Messages

991

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Electronic interuptions during a performance

« on: Sep 30, 2009, 07:46 pm »

it concerns me that both of these are illegal recordings but no one seems to be saying anything abt that - these shd both be pulled, their owners/originators penalized - the audio and video recordings are clearly not sanctioned, and in addition these folks are ok with posting them on YouTube where everyone can access - it isn't just the phone ring or the photo taker, this is wrong on so many levels

992

The Green Room / Re: Where and when are you at your best?

« on: Sep 29, 2009, 12:46 am »

Much as I love it when nothing goes wrong and I can enjoy the show, I am at my best when things go haywire and I have to solve on the fly. 

For example, doing a big door-slam comedy, the sound went out right after the recorded spiel and I had to invent (and communicate to my ASM on deck) ways to make the necessary sounds, make sure cast was notified, keep our sound op calm and rebooting the computer while we waited to see if any of the cues would work or not (it ended up abt 50%), calling light cues and sending constant updates of info to actors etc - or recently when my (responsible terrific) light board op and my (lovely and capable) ASM both arrived late to call - the LBO arriving AT showtime - and we all pitched in and did what was needed to get the dimmer check and backstage set-up and ironing and preshow prep done, all accomplished in the proverbial nick. It's crazy-making, but exciting and fun. (Can you tell I was almost an ER doc?)

993

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Producer told me I had to me be nicer in rehearsal!

« on: Sep 28, 2009, 01:29 am »

I don't mean to jump to any conclusions, but it seems to me there is history here. Perhaps you may want to ask someone you trust - who will be honest with you - if there are things you might clean up in how you approach these tasks.

Also, may I suggest you ask the director, MD and choreo to sit down with you and ask them how they like to schedule things (knowing the schedule will shift) so you can lay out the calendar they want, keeping the list of essential dates in the conversation so the three of them can agree - things like the designer run, sitzprobe, tech, photo call etc, that involve full cast as well as additional folks and require planning ahead. When you have a rough calendar with the locked dates combined with the rough rehearsal schedule, put it in writing and run it past them all; not only will this make sure you're clear on what they wanted, it also gives ownership of the schedule to them, so they try to support the specific goal dates. Once they sign off on your submission, be ready w suggestions to accommodate their requirements as things shift, but remember that they are the ones who decide what they want to accomplish in a given rehearsal.

994

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re:

« on: Sep 15, 2009, 08:00 pm »

I have always been taught to point a weapon above or to the side (depending on who you are supposed to be aiming at) - so in case there ever is an accident, the trajectory is not AT the person. I am not a weapons master, and perhaps things have changed since I did 10 years of plays in a row each with guns and knives a little bit ago, but everyone I ever worked with insisted on that point - you never, EVER point a weapon directly at someone. Ever.

995

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / SAFETY: Stage weapon safety (split from Can't do that on stage)

« on: Sep 15, 2009, 12:30 pm »

You don't punch someone like this, because it looks like you're punching them in the shoulder. You actually have to aim for their face!  When you shoot off a stage gun, you should actually aim it at the intended target.

um, not sure if you are being cynical or not, but no, you never, ever aim at your intended target with a weapon - and the whole point of fight choreo is to make it look as if you are hitting X while actually doing Y - in tiny houses that are less forgiving, the compromise between sightlines and safety can be a challenge but still require precision and technique since safety will always trump

996

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Require cast to have an email?

« on: Sep 06, 2009, 01:19 pm »

I actually giggled when the original poster asked if they cd require an actor to have email access - no offense, really - it's just, I am of an age when you typed everything up and ran off copies for all departments before you left at night, when calls to all the actors abt schedules happened daily (before hotlines even), when the daily changing info posted on the callboard and the nightly phone calls were considered SOP. (side note - yes, investing in a portable callboard is worth the $20 and definitely worth the hassle to schlep it - even in this day and age, there are theaters and tour housing without email access or local phone access, and people without cell phones. Really.) I seem to do a lot of shows with seniors and luddites, and we still use old school methods of info for at least 1-2 people in almost every cast.

