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Topics - Michael

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I am being encouraged by numerous people to not give breaks if the actors (two in particular) don't want them.


In our 2.5 hour show, about an hour consists of two actors onstage together (she's Equity, he isn't). Last night, she got very upset that I "interrupted" their scene "just" for a break. (I got this second-hand from other people -- she didn't tell me herself.) Should I talk to the producer about it? What should I do?

Can I get the theatre in trouble with Equity if I don't take the required breaks? (We're talking 5s and 10s -- not the hour lunch break.)

This is almost a moot point, as we open next Saturday, but it would be good to know for the future.

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The Hardline / LA 99-seat question (tech)
« on: Oct 07, 2008, 07:36 pm »
I'm working on a 99-seat plan show right now (with Extended Rehearsal and Performance). Tech is coming up and my Production Manager mentioned that we have more hours available for rehearsal during tech, what with the actors just "standing around being lit." I've read the plan (and read it again) and I can find nothing of the sort.

Help? Thanks in advance!

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(Basic show info: Equity-waiver, LA Area 99-seat agreement, large musical, very heavy tech show)

Okay, so I could live with the fact that my producer left my name off of the promotional materials (postcard and posters) for the show, even though the entire production team (except SM & ASM) AND the entire cast were listed.  I somehow also lived with the condescending speech he gave me (in an email) about how they've never done that and he's never seen anyone ever acknowledge the SM in any promotional materials and if it's really "that important" to me that he might be able to squeeze my name in  IF they printed a second run of postcards. I figure, this isn't so much of a big deal, I'll still be listed in the program. (I've learned years ago to wisely choose my battles.)

I only got mildly frustrated when I found out that we were two days out from load-in and he hadn't even begun to look for running crew. I figured, hey, I've got friends, I know lots of people, throwing together a crew shouldn't be too hard. I did however, send him a snippy email where I told him that waiting this long to even begin to look for crew was just irresponsible. I had been led to believe that the company had a pool of people that usually were available for crew. (This is my first -- and my last -- show for this company.)

But today was it. I walk into the theatre and find they have no intercom system available for rental productions to use, and my wonderful producer seems to be oblivious as to the importance of communication between crew. He assured me that our sound designer would have "whatever it is you need" but upon checking with our sound designer, he only has audio equipment. No intercom equipment.

We are setting cues tomorrow and Sunday, with (hopefully) a full run of the show Sunday evening. I cannot imagine running tech without headsets, and it's just laughable to think of calling a full run without them.

I guess if I have to, I'll run out tomorrow and buy a relatively cheap intercom system for this show. I just don't know what else to do. Part of me says, "No, don't do this, not my problem" and the SM part of me says "The show must go on."

There is no way I'll walk off of this show, but it's honestly crossed my mind.

So -- when do you say "enough"? At what point can you simply not function any longer? At what point do you stop fixing things and just let the producer hang? So much of this stuff could have been so easily avoided if I had just asked the questions, rather than trusting that the producer was actually producing the show, as opposed to letting it just "happen."

Kids, let this be a lesson to you. Don't trust your producer blindly. Ask questions. Ask more questions. Stay awake at night thinking of everything that you take for granted, and ask your producer what's being done about this or about that.

Never assume. Ever. Not even the smallest thing.

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The Hardline / LA 99-seat plan
« on: Jul 07, 2005, 05:27 am »
I've just been hired as SM for a production working under the LA area 99-seat Plan. I have no real experience with Equity; this is my first non-college production.

I've read both the Plan Rulebook and the AEA SM packet, but I have some questions, especially in regard to the Deputy.

Since the 99-seat Plan isn't a regular Equity contract, can I call the AEA office to ask them questions? I'm not an Equity member. (I should note that I have no problem calling them to ask; just unsure whether I'm "allowed" to call without being a union member.)

Additionally, this is my first show with this company, and I just want to make sure that I do everything perfectly -- I guess I'm being super-careful, and I don't want to offend anyone (Producer, AEA, etc.) with my overeagerness!

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I just found out that I will be SMing our college production of Sondheim's Assassins.  Also just found out that there is a Gunmaster for the show. I've never worked with firearms onstage before nor worked with a Gunmaster.

Anyone have experience with this? Thoughts? Suggestions? Comments?

EDIT: This is a meta-thread consisting of multiple merged topics. - PSMK

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Setting: a community college production of The Elephant Man

Time: not enough

So, we have this actor who is great. Except he cannot make one Friday perf during our three-weekend run.

We've been looking for an understudy for that night. The guy we read last night was... well, awful.

At the time of casting, we were already a week late starting rehearsals, due to not being able to find a cast that was competent.  We cast the particular actor (who can't make the one perf) because we were desperate.

Well.  The director and his assistant are now telling me that there is one person they know who can do it.  Yep. Me.

My assistant (just out of high school) will be calling the show that night while I'm onstage.  Therefore, she is totally useless backstage for the remainder of the run.  And it's going to be the most technically difficult show *I've* ever called -- I feel for her.

My question: for the pickup rehearsal the (Thurs) night before I go onstage, do I have the right to insist it's a full dress?

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