Messages

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Reprimanding Actors

« on: Nov 13, 2009, 02:10 pm »

I see, yea I did a sort of verbal contract with them explaining what they would be doing. See I got those two actors about 3 weeks before our first show was (we're doing several shows during the year at events) so I guess they didn't dare miss a rehearsal then.

So, I'll definitely get a contract together for our next meeting. We do have general company rules that I can make a contract out of.

Are you the director? SM? or both?

It's a weird situation where I signed up to be SM but then my teacher happened to also be managing the tech for the university's productions. Our play is like a side project that I have taken a lot of responsibility for so I became an assitant director in the begginig (when we were pressed for time).

However, no I'm not going to get new actors if he doesn't want to. In fact I'd like to keep them, but another thing to consider for me is that we have one show in May then we are going to take the show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Which I want actors that actually want to be doing this to be in the show since we're going to perform over seas! I mean I can't find out even two months before that one of them can't go.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Reprimanding Actors

« on: Nov 12, 2009, 11:08 am »

So, everyone has to deal with careless actors and obnoxious actors (there always seems to be atleast one). I was wondering is anyone had advice on regaining control over careless actors.

I have two people in my play (3 people total) that have never acted before and that don't cooperate as well as my other actor who has experience (to be expected). I've been letting these two slide a lot because I really want them to stay on the project, but now it's starting to become a problem. This is not to say that I haven't shown them that I am angry with them.

In the last two meetings one or the other was absent. First time, after the schedule was agreed on, a few days before our meeting to talk about the future of the play one actor tells me he's going home. He said he had made those plans a month ago. So, I told him to please let me know when there is a schedule conflict because I can't organize meetings if I don't have the proper information. Second time, again after the schedule was agreed on, the other actor simply does not show up, does not answer my calls or texts, does not call back or e-mail. It's been almost a week now since then and I haven't sent an e-mail and he hasn't said a word. I realize I should have written something to him by now, but I'm new to this reprimanding thing and I just haven't known what to say.

So, I'm sending an e-mail to him right now basically asking him if he is still in the show. I want to scare him into being responsible, but I don't know if I'm going to scare him away. This wouldn't be as huge an issue if these weren't people who don't act and don't need this play or the oppurtunity we're making with this play. I'm honestly starting to consider recasting!



Aaaaaaaanyway, if you have any pointers, words of wisdom, comments, questions, or personal experiences please reply! I'm in need of some guidance and support >_<

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: First Tech related anything

« on: Oct 24, 2009, 06:23 pm »

I just finished running one show in which my director was only at a few rehearsals. I had to do all the blocking and help the actors with their characters. It was definitely a small play so I managed, but I wasn't sure whether or not to take initiative. Turned out it was the right thing to do, I just kept checking back with the director telling him what I was doing that day and if that sounded good to him.

Maybe you have a careless director or maybe he/she just trusts you a lot. Communication is definitely the key though. Also, do your best to comfort and reinforce your actors. Don't let them get down on the show because then they might start showing up late. As frustrating as it gets don't let the team see you bad talk the show or lose faith! You're their rock! haha. I hope it all works out and I'm sure it will!

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The Green Room / Re: "I can't do that on stage."

« on: Oct 15, 2009, 09:57 pm »

I had a problem with a new actor recently. We did a dinner theatre and we didn't have a traditional space so our set was very plain. This actor tried to pantomime things that weren't on the set, mostly doors and curtains, windows even. It wasn't so much a problem as it was hilarious.

I repeatedly had to tell him in rehearsal: "There's no door there!" 

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Tools of the Trade / Re: Google Chrome

« on: Oct 15, 2009, 08:17 pm »

I've been messing around with the Google stuff too. I wanted to make it easy for the cast to get online and check when rehearsals and meetingsd are. So, far the best thing about it is it will e-mail the cast a reminder for everything I add them to. The google docs works pretty well too for loading up light cues and rehearsal reports etc.

I think if I had a lot of shows though it would become tedious. For this one show though it's nice to keep it all organized and backed up to something. I'm always afraid I'm going to lose my prompt book or info I need. This way if I forget or lose something I just have to go to Google.

Google chrome sounds pretty great, I haven't heard too many good things about it, but it sounds good for older computers. Besides I've only heard things from people that are technically challenged (IE is the only way for some people). Anyway, I use Firefox mostly because its been reliable for me, a lot of the problems that IE has Firefox magically gets around haha.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Student SM Challenge #8: Running Late

« on: Oct 15, 2009, 04:16 pm »

Yea, this was an issue for me recently actually. I don't have an assistant and I have only one stage hand that's working on another play (not available for rehearsals usually). So, when I was running late for our rehearsal I had enough faith in my cast to just have them start without me. Now, this is a small One-act show with 3 actors, so this is kinda special circumstance. In general my entire plan for rehearsals was to have the same pattern, so that the actors could almost run it themselves- then this came in handy when I was a few minutes late.

Also, with the same show someone wound up having to work and would be a half-hour late. So, instead of changing rehearsal we just rehearsed a different part of the play. It worked pretty smoothly, then when the actor arrived I had someone go run lines with him. Then we rehearsed his section later and everyone ended up getting extra rehearsing time!

Anyway in general if anyone or yourself is late a call on the phone or a text message is definitely required. One of my original cast members had a heart attack on his way home from our first read-through (he's alive don't worry!). So, after that scenario, whenever someone was late I make it clear I don't mind I just need to know their ok!

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Edinburgh Festival Fringe Experience?

« on: Oct 15, 2009, 03:52 pm »

Hi!

