Messages

1

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Headset Etiquette

« on: Apr 09, 2009, 02:07 pm »

Reading through this post really got me thinking about myself on headset. I am the only girl on headset so all the boys are suprised to hear the huge potty mouth I have. But, they had no problem joining in. We don't bad mouth actors but our side conversations are becoming a bit of a distraction. We open in 2 weeks so let's see if I can shape things up.

2

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Stage Manager Portfolio

« on: Sep 06, 2008, 03:03 pm »

Hey everyone!

I just started my senior year of high school so that means I am just starting to apply to colleges. Some of the schools I am applying to  require portfolios. I've been working of productions for a long time but I just started SMing last year. I have one completed book and it's not really something I would be comfortable showing to a school.

What exactly are schools looking for when they look at prompt books? I am SMing my second production in the coming months and I want it to be something I am proud to turn into a school. Can anyone offer any advice?

Thanks!

3

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Do you call from house or backstage?

« on: Aug 18, 2008, 10:05 pm »

house. i've never called from backstage even though we have a little pull out desk thing backstage.
the possition it's in is terrible and you can barely see the stage.

4

Tools of the Trade / Re: Things that went wrong with your technical equipment?

« on: Jul 07, 2008, 02:09 am »

ugh. i am in high school. most of the time there is something going wrong.
our theatre club puts on a talent show every year and since we didn't have our own comm system at the time, we had to rent one for anything we did.
well, our director forgot to rent them for the talent show, so we had walky-talkies. ugh. it was terrible.
when we aren't doing theatrical performance, i usually run the light board. during a band concert at my school (i'm in band, so it's the only kind of performance at the school where i can't be behind the light board), someone was leaning on our amp stand which has backstage controls for the lights that override the board.
in the middle of our song, the lights go out. i sit there for a second, knowing exactly what the problem was, deciding whether to get up or not. after a few seconds i got out of my chair and turned the lights back on. my first standing ovation!
another time, a local elementary school was performing in our theatre and needed some of my school's students to do tech. i wasn't able to attend because of SAT's (ugh) so my director had some actors do it. i came in later in the day to discover the light board was in something called "park mode" and i couldnt turn off any of the lights on the stage. turns out, they didnt turn on the monitor and were just pushing random buttons.
long story short, don't let high schoolers who happen to be actors around your technical equipment.

5

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: The Ultimate Decision

« on: Jul 06, 2008, 11:49 pm »

i was in my first production in 6th grade and i really loved being on stage, however, i really wasn't that great at acting or singing. when i was a freshman, my best friend auditioned for the spring musical and got a leading role. not wanting to be left out, i did crew. i started out on the light board.
the next year, i did lights again, this time designing the lighting myself (the importance of being earnest is a really simple show, tech wise!). then that spring, i noticed that the SM was, basically, unhappy and hated our director. i went to her and said, "if you want to stop stage managing, i want to do it." she said she wasn't going to quit and i was a little upset but i still wanted to stick with it.
my junior year started and way before tech rehearsals began, the SM came to me and told me she was done and she wanted me to take over. so for that show, doctor faustus, i was ASM and head light board operator. between programming the light board, calling shows [the SM i mentioned before magically got sick during tech and dress week] and being the last one out of the theatre at night, i was exhausted and questioned if this was really what i wanted to do. i would freak out everytime the curtain opened each night and just wanted it to stop.
i told myself that if i focused on SM and gave it another try, i would like it. and i was right.
i SMed my first show on my own this year [grease] and it was a success. next year is my senior year and i hope to pursue SMing in college.

6

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Cast Gifts/Thank Yous?

« on: Jul 02, 2008, 04:47 am »

to show the crew my appriciation (because i am only in high school and our crew members usually can go unnoticed), i bring everyone together the night before opening and we make necklaces together.
one person is assigned to make a necklace for someone else and they have their names and their jobs on them.
i suggested doing this to our old SM and now that i'm SM, its our little tradition.
we also take this time to do other crew traditions like paint our nails black.

7

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Visual Cues--Who's Responsible?

« on: Jan 19, 2008, 05:45 pm »

i know how frustrating this can be.
i was ASM and head light board op for a show and the SM kept calling cues late and i knew when they were supposed to be called.
i still went along with her cues because she is ultimately in charge and i just followed what she told me to do.

8

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / FORMS: What should I give my crew?

« on: Jan 13, 2008, 06:03 pm »

i stage manage at a high school. enough said.
during a performance of our last play, Doctor Faustus, one of my stage crew members comes on stage wearing a huge WHITE jacket.
i was so upset.

so, my question. i am going to be more rigid this time with completion of tasks and following of general rules, so i am making a packet to give to my crew members when they sign up.

i already have a typed up list of general duties of each memeber and a guide to general safety in the theatre.

what else do you recommend that i include?

9

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Before Show Pep Talks - Cast and Crew

« on: Jan 13, 2008, 03:50 pm »

we have traditions. it will ruin everything if i tell you what they are.
but its a good way for all of us to come together and bridge the gap between cast and crew.
it also calms nerves and its just flat out fun.