Messages

46

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PSMing vs. ASMing

« on: Nov 11, 2007, 09:02 pm »

I'm ASMing an opera right now, and I'm actually finding it a lot easier than being the PSM.  I don't have to worry about scheduling, rehearsal reports, etc.  And, it's TURANDOT, which I had no idea was so beautiful.

What a coincidence.  The first show I ASM'd was I, Lionel by Bryan Williams which dealt with the main character's first experience with opera.  The operas was . . . Turandot!


I think PSMing is much harder, because you are responsible to make sure that you do your own job right and that everyone else does their own jobs right--including the ASM.

47

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Calling a warning for a cue

« on: Nov 11, 2007, 08:49 pm »

I use warn cues when a) I have rookies on the boards and deck crews and b) I have special cues coming up that need special preparation.  I entirely describe the cue 1-2 pages ahead of time and indicate if they will be follow cues or simultaneous cues.  If the crews have messed up something about the cue in the recent past, I'll also remind them how to do it correctly.

48

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Stop The Show!

« on: Nov 11, 2007, 08:45 pm »

Light boards going down stop the show?  Uh-unh--just pump on the worklights and fill in gaps with the follow spot.  Our lighting system blew up during a performance, and that's just what we did while an ASM took the fire extinguisher to the dimmer packs.

We did stop the show when an actress dislocated her knee during a dance number. 

Safety issues onstage and in the house are always a reason to stop a show.

49

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: ASM Books?

« on: Nov 11, 2007, 08:41 pm »

I don't know of any books . . . but this is what I generally teach my ASMs:

Watch the PSM and be ready to hold book, take blocking notation legibly, track props, chase actors down, and basically do anything asked.

Also, realize you are not the PSM and be willing to follow their lead without attitude or delay.

50

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Tech or Church?

« on: Nov 11, 2007, 08:28 pm »

I have a unique position in that I teach drama at Baptist high school and am required to attend multiple services during the week.  Of course, we don't even think about rehearsing on Sundays or Wednesday nights (the mid-week) service.  For 3 of the 6 services during the week, I am the audio technician, and I occasionally fill in for the other services.

When I work in theatre outside of the high school, I have learned to schedule soundboard replacements for my duties during tech weeks.  It's part of life in the theatre--a compromise between church and theatre that I have had to come to terms with.

Many Baptists would criticize me for putting theatre before God and church.  This is a topic for another thread, but I do wonder if your SD is struggling with this issue himself.

As for just going to another church with an earlier or later service, it doesn't work that way in the Baptist religion.  Just like there are Missouri Synod Lutherans and Evangelical Lutherans, the Baptist has many branches:  American Baptist, Southern Baptist, and Independent.  Each branch has variations in doctrine, and the independents can vary from charismatic to fundamental.  In most areas you won't be able to find more than one church that preaches the same way you believe.

Since the original post is about a college production, I wonder if the SD just has not run into this issue before--having tech's rescheduled in the middle of a church service.  The experienced SM will plan for it, but other technical and artistic crew members may not think that far ahead.  I hope that he will think about this experience before taking another position.

51

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: thoughts on hanging out with the cast after shows

« on: Nov 11, 2007, 08:08 pm »

I have no problem hanging out with the cast, but I usually keep to the background/shadows.  It allows me to be supporter of the community but also keeps me separated a bit.  If someone asks me a work question that I know the answer to, I will answer it promptly and then change the subject.  If someone wants to give me a note about something regarding the production, I ask them to call me or email me the next day as "I don't have my clipboard with me."