be almost like an actor's head shot, or is a casual picture that is nice and clean enough?

Also, is it just really weird that they are asking at all?

Thanks for any input.

95

The Green Room / Re: Do you add a personal touch to your booth?

« on: Feb 28, 2011, 12:33 am »

Matthew --

The real question is, what is the ratio of full-to-empty tequila bottles?

96

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: cell phones onstage

« on: Feb 25, 2011, 10:50 pm »

Interestingly enough, I've had an experience with the opposite problem.

I was SMing a series of short plays, with literally no other crew members. The actors helped strike/setup each scene, but I had no one backstage and certainly no communication back there. In one of the pieces halfway through the first act, the story is that two brothers and a sister just witnessed their elderly farmer father's death, but not before he admitted to them and the attending priest that he had been having a sexual relationship with his best friend Ollie for most of their lives. So the oldest brother is the freaker-outer and in the course of the play repeatedly tries to call the priest to attempt to stop the 'rumor' from spreading throughout the town.

Well, one day the oldest brother is sans cellphone. The one time I wished the actor (or any of the three actors) had a cellphone on them onstage. They covered well ("I should really try and call Reverand Doobey" ...  "Do you think I should call Aunt Pearl and Uncle Bud?" ... and such) so it wasn't an awful disaster. But they always had their prop after that.

97

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Internships? Pay or credit?

« on: Feb 25, 2011, 10:35 pm »

When I was in school, our major required that we do an internship during at least one summer. However, the term 'internship' had a loose definition. We had to work on some level (preferably in our focus field) with a theatre.

In my hunts for an internship, even as a college student, my search was monetarily based. Of course, depending on the location, housing was almost always a necessity. Certainly, if it was close to either my home or my parents' homes, I would consider it even without provided housing. But the biggest issues for me were housing, and then affording food/gas/bills while doing the internship.

Also, at my school, getting credit for an internship was essentially irrelevant. The internship actually COULDN'T be counted for school credit. Otherwise it wasn't "independent enough" from the program.

The bottom line is you will be able to get interns with almost any offer you come up with. Sort of the if-you-build-it-they-will-come school of thought. Will the quality of interns be improved by offering better compensation? Who knows; perhaps only time will tell.

98

The Green Room / Re: Do you add a personal touch to your booth?

« on: Feb 25, 2011, 02:32 pm »

My dad recently remarried a woman who I adore as a stepmother. When they came back from their honeymoon in Mexico, they brought me a tiny hand-carved fish whose tail bounces like a bobble head. It only takes up about 1 or 2 square inches, so it's space efficient for those crazy tiny booths, but its a wonderful tiny reminder of the support of my family. Plus the fish is bright and striped, so it instantly adds a bit of fun to the booth.

Since I'm freelance, I don't have a booth that's all mine -- if I did, I would probably decorate a bit more. But I've found that just a little token of familiarity or of sentimental value can go a long way to help comfort and relax me, which I always look for right I call the first standby.

99

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Major in theatre or not. . .

« on: Feb 21, 2011, 11:58 pm »

Along the lines of what everyone else has been saying, a degree does not define who you are and what you become. In the end, what matters most are the experiences you've gained.

Perhaps supplementing your education at your school with work in a nearby company -- there are certainly plenty around New York. Look around for internships or volunteer work -- just get your foot in the door and learn something.

I went to a school with hardly any tech program at all, so the few tech kids had to learn to do everything. For the ones who wanted to costume design, it was a bit begrudgingly that would Stage Manage a show or design Props; simply because they needed the credit and their dream position was unavailable. However, I took advantage of as many different positions as I could, since Stage Managing takes knowing a little bit about everything in order to solve problems.
 
So look into places in the area. Who knows, it may lead to more work down the road, with that company or with another. Remember, this is an industry as much about WHO you know as WHAT you know.

100

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

« on: Feb 04, 2011, 10:40 pm »

I went to a camp where a lot of "peanut-kids" attended, so the camp was declared a peanut-free camp. Also, a girl in school with me was nut-allergic, so I got used to it.

I also, just today, received a text about 2 hours prior to call that one of the kids in my show tonight had accidentally ate chocolate containing nuts. He went to the hospital, and we had to rehearse a replacement for him before the show started.

I don't know - it's a simple enough solution to just not have peanuts around. Just in case.

But I do understand the idea of asking before assuming.

101

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

« on: Feb 04, 2011, 01:13 pm »

I think I've just worked with enough airborne peanut allergies that it has just become second nature to think about peanuts.

102

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

« on: Feb 04, 2011, 12:22 pm »

saerie, I appreciate the need for a little something for yourself in the kit, but I've run into far too many peanut-allergy actors/designers/directors. While I am always PRO your-chocolate-is-in-my-peanut-butter, I've had to keep that stock at home. My chocolate choice in public is Lindt's Dark Chocolate with a hint of Sea Salt. Still the same kind of sweet/salty combo, but does not run the airborne allergen risk.

Moderator note: this post has been split from the topic:  "[FAQ] - what goes inside a SM kit?" - kmc307
Edited added tag to subject line-Rebbe

103

The Green Room / Re: Two Dopey, But Obvious, Questions

« on: Feb 04, 2011, 11:00 am »

1. I just saw La Traviata at the Met -- it was so phenomenal, I cannot begin to explain. It is one of my favorite operas, and I just loved the modern take they had.

2. I have three dream shows, based on genre. My dream musical to work on is Little Shop of Horrors. My dream straight show to work on is Noises Off!. My dream opera to work on is Wagner's Ring Cycle.

104

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Preset before performance

« on: Feb 03, 2011, 10:36 am »

I think using 3ring page protectors is the ultimate in reusability. Not only can you use the dry erase method to save paper, but when the show is over (or you are forced to change your checklist for some strange reason) you can pull the paper out and reuse the sleeve.

105

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Preset before performance

« on: Feb 03, 2011, 01:18 am »

LizzG -- How/where do you laminate your checklist?