Messages

1

The Hardline / AEA LORT SM's--What would you do if:

« on: May 26, 2006, 04:40 pm »

I think it is really just a matter of priorities. For me, 15 minutes on the day off is a big issue when I try and squeeze it in among school, preschool, soccer practice, homework, karate, groceriecs, housework, and laundry. And if the choice is 15 minutes at the end of the day with my husband or 15 minutes recording a schedule, well on the day off, the husband wins out. When I was young and single, I felt differently.

There are union rules in place to protect our time. We as stage managers give a lot of ourselves. When I am at work, the theatre and the production get 110% of me. As I get older, I guess I draw the lines differently.

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The Hardline / AEA LORT SM's--What would you do if:

« on: May 26, 2006, 02:24 pm »

What is surprising to me is that in all cases it seems that SMs are willing to put out a schedule (record or email) on Monday. If the director needs time to think over a schedule, then they need to realize that it will affect the entire company. The day-off is the day-off for everyone including stage management. I don't work on the day off, so in the instances where the director is unable to give me a schedule, I put out a full company call and a span of day. When I come in on Tuesday morning, I will try and reach anyone not needed at the top of day.

It is because stage managers agree to work on the day off- even something as simple as recording a rehearsal call- that directors and producers expect us to do so. It has been my experience that once the director realizes that I won't put out the schedule on Monday (or record, or make phone calls) and that their only choice is to have the company (in my case upwards of 38 people) sitting around all day unused, they can come up with at least a general schedule. For me, a general schedule is better than no schedule, and I can deal with well thought out specifics and re-posting after the day-off.

The other option, charge the theatre for working on the day off. 2/6 of your weekly salary will get a producer to put an end to that pretty quick.

With all that is expectsed of stage managers both before and after rehearsal, much of which is unpaid, the only sacred thing is the day-off.

3

Employment / Under what circumstance is it right to...?

« on: Jan 18, 2006, 02:21 pm »

I think much of it is the market you work in. The market I work in is pretty forgiving if you turn down a job or leave a job for a better or higher paying gig. As long as you give the proper notice. And if you haven't signed a contract, then it is definitely not held against you. Certainly there are loyalties to certain companies, but is understood that people have to make a living. I think there are graceful ways to back out of a job offer if you need to.

As a side note, I left at intermission on a Sunday matinee to take my very sick daughter to the hospital and never came back. I was the 1st ASM under a WCLO contract. She was in the hospital 12 days with pneumonia. I was immediately replaced and will return to PSM the next show. Everyone was very supportive, and I didn't feel the least bit guilty.

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The Hardline / WCLO Contract

« on: Oct 02, 2005, 05:16 pm »

WCLO - Western Civic Light Opera. It is for theatres producing full scale musicals in the central and western regions. It is a cross between a Production Contract and a LORT contract (60% Production, 40% LORT).

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The Hardline / Joining the Staff

« on: Jan 29, 2005, 07:58 pm »

There is not much really to be aware of except more personal investment on your part. It is harder to zip off and do that cool show that comes along if you are committed full-time to a company. The great benefit for both you and them is your ability to have a voice beyond your specific production or department. Being a part of the pre-season planning process is really beneficial. Also, being able to be an extra set of eyes and ears backstage or in the house for the tech of shows you are not SMing can be very helpful to all involved. The draw back to this sort of situation is that you may find yourself becoming "management" and putting the needs of the company before the needs of the actors. Some PSMs are very capable at separating the two, while other are not. I guess that just depends on your ability to compartmentalize.

In terms of salary bump up- a guarantee of salary during weeks that you are not on an AEA contract and additional monies per week for extra hours work is customary (I think an additional $200 a week for approximately ten hours is the going rate). Sometimes this compensation comes separate from your AEA salary, so that you do not have to pay dues on it and the company does not have to pay pension.

As for any extra perks to negotiate for, I would ask for what everyone else is getting (parking, vacation time, comp time, company supplied laptop).

6

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Lights? Electrics? Elex? What do you say?

« on: Oct 16, 2004, 10:31 pm »

My experience has been that on the regional theatre level SMs say "Lights". Large scale musical, road show, and Broadway/NY SMs say "Electrics". This is probably a gross generalization. I have not personally worked in a situation where the SM just said "Cue 38, GO". As for lettering sound cues, I have not experienced that since my long ago college days.

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The Hardline / LORT contract negotiations

« on: Oct 13, 2004, 10:47 pm »

My PM just got back from the LORT conference and said that chances are pretty good that we will get at most a 2% raise in the upcoming contract negotiations. More importantly, LORT is asking for the requirement for an ASM on the B contract to be done away with. Has anyone else heard anything along these lines? This would be a significant loss of work for us.

8

The Hardline / unemployment

« on: Oct 07, 2004, 06:31 pm »

The job search requirements in each state are different. In the state of Washington, where I reside, you have to make three job contacts a week. Unfortunately this means that sometimes I apply for jobs that I am either too qualified for, or not qualified enough. Also, I sometimes apply for jobs knowing that I am not really available. This seems to be the reality of collecting unemployment. If I am offered a job that I either don't want or am unavailable for, I can turn it down without affecting my unemployment as long as I am not available because I have another job, or the pay scale is much lower than what I am currently accustom too (i.e. I don't have to accept a $200 a week job if I usually get paid $850).

Both my husband (he's an IA stagehand) and I collect between jobs. On average, that works out to be between 10-16 weeks a year. If we didn't, we wouldn't survive. I collect even if the layoff is two weeks. The employer pays into it on our behalf, so I don't feel bad about taken advantage of those benefits.

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The Hardline / When do you claim overtime?

« on: Sep 19, 2004, 06:05 pm »

Under the LORT contract, production meetings do count towards your total workweek hours. The contract is also pretty clear about what can and cannot be used to calculate workweek hours. To me the bigger question is what work is being required to cause the sm staff to work such long hours? Is it the producer that is requiring the work or is it work that the sm staff is requiring of themselves? I think that as young stage managers we are taught to put in as many hours as required to do the job right -have the clearest, cleanest paperwork, new script pages, run lines with actors, move rehearsal from room to room, so on and so forth. We do this at the sacrifice of our own personal wellbeing. I have to say that I no longer agree with that way of thinking, and that has forced me to look at how I manage my time and my staffs time during the rehearsal day. I guess that for me, I draw the line before it ever gets to the question of overtime.

10

The Hardline / Reporting violations

« on: Sep 17, 2004, 01:28 pm »

You can start by no longer violating the rules. There is nothing more motivating to a producer than to have the show not to go on. I would discuss the issue with your deputy and come to an agreement whereby you no longer perform the show if the laundry is not done and the set is unsafe.  Then call or have your deputy call and report the violations to your AEA business rep. Don't be concerned that you will be chided for breaking the rules. They are there to help you.

Good luck.

11

The Hardline / Rehearsal/Performance

« on: Sep 04, 2004, 01:13 pm »

I coulnd't have said it better myself.

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The Hardline / Rehearsal/Performance

« on: Sep 01, 2004, 01:55 pm »

When I have questions like this I always go to the AEA Business Rep. That is what they are there for, and they are usually happy to go over the rules with me. In many cases I just shoot the appropriate BR an email and generally get a response back quite quickly.