Messages

1

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Libretto vs. Score

« on: Jun 26, 2009, 01:35 am »

I think you should do it with the score, especially if there are any cues with which timing is really important.

2

Tools of the Trade / Re: HELP! with fake body parts/follow spot rental

« on: May 15, 2009, 11:50 pm »

I went to the "Contact Us" page on the Christie Lites website and emailed one of the rental reps listed.  She emailed me back and asked a few questions. 

Good good. 

If you have any other questions, Vancouver specific or otherwise, don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks.

I was going to tell my director (it's a school production, so he's in charge of everything) about Christie Lites, but it turned out that he had already known about the store and already booked a rental.

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Tools of the Trade / Re: HELP! with fake body parts/follow spot rental

« on: Apr 23, 2009, 10:23 pm »

I'll be sure to mention the school thing if the rental rep I emailed gets back to me.  Thanks!

Who did you email?  Or was it a generic Vancouver rental contact?

I went to the "Contact Us" page on the Christie Lites website and emailed one of the rental reps listed.  She emailed me back and asked a few questions. 

4

Tools of the Trade / Re: HELP! with fake body parts/follow spot rental

« on: Apr 23, 2009, 12:08 am »

For the body parts, try Bizarre and Novelty on West 2nd near Manitoba Street. So many weird and wonderful things in there!

For the spot, Christie Lites.  They're in Burnaby on Winston Street at Bainbridge. 

Thanks for being specific!

For Christie Lites--do you have any idea how much it would cost to rent their smallest (Midget HP) follow spot?  I was wondering if you knew since their website doesn't seem to list prices--although if you don't know I'll just go to the store and ask.

To be honest, I haven't been in a gear renting position for a while and when I was getting rentals from Christie, it was always part of a larger order of gear, so (long story short), I don't actually know what they charge.  That being said, they offer competitive rates and are great to deal with.  Give them a call and see what they say.  If this is for a school, let them know, there should be discounts for school rentals.

Another solution worth looking at if an actual spot is out of your price range is mounting a 10 degree S4 on a stand and use that as a spot. 

I'll be sure to mention the school thing if the rental rep I emailed gets back to me.  Thanks!

5

Tools of the Trade / Re: HELP! with fake body parts/follow spot rental

« on: Apr 22, 2009, 08:58 pm »

Thanks for all the replies--you guys are a huge help!

For the body parts, try Bizarre and Novelty on West 2nd near Manitoba Street. So many weird and wonderful things in there!

For the spot, Christie Lites.  They're in Burnaby on Winston Street at Bainbridge. 

Thanks for being specific!

For Christie Lites--do you have any idea how much it would cost to rent their smallest (Midget HP) follow spot?  I was wondering if you knew since their website doesn't seem to list prices--although if you don't know I'll just go to the store and ask.

We used a sculpted potato wedge last time I did it. Simple and cheap.

Ooh, that IS simple and cheap.  I have a few questions, though: Was it cooked?  Were there any problems with it during the run of your production?

6

Tools of the Trade / HELP! with fake body parts/follow spot rental

« on: Apr 21, 2009, 11:41 pm »

1. I'd appreciate anyone's advice in relation to fake toes and (a) heel, for the scene in Into the Woods where the stepsisters' feet get cut off by their mother.

For anyone who doesn't know the show, the toes/heel don't have to look that realistic (also, the toes part is actually the whole front of the foot, as opposed to five separate ones).  Also, for the best effect, we'd like to have them bloody (I don't think we need the blood to be coming out of the actual fake part, the toes/heel just have to be able to withstand being glopped with prop blood for four performances.) 

2. Does anyone know where to rent a follow spot at a reasonable price(from May 19-23) in Vancouver, BC? (It would be fine if it were in Surrey or Delta or somewhere near, too.)

Thanks!

7

Uploaded Forms / Re: Actor/Scene Breakdowns

« on: Apr 19, 2009, 11:57 pm »

Scene breakdown for Into the Woods.  (with info sheet which tries to explain my confusing shorthand)

Edit:There are two Excel worksheets, one is the actual breakdown and the other is the info sheet.  Just clarifying, because for some reason the attachment opens to the info sheet rather than the actual breakdown.

