Topics

1

Employment / Transitioning from non-union to CAEA

« on: Dec 08, 2010, 09:12 pm »

Background:

I have been working professionally as a non-union stage manager for 4 years and found myself consistently turning down job offers.  This fall I joined CAEA in order to accept a position I had been offered.  At the same time as all of this I have transitioned out of a resident SM position and more fully into the freelance market. 

I sent out a large batch of resumes back in April looking for Apprenticeships and don't want to spam companies with another batch of resumes, but I do want to let them know that I am now an equity member and am available for work.  Anyone have any advice on how to let folks know of the transition?  I had thought of sending Christmas cards, but with notes informing them of the change, but I now fear that those would get lost in the mess of Christmas stuff.

As it stands, my current job ends Jan 1st and I have nothing lined up for after that.

2

The Green Room / Funnest Tech Run Ever

« on: Nov 28, 2010, 04:32 pm »

Yesterday following an extremely tight Q2Q we had time to do a tech run of Seussical (TYA).  All through rehearsal we had joked that the tech run would be a time for people to goof around a bit.  And luckily a few of them did.  Our Monkey's entered with Bananas at one point and Mr. & Mrs. Mayor took every opportunity to make out.  In addition, we lost our JoJo before the run through (due to child labour laws) so another cast member who played joJo in a previous incarnation of the show climbed into the miniature bed and sang JoJo's songs.  It was very very fun.

So I guess my question for you all is, what's the funnest little joke that has made you smile during tech (not something that was totally inappropriate).

3

The Green Room / Rehearsals are Like Relationships

« on: Nov 14, 2010, 10:00 pm »

Last night on twitter some folks and I were making all sorts of comparisons between relationships and rehearsals.

For example:

The Honeymoon: It's the first few days of rehearsal and everything feels fresh and exciting. But who knows - in a few weeks all the things that are currently endearing might be grating on me.

The Sugar Daddy: I've hooked up with shows before that I wasn't interested in at all, simply for the money.

The Affair: You love the show, but aren't telling anyone about it.

What other relationships have you had with a show?

4

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROMPT SCRIPT: Receiving a Mess

« on: Nov 06, 2010, 03:57 am »

I am stage managing a production of Seussical and my prep officially starts tomorrow.  This is the second remount of this production, my first with the company, and will be having an entirely new set of leads (Horton, Cat in the Hat, Gertrude & Jojo).  I happened to be in the office today and was handed the prompt book that the former stage manager had "cleaned up" for me.

It is a mess. The blocking is illegible and cues are inconsistently annotated at best.

The former stage manager did both of the previous productions and is still a good friend of the director's.  I don't want to offend anyone my first day on the job, but I am going to need to make substantial changes to the book in order to make it effective for me.  What is protocol here? Do I need to ask someone before I start making substantial changes because the book is the property of the company?  Am I free to ask for a copy of the archival video to make sure I understand the blocking before I start giving it to actors?

Would love some advice on this - it's not something I've run into before.  On the plus side, it makes me feel really good about my books....