Messages

1

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Stage Management Guide - Thank You

« on: May 14, 2016, 12:35 am »

Yes all personal information was made up for the guide. I understand the concern but the woman who started this project set up good groundwork for treatment of more sensitive material.

If you do see any typos message me! At this point the file has been printed for use at my college but I would love to adjust my master file. Thank you!

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Stage Management Guide - Thank You

« on: May 09, 2016, 09:10 pm »

Over the last two years I have been working on updating my college's handbook guide and throughout that process I used the SMNetwork as a constant resource. The information from a wide variety of posts as well as some specific calls for advice led to me to be able to create a book that I hope can help many people down the road.

After receiving permission from my college I am offering up the the completed guide to anyone interested. Here is a google drive link to the full pdf:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1r4wYR09rfoS3Z5QnBUSXh4NE0/view?usp=sharing

I, for one, am always wanting to learn more about this field and perhaps it can help collegiate stage managers not just from my school. Most of the information is general stage management information with only a little bit of it tailored towards our specific spaces.

In the end I would just like to express a big thank you to this whole forum for helping me to build a solid foundation on understanding stage management and being such a great resource for someone without direct mentorship while in school.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Invaluable Advice

« on: Dec 05, 2014, 12:04 am »

Reviving a slightly old thread to ask a favor. I am working on updating the stage management handbook for my college and I was wondering if I could use the advice given on this page in that handbook? This advice page would be on its own separate page and each poster would be credited for their contributions.

Also if anyone else has any other advice for a new stage manger I would appreciate the help!
(And if there are any quick/easy-to-make foods you prefer to make during the run of a production, that would also be helpful.)

Thanks!

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The Green Room / Re: The Great SM Gift List

« on: Dec 04, 2014, 05:34 pm »

This thread is just a neat way to come up with new ideas for gifts!

I am hoping to get Grab-It Pack Gadget Holster (http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/c616/). I think it would be quite handy when moving around a rehearsal space.

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The Green Room / Re: ARTICLE: Tony Awards Cutting 2 Trophies

« on: Jun 13, 2014, 12:31 am »

I looked up more on this subject trying to find out why they decided to cut these awards.

There has been no official announcement but two members supposedly said that the driving factors were "Many Tony voters do not know what sound design is or how to assess it; a large number of Tony voters choose not to cast ballots in sound design categories because of this lack of expertise; and some administration committee members believe that sound design is more of a technical craft, rather than a theatrical art form that the Tonys are intended to honor".

NY Times Article: Tony Committee Decision to Drop Sound Design Awards Prompts Noisy Outcry

EDIT: Fixed link. - PSMK

6

The Green Room / Re: Your First Theater Crush

« on: Aug 23, 2013, 07:59 pm »

I grew up with all the classic Disney movies and still love them all to this day. Disney movies coupled with many of the classic musical films (particularly any with Howard Keel) lead to me having a pretty big love of musical musicl. My mother really liked watching those films with my sister and I and all of the cassettes in our car were of musicals too. Then upon entering middle school, I guess a love of musicals just kinda stuck with me. It also didn't help that my older sister was in production throughout middle school and high school and that our mom worked as our school's scenic designer. Later I found out that I was basically doomed to be a theater lover, both of my grandfathers also worked backstage on productions in their local communities.

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Introductions / Re: New Member Scavenger Hunt - August 2013

« on: Aug 11, 2013, 11:53 pm »

Hello!

Here is what you are looking for, I believe:
http://smnetwork.org/forum/students-and-novice-stage-managers/student-stage-manager's-challenge-1/msg17416/#msg17416
I found this by going into Students and Novice Stage Managers tab and searching for Student Challenges.

I also went to the current Student Challenge and looked under Related Topics, the first one being the first Student Challenge.

Thanks!

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Invaluable Advice

« on: Jul 10, 2013, 12:20 pm »

As a college stage manager looking into entering the professional side, I am always looking for advice on how to improve how I stage manager.

So I am curious, what is the most invaluable piece of advice you have ever received in regards to stage management or working in a professional setting?
 
Thanks!

9

Tools of the Trade / Re: Simple Ground Plan Design Program

« on: Jul 06, 2013, 11:21 am »

If you do decide to use Microsoft Word this link is incredibly helpful for rotating text boxes:

http://blogs.office.com/b/office_casual/archive/2011/03/01/rotate-text-boxes-in-word-the-workaround.aspx

Most versions of Word do not let you rotate text boxes but this is a pretty simple workaround to fix that.

10

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSALS: Fight Notation

« on: Jun 27, 2013, 11:57 pm »

The main reason I was asking was this production does not have a fight captain and the director is doubling as both fight director and director. Now that I am thinking about it more, discussing how the responsibilities are going to be allotted will probably be the best course of action.
 Thank you for the advice though, I had not thought about filming the fight rehearsals.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSALS: Fight Notation

« on: Jun 27, 2013, 11:26 pm »

I see that it has been a while since anyone as posted on this particular topic but I will ask anyway.

In the Fall, I will be stage managing a production of Macbeth with heavy fight choreo. This is a college production and I am going to be working with a guest director. I have only done a small amount of fight notation and just kind of winged it the last time.

How in-depth should the notations be; should each move be recorded or just the general idea of the fight?

Would you recommend that fight notation be included along side the normal blocking notes or should it be separated somehow (for example by color?)


Thanks!

12

Introductions / Hello from Illinois!

« on: Jun 25, 2013, 03:44 pm »

Hey! My name is  Kate Darby and I am a undergraduate stage manager. I am so excited that I found this network as I am always looking to improve how I stage manage. I am gearing up for a production of Macbeth in the Fall and will be using many of the tips and tricks for that production. Overall I believe I am a pretty good stage manager, I enjoy being organized and communicating between all of the different departments. But I am always willing to learn more about the craft and to improve my work. I am hoping to find a place within the Chicago theater scene once I am done with college but am going to enjoy college theater too!