8

SMNetwork Archives / Re: I could have kissed them!

« on: Apr 11, 2009, 12:16 am »

I could have kissed J when she brought brownies (homemade!) to rehearsal (a full-cast run-through).  The person who was supposed to bring the snacks was sick on that day (he also happened to be a lead character).  J was a total lifesaver, and I'm sure anyone who knows how hungry everyone is at rehearsal would agree.  (I might be a bit biased because she let each of the crew members have two brownies, while the actors had to make do with one apiece.)

9

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Lobby Signage

« on: Mar 28, 2009, 01:51 am »

I went to a production of Seussical a few months ago, and the signs in the lobby were very visual.  The theatre company wanted it lightly humorous; the signs said things like "The jungle animals do not like texting," "Zebras are shy.  No cameras please," etc.  I think this was pretty effective, because when people saw the bright illustrations, they'd pause to read the rules, and maybe have a little laugh. 

10

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Requests for Electronic Scripts -- Post 'em here!

« on: Mar 10, 2009, 10:17 pm »

My turn now.  Can anyone hook me up with:

Light in the Piazza
Crazy for You
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Drowsy Chaperone

I am doing all four this summer.

Thanks in advance,
Ruth

Drowsy and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels can't be licensed at the moment, as they're on tour. (I don't know if you can secure the rights in time for your summer production...)  Just a heads-up. 

Rights were secured months ago!!! I guess these shows are not touring anywhere near enough to Brunswick, Maine to matter!

Indeed.  A company in my neck of the woods did a 6 week run of Drowsy a few months back.

Ohh!  Sorry then.   

11

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Requests for Electronic Scripts -- Post 'em here!

« on: Mar 10, 2009, 12:55 am »

My turn now.  Can anyone hook me up with:

Light in the Piazza
Crazy for You
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Drowsy Chaperone

I am doing all four this summer.

Thanks in advance,
Ruth

Drowsy and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels can't be licensed at the moment, as they're on tour. (I don't know if you can secure the rights in time for your summer production...)  Just a heads-up. 

12

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: The Ultimate Decision

« on: Mar 07, 2009, 11:18 pm »

I've always loved acting and singing (dancing; not so much.  I'm very uncoordinated.), but I never had a chance to be in a production til auditions started for Into the Woods Jr. at my school.  I really wanted the part of the Baker's Wife, and was on the brink of landing the role after a long and tedious audition process.  Finally, though, my director decided I didn't have enough stage presence, and picked somebody else for the part (my friend.  Thinking back, she's a way better Baker's Wife than I could ever be.).  Then he asked me to do some "production assisting," and that's how it started.  The high school I'll be going to next year stages a musical every year, and I'm going to see what it is before making a decision to volunteer to stage manage.  (I'm thinking that if it involves a lot of dance, I'll definitely apply for a tech position.)

13

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SO MUCH PAPERWORK

« on: Mar 07, 2009, 12:46 am »

I have a master binder, that is with me at all times in and out of the theatre litterally if i'm in the grocery store its in the cart lol. I keep all my paperwork in here seperated with tabs like.

Cast Contacts
Notes
Sound
Lights
Costumes
Props
Reports
Scripts

Sometimes these change depending on the show and what i need specifically as for emails, i create multiple folders like Late/Absent (for when people email me and tell me they will be late/absent), or Production Meeting, or with the show name for just general stuff.  And especially if I have a topic that corresponds a lot of emails then i create a folder for it.

~Mad Dog~

That is how I do it too!  Only the master binder isn't quite big enough for everything, so I have a small separate binder for the script.  Back to the master: I also have tabs for Accounting, and a tab with selected paperwork from previous musicals staged at my school (for reference purposes). 

I have three things that I keep at the very front, not behind any dividers.  They are: the attendance, a big checklist (updated as often as I am able to keep up) for things like schedules, and a complete cast list.  My binder is the kind where you have slide-out paper tabs inside clear colored plastic dividers, so if I need to change the name of a section I just flip the paper over and rewrite it.