Messages

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / NEW WORKS: Original Script

« on: Mar 25, 2006, 12:39 am »

I am currently working on an original scipt with a notoriously difficult director... who happens to be the playwright as well. I am ready to murder her. There are nightly re-writes and she doesn't make copies for me, or even for all of the actors in the scene, we are into week two of rehearsals and she doesn't even know what is going on. I get phone calls in class, at work, late at night and early in the morning with her asking questions that she has the paper work with which she can anwser her own questions.

I am about 5 steps from the door on this. However I am afraid that if I leave I will ruin my referances. And my reputaion, not to mention that she is one of my professers this sem.

I am a student and taking a full load of classes, but because  am the only stagemanager in our university with original script experience (I've worked on three original straight plays and one musical) I was basically thrown into it. (for those of you who read my last topic this show is why I didin't get the Musical... they had other plans for me)

Any advice would be appricated, even if it is suggestions for organizing my blocking script... which changes so often I haven't had time to transfer blocking before there is a new re-write. Even if it is just advise for how to remain positive about all of this.

HELP!!!

2

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Teamwork: Frustrated with a Inexperienced SM taking over

« on: Feb 27, 2006, 11:53 pm »

Alright, I have been debating starting this, because I don't want to sound like I am being childish. However I have been put in this situation by my supervisor and my prof's ignorance and self-serving nature.

I am in my second year of being the Senior Stage Manager at my university. We have no grad program so as a undergrad I have had the oppertunity to PSM 8 mainstage and 6 blackbox shows. So being Senior Stage Manager I was supposed to have the first pick of what shows I wanted this season, last year I missed out on the musical because they brought in a guest artist and so since I have never SMed a musical it was one of my first picks.

Unfortunatly our newest prof recently a Equity actor on Broadway and he lets you know it. Decided he liked one of our SMs in training (who has had several bad experiences with ASMing) who has never worked under me, or any of our other experienced SMs.  So as not to create conflict my Supervisor (Facility TD) put her on the musical for her first SM. With one well seasoned and one hyper active but experienced ASMs.

It hurt to have to step down but I did and managed to keep my nose out of it until this week, becuase it is Tech week. I have had our Costume shop Supervisor, LD and her ASMs coming to me all week with horror stories of 5:00 call times for a 7:00 actor call (where they find themselves sitting around for an hour after sweeping/mopping), her mood swings and over compensation with crew disipline. I can tell be watching her that she needs help, but anything I have to offer is turned down. She has never called a show before and when the LD came to me and asked me to sit down with her and help her with calling the show she refused to be given any advice or even to listen. She is stressing herslf out so much she had to go to the hospital because she was having such bad panic attacks and wasn't sleeping. My supervisor has a history of closing her eyes when the people who are causing trouble/ are in trouble are women, because she herself is a women (as am I).

I am just frustrated and need to get it off my chest. I don't know what to do next. I feel on one hand that I just need to keep my nose out of it, but on the other hand if something doesn't change she will contimue to make the same mistakes, and stress herself out and make other people lose respect for her. She is a good kid, but was given more then she could handle.

I still would have been a bit hurt by my loss of the musical even if she was doing a stellar job... but now to have people coming to  me saying "why are you not on this show" it hurts all the more.