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Messages - bethanyb5

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1
The Green Room / Re: Tony Awards
« on: Jun 15, 2010, 01:45 am »
From what I heard from people who were at the Tony's last year the sound was only a TV issue. Not sure about this year though. If that is the case again then the problem isn't with "us" its with the TV people. But it was encouraging to me that my Off Off Broadway sound problems are nothing in comparison.

2
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Saving Old Scripts
« on: Jun 13, 2010, 03:14 pm »
Thanks everyone for your advice. I'm going to start doing some spring cleaning.

I'm actually surprised that after working a show the producer never asked for the prompt script which is a big part of why I held onto them besides the fact that if I did the show again it would save me some time.

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Saving Old Scripts
« on: Jun 13, 2010, 02:04 am »
I've been SMing for several years now and had gotten into the habit of saving prompt scripts after the show closed. I guess I figured in case I get called to work the show again which has yet to have happened. So I'm wondering if anyone else saves scripts and if you do, do you get rid of them at a certain point?

4
Employment / Re: Promissory Note versus Contract
« on: May 18, 2010, 12:22 pm »
wow this kind of baffles me. I've worked theater in NYC for about 5 years and very rarely have I had a contract.

What I find interesting is that the promissory note really protects you as far as payment but doesn't protect them as far as what you will be doing. So you really could have made their lives miserable by refusing to do any specific tasks because they never specified what your job would entail.

So welcome to NYC!! You will learn that people are interesting and strange.

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The Hardline / Showcase: Filming rehearsals
« on: May 18, 2010, 11:20 am »
Is it true that if the actors sign a waver rehearsals can be filmed for the actors / director to watch later and not to for others to view?

6
My first question is why is the director taking charge of reprimanding late actors and not one of the SM's? If this is a miss understand in job descriptions then start there and sit down with the director and another other SM's and discuss who will be in charge of speaking to late actors and who will be the person they call when they are running late. The Director shouldn't have to  worry about this and is probably yelling out of frustration of the fact that she is the one dealing with it when she should be directing, unless she is just one of those people that yell all the time. If the SM is doing their job of keeping track of actors and informing the director of a need to change what is scene rehearsed first, second, third etc. then the director doesn't have to think about it and can focus on directing.

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The Hardline / Re: equity tier II seasonal showcase
« on: Apr 14, 2010, 11:38 pm »
is it different if its an equity sm or non equity sm?

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The Hardline / equity tier II seasonal showcase
« on: Apr 14, 2010, 03:49 pm »
Hey does anyone know what the minimum pay is for equity tier II seasonal showcase for an SM?

9
Its funny I just saw this thread because on Thursday I was running the tech for a show at 9pm and at 6pm I went to a networking event and at about 7pm I had a glass of wine. By the time the show started I was ready to go to bed. I had to find some caffeine to keep me awake in the booth and I said never again. Beer would be a little different because it doesn't work like a night cap like wine does for me but I'm not going to chance it again.

10
So i'm dying to know if you ever got paid!

I worked a show about a year ago where the director was supposed to pay me on closing night. He apparently forgot and had left but fortunately only made it to the elevator by the time I realized and I ran after him. Since then I always require payment before closing night. Most of the time I don't even have to say that they let me know in advance they plan to pay me opening night or something and I go with it but the few times they try to gloss over talk of money I tell them before closing night.

11
ok so this is the thing... I just finished running tech on a new show. The Playwright directed and was in the show. I showed up at the tech rehearsal, we ran the tech (easy). The next night was dress and after the rehearsal the playwright/director asked what I thought of the show. I lied and said oh its great, when I really had a whole mental list of things that I would have changed if I was directing.

So my question is when your asked what you think do you tell the truth even if it means hurting their feeling the night before opening or just say "oh its great" or something in between?

12
well sure you could require that everyone have an email address but the likelihood of that person checking their new email address regularly since they have never had one before is slim. Also even to expect that people who already have an email address is going to check their email regularly is a pretty lofty expectation. I have worked in community theater and although I really wanted to and really tried to implement an email only notification system it was nearly impossible because in community theater you are working with people that have day jobs many of which are not in front of a computer or near one. So they will not be able to check their email when not home. What I usually did was when getting contact info from the cast I would ask what the best way to communicate with each person is. Then I make a list for each one: email, phone call, text message.
hope that helps

13
I actually just finished a show where I was the Tech and they had no SM. I was going crazy because the director presumed things like when he said we are doing a cue to cue tech with costumes that the actors would understand that that meant to pre set costumes. I highly recommend that there be a Stage Manager someone that checks everything because Actors have a hard enough time remembering lines and blocking that to add other things for them to remember can be a disaster. Also if they are going to have to move sets and props it should be rehearsed with the actually sets and props or rehearsal props from day one so that it is like a blocking habit. if you wait until tech to teach them to move things everything will fall apart.

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I have worked in similar situations and have come up with some things that helped. A lot of them have already been suggested but I'll still include them.

1) start on time all the time! even if someone has to stand in for the person missing or work on other scenes with the people you have or have the actors do warm ups. Basically make it look like they have missed out on something when they walk in.

2) at the first rehearsal I give the please be on time speech, here is my number if you are running late, please check the public transportation's website to see if there are any scheduled delays etc. Some times actors don't think and you have to give them step by step instructions. (I actually had an actor tell me she was going to be late for the Saturday rehearsals because the trains didn't run on schedule. I said well then you could leave earlier or you could check the MTA's website and see if you can take a different route. She responded with "Oh that's a good idea!")

3) On the sign in sheet I have a column for them to write the time that they arrived. that usually works after the first or second time. Some times they avoid writing the time so if I know they were late I write "LATE" in that column. that helps as well.

4) If those things haven't done the trick yet (usually there is one person that still doesn't get it) I take that person aside and ask what happened why they were late and if it is something that can be avoided I help them come up with a solution.


hope that helps

15
I list my references as available upon request. Unless the job listing specifically asks for references.
most of my work has come from word of mouth and and probably half of those didn't even ask to see my resume.
that is my take on it.

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