I'm stage managing for this great play called "The Meeting" and we're going to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August. Stage managing is not my expertise or anything, I'm just reasonably organized and I love this play. So, I'm really trying to make this trip possible for my cast (two actors have never acted before!) and wanted to know if anyone has had experience with the Fringe fest. My teacher has gone (my director) before and I'm reading through the documents he had from last time, but I wanted to hear some of your experiences.

Right now I'm figuring out the cheapest possible place to stay from the 6th of August until the 30th. We'd rather not stay in a hostel since generally You pack up your stuff like each day (or so I'm told). Anyway, I've been looking at flats and university dorms etc.

Any experience with these sorts of festivals I'd love to hear about. I've personally never traveled far from Maryland so it's all new to me. Any tips!? stories? thanks!!!

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Advice for a newbie

« on: Oct 15, 2009, 03:34 pm »

(hi tess lol)

I have found that filling out forms each night after your done rehearsal makes life easy. If you just jot down all the notes you took it works pretty well (i'm the same way-never had a prompt book before!). That way you can just organize it all and figure out what you need and don't need on a form. If you don't take any notes, you should get in the habit. If you see someone missed a line or messed up the blocking, when you jot it down and put it in the form its helpful for the people you work with. If someone else has to run rehearsal for you they can with your prompt book.
You don't always have to be sick or like dead for someone else to need your book either, someone backstage or in the light booth might need you to leave the cast to help them at any moment. If you have some stage hand or an assistant to help you run rehearsal then they can take over at any point. So it also just helps maintain smooth rehearsal I'd say.


kiwitechgirl:
Since tess is asking... Your job sounds super hectic, is there time for family or anything? I feel like the Theatre engulfs my life during shows and I don't talk to anyone but the cast for days!

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Tools of the Trade / Re: Fog/Haze that wont set off a very sensitive smoke alarm

« on: Oct 15, 2009, 03:04 pm »

Oh no, definitely don't cover it if it's illegal,  that's why I said "ideas". I would definitely check on any of this stuff before doing it! My bad wasn't trying to suggest you to break laws! I'm just throwing ideas out there. I agree with Mac on asking the building manager. But yea, the fire department is really strict and for good reason, you definitely don't want anyone getting hurt in your space!

Make sure you take directions seriously too, there was an issue with exit signs in our Theatre. They signs were being blocked by the curtains so the fire department wanted the stage to change or the curtains to be moved (black box theatre). Someone had the idea to make their own Exit Signs that could just be moved to the doorways being used and that could be seeen. We asked if we could make our own sign and put it by the doors and the fire department said it was fine. But! Then there was trouble because it wasn't battery powered. Which that's a pretty vital element that someone should have noticed!- however, moral of the story don't mess with the fire department cause they are hawks!

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

« on: Oct 14, 2009, 11:21 pm »

Yea, so, on the actual topic.

In high-school, my auditorium was so sensitive to cellphones that if someone backstage was on the phone we could hear their conversation on the audio! Basically, we dealt with the cellphones as having a nice speech before the show that was somewhat comedic to get people to turn off their phones. Also, during the show, we had a walkie for the usher with a head-peice.

The ushers would stay at the top of the room and look out for screens in the audience. People who ran spot or techs that had no other job, would sit in the balcony or in the light booth (depending on if the balcony had people in it) and look out for screens too. At any notice of sound or screen the usher rushed out and asked the person to put away their phone. Also, at intermission we welcomed them back in again reiterating that cell phones were prohibited.

That's the main method we used, but if we missed some there's not much you can do. That person will feel embarrassed and hopefully others and they will learn.

Oh I almost forgot! One great method is to over-exaggerate how the cellphone will effect the sound system. It really did mess with ours, but we told them mics would fail and all sorts of things to scare them.

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Tools of the Trade / Re: Fog/Haze that wont set off a very sensitive smoke alarm

« on: Oct 14, 2009, 11:11 pm »

I'd say kmc307 has got the answers here. Dry Ice is a great option but I'm not sure how easy it is to obtain except if you get it from a restaurant or deli that ships or orders meat.

Just some ideas:
-You might want to try would be suspending the fog machines a little and pointing them down. Play with the angle because you don't want the fog bouncing back up and defeating the purpose.
-If it's not illegal to stop the smoke alarms for the show: If you have cheap smoke alarms not on a grid or you can't get them turned off each night- just cover it with a plastic bag. You may have already thought of this but just thought I'd mention it :p
-If you can manage the smoke on a lower setting then put some deflectors by the smoke alarm (again if that's not illegal!) that would only block the one direction. That way any actually smoke from a fire would still be noticed but jut not yours!
-If you just use less smoke then illuminate it slightly with lights at the furthest downstage point it might end up looking like more smoke is there.

hope the input helps :p

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: First Tech related anything

« on: Oct 13, 2009, 10:50 am »

You sound like you're doing a good job so far. Check to make sure the A.D. is doing light cues and if he/she get a copy of the cues.

Also, for the actual show you could make your self a stage-manager's kit (or just have stuff in your purse) including things like: safety pins, throat spray(or cough drops but they always end up on the ground later), bobby pins, bandaids, tylenol, advil, hair-ties, duct tape, gauffers tape, and anything that your show would specifically need a back-up of.

As for dealing with an immature Director: remember the hierarchy. The Stage Manager supports the Director, so if you have any issues with the Director then you should communicate with him/her. It's vital that communication stays open between the two of you and that the Director has faith in you. If you're not sure on how to talk to the Director without upseting him/her your teacher should be able to coach you on that.

In the end if the Director acts immature and doesn't change, it's your job to be neutral and just do your job.

I hope you can work things out and it sounds like you have things under control. Also, I remember in highschool the techies not being taken to an actor backstage, but just show them and the cast that you're serious and you'll slowly earn their respect. Know that they will not give you respect right away, if they already do because they know you then that's great you're already ahead of the game!