Messages

1

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: How do I audition for SM at a college?

« on: May 15, 2007, 04:54 pm »

Haven't we all Hbelden, haven't we all...

2

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SMing children!

« on: May 15, 2007, 04:50 pm »

Definitely remember to watch your language, and the props.

Remember, if you say "Shit" you really said "ship", and if you said "Fuck" you said "duck"

also child actors are notorious for leaving props all OVER the place, i believe that besides the director, the props manager has the hardest job in children's theatre.

3

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Tech Advice

« on: Apr 23, 2007, 11:18 am »

So I'm a student at the University of Miami where I'm PSMing Brighton Beach Memoirs in the round.  This will be my first time calling a show and I just found out I'll be calling from behind a scrim.  We go into tech on Tuesday and I'm really nervous about the whole process.  I've always been an ASM so being out in the front makes me a little nervous.  Any words of wisdom or advice for my first time teching and calling (especially in the round?!)

Thanks so much!!!
Lauren

Just make sure that there isnt a time where you have to operate the light board (long story, we needed to simulate lightning for the wiches scene in The Scottish Play) then forget a cue, and accidently load the cue with all the house lights up.

Mod's Note:  Edited to remove the actual name of the Scottish Play.  Sorry, I'm ridiculously superstitious about that.

4

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: YAle Short Hand

« on: Apr 20, 2007, 03:55 am »

Sorry if this is an old topic or whatever, but most directors I have worked with want me to do this football chart sort of thing.  What does everyone think about that?  I prefer the old style of blocking (Macbeth x CS)

5

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Anyone willing to be interviewed?

« on: Feb 15, 2007, 02:31 pm »

I am a highschool senior, who has experience professionally.  feel free to send me an email.  malcolmfoster@gmail.com

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Dealing with stress

« on: Feb 08, 2007, 01:05 am »

I find there isn't anything that a good cigarette can't cure

7

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Well, if you can't admit it here, where can you?

« on: Feb 01, 2007, 04:38 am »

Had my second rehearsal tonight as a bonafide stage manager (last semester I ASMed). And you'd think with all the time I spend lurking around these boards that I wouldn't have made the two small mistakes that I made tonight.

First, I only had one pencil, and of COURSE one of my actors needed one.

And...I forgot to call breaks

Ah well! Lesson learned!

Dont worry, it took me an hour to get an opening sequence right during my first tech. (House to half, house out, telephone ring with telephone special, lights up)  Ironically it was the most complicated in the whole show.

8

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: marijuana and theatre (I dont know where to put this)

« on: Jan 15, 2007, 02:47 am »

Meg, no it is not highschool theatre, which is some of the part that scares me.  I am resting on the fact that the dm has no chance to get high, and that come the next show we will be co workers, and I can keep him in check.  If I felt that at any time the DM was putting himself, anyone around him, or the show in any sort of danger I would have spoken to the production manager about him.

9

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Legal Pads

« on: Jan 13, 2007, 03:58 am »

My school has Office Depot notepads.  They generally work pretty well for me.

10

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Digging Out in Denver

« on: Jan 13, 2007, 03:53 am »

It finally got cold enough in NYC to very briefly flurry today.  I can't believe it's Jan. 10th and that's the first snow here I've seen.  According to the weather people, it's supposed to be warm again this weekend.  I miss my winter.

Its freezing in Seattle,  I have a five day weekend now because of the weather. (it snowed here, not much, but it snowed.)

11

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROFESSIONALISM: marijuana and theatre

« on: Jan 13, 2007, 03:52 am »

I am currently working backstage (running crew) at a production.  Recently I noticed that the Deck Manager was a little bit high, making more jokes than he usually does, laughing obcenely loud over headset, and just constantly fooling around during the show.  It did not affect him doing his job (from what I saw, though it could have), but I was concerned.  When I asked him about it, he just said that he was happy (the matinee was cancelled), and then proceeded to tell me it was his job (over and over again).  Assuming that one should never show up under the influence, what are some ways that marijuana use could affect any aspect of technical theatre?

Thanks in advance

-M

12

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Pre-show Blues

« on: Jan 08, 2007, 03:02 am »

One actress once told me that I wasn't that boss of her, right after reiterated the director's words about setting props, true story

HS theatre is crazy, but whatever, at least things will be more organized in college (we hope).  I fortunately have the lucky opportunity to work with a children's theatre company, so I can see what it is really like.

Break a leg.

13

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: No Smoking in Denver

« on: Dec 10, 2006, 03:25 am »

Yup... we have the same problem here in Seattle - no smoking. Period.

I did Seven year Itch a couple months ago, and the script calls for a lot of smoking but we were able to cut out some of it... We couldn't cut all of it, though, since there are some references to smoking in the show. The fake cigarettes looked so tacky and... fake. 

Funny story concerning the fly guy at the Moore...

PM me

Anyone who wants to know

14

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Thanksgiving

« on: Nov 26, 2006, 05:34 am »

Things I was thankful for:

FOX and ABC for bringing me quality NFL coverage
Comcast Cable for bringing me the television hookup so I could watch the game
the wonderful TV which allowed me to watch the game
The couch which allowed me to sit comfortably while enjoying the game
the people who made my tasty dinner

15

SMNetwork Archives / Re: Happy Stage Management Memories?

« on: Nov 16, 2006, 03:17 am »

My greatest memory, a high school cast (except for a couple of actors who are pretentious and stuck up and need to stop spending thier parent's money) helped with striking the set.  Now there job was to put away their costumes and props, and then go to the cast party.  No, they struck the whole thing, not stopping until 2 hours later (midnight), when it was completely done.

Aren't actors the greatest sometimes?