No, you can't require an actor to have email, or a cell phone, or any other mode of direct contact. You CAN require them to be responsible for themselves, for checking w you and making sure they have the correct sched for the day - and to not complain abt suffering the consequences if things change and they can't be reached for notification.

997

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Require cast to have an email?

« on: Sep 05, 2009, 03:48 pm »

...and (speaking of old school) the callboard is that person's best friend, so you do have to print out the paperwork and post it.

998

The Hardline / Re: Treating all actors as AEA in a showcase?

« on: Aug 31, 2009, 12:56 am »

are any of your actors members of any of the other 4As? If so, I believe they may be entitled to AEA's protection

999

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Contact Sheets

« on: Aug 30, 2009, 12:51 pm »

wow, thank you both for a terrific new tool that will allow me to eliminate one version (I use both word and excel, depending on the theater and how computer-savvy my cast or prodn team are)

1000

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Contact Sheets

« on: Aug 30, 2009, 12:09 am »

ooh - how do you do hidden text? Share please!

and, I use the run contact sheet as the base for the final, but I have worked w companies who were funny abt everybody having everything until after we closed, and companies who wanted final contact to be everyone who had every worked on the show ever - name address phone email for all - so what I was using was a whole lot shorter than the final contact after everyone was added in. Also, spent time in companies who didn't want the actors having the tech info and vice versa (other than those who needed it, like costumes) etc - so I learned early to separate cast from production team, and merge them for the final contact.

1001

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Contact Sheets

« on: Aug 27, 2009, 02:19 am »

Actually, this seems to be generational. With a few exceptions, the folks who program everyone into their phones tend to be younger, and those of us who rely on our printed sheets tend to be older. My 26 yo ASM had all the phone #s programmed before end of first reh and told me and she always deletes at the end of the run, while I only added the director and a few key designers I keep working with over and over. The actors enter my phone when they become friends. But that's me.

Regarding the back lines/private numbers, no, I wouldn't program those in. I work w too many people who have stalkers or other high-visibility security issues, so I keep those numbers with me and lose them in shredders when we're done.

1002

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Contact Sheets

« on: Aug 26, 2009, 02:41 am »

I usually keep two, and sometimes three or four contact sheets

Actor contact: everyone the actor needs - just basics: cast, PR folks, producer, director, SM team, location of theater, location of rehearsal hall, box office number - once the run starts, I add running crew and keep copies in the front of my notebook and in the booth (handed out at first rehearsal, given to cast, PR, Costumes, producer, director, SM team) (hope I'm not forgetting anyone in my pre-tech brain)

Production Contact: the full production team, including producer, director,  sets, lights, props, sound, costumes, SM team, PR - (handed out at first rehearsal or production meeting to all production team)

Personal contact: very often folks have private/back numbers they don't want spread far and wide. This is my personal contact sheet, the one that lives with me until we close = this can be the director with a private cell or an actor's work number or a star's home. Anything that doesn't get shared and only gets used in emergency

Final contact: this is a conglomerate of everyone who has had anything to do with out show and includes all info they are willing to share (I copy it off the Emergency Contact that gets filled out at first rehearsal - my form asks what they want listed on the final contact) - goes to everyone with last performance

1003

SMNetwork Archives / Too many sick days on Broadway.....

« on: Aug 20, 2009, 03:56 pm »

the producers are getting peeved and understudies are replacing in fulltime....

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08192009/entertainment/theater/west_side_substitutes_185329.htm

1004

Stage Management: Other / Re: Opera rehearsals to Opera on stage

« on: Aug 17, 2009, 06:24 pm »

do you know what it was called? I tried to search for it under PBS and got nowhere with Lord of the Rings (or, I made a really bad search choice and I just didn't see it...?)

thanks

1005

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / SHOWS: "ART" - anyone done it?

« on: Jul 29, 2009, 09:41 am »

I am swapping into ART at the first prodn meeting tomorrow, when I will pick up my script - it is supposed to be a very straightforward piece without a lot of gags or trick stuff - anyone done it? Is there anything I shd have a heads up about?

thanks in advance!

Edited to include label in subject line-Rebbe