31
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Paying for parking
« on: Jan 31, 2007, 02:42 pm »
Awesome!!
Glad you were able to work it all out.
Glad you were able to work it all out.
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32
Employment / Re: summer jobs.
« on: Jan 30, 2007, 02:47 pm »
I would strongly suggest that you hop onto a search engine, i.e. Yahoo or Google, and type in Summer Stage Management Jobs or Summer Stage Management Internships, etc. You would be amazed. I found over two dozen places that looked like matches for me, and there were several more. Luckily, I was just offered a SM job for TriArts in Connecticut, so I'll be going there. But definitely look online and search for places. Just make sure that you know what you can afford and how far you are willing to go, etc. That will help you on your search.
33
Employment / Re: To tattoo or not to tattoo
« on: Jan 30, 2007, 02:43 pm »
I would say that if you were in actor, reconsider the tattoo. However, being a SM, I don't see it being a huge deal. I have one tattoo all the way around my right ankle, and I also have a few piercings, but it's nothing that I cant take out or cover up. You always want to look professional and at least be able to cover them up if you need to, but I don't see it being a huge problem.
34
SMNetwork Archives / Re: hello from your moderator!
« on: Jan 30, 2007, 02:39 pm »
Good Luck!!!
I just did the whole internship search thing... luckily I found one and was offered a job yesterday actually! Just make sure that you look really well and find all of the best options. There is also a topic in this forum about internships, so you might want to look into that!
I just did the whole internship search thing... luckily I found one and was offered a job yesterday actually! Just make sure that you look really well and find all of the best options. There is also a topic in this forum about internships, so you might want to look into that!
35
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Paying for parking
« on: Jan 30, 2007, 12:53 am »
First of all, I think that GradSM has a valid question and is asking for advice. Although we appreciate all suggestions and advice, I do think that some of the responses have been quite harsh. I encourage everyone to think about being respectful and considerate before they reply to another person's post. I will not tolerate anyone being rude or disrespectful in this forum. We are all artists here looking for helpful suggestions and comments.
First of all, I completely understand. Where I'm from, paying $10 for parking anywhereis unheard of. Although I realize that places vary and that there are different costs of living and expenses, I still think that's a little much. I'm sure it seems almost too much considering that you are working in an unpaid position. I encourage you to explore all of your options: politely talk to the Stage Manager and see if there is anything that can be done. Perhaps there is a way to have a special place for you to park with a discount. Also, although I understand the comfort of driving somewhere in your own car, consider public transportation or even carpooling and splitting the cost. Is there somewhere else you could park and walk to the theatre? Of course you do not need to march up to the SM and tell them that you refuse to come back tomorrow unless you get free parking. That would be unrealistic. However, really look at all the options available to you and explore every possibility. I'm sure that there is something you can do or come up with. Just be polite and really convey your point when speaking to someone about it, and maybe you will be successful. If not, then as I said, look for other options. If there is absolutely nothing else that you can do, then just stick it out. It's hard I know, but in the long run the experience of the job will hopefully outweigh the negative aspects of paying for parking. Best of Luck to you
First of all, I completely understand. Where I'm from, paying $10 for parking anywhereis unheard of. Although I realize that places vary and that there are different costs of living and expenses, I still think that's a little much. I'm sure it seems almost too much considering that you are working in an unpaid position. I encourage you to explore all of your options: politely talk to the Stage Manager and see if there is anything that can be done. Perhaps there is a way to have a special place for you to park with a discount. Also, although I understand the comfort of driving somewhere in your own car, consider public transportation or even carpooling and splitting the cost. Is there somewhere else you could park and walk to the theatre? Of course you do not need to march up to the SM and tell them that you refuse to come back tomorrow unless you get free parking. That would be unrealistic. However, really look at all the options available to you and explore every possibility. I'm sure that there is something you can do or come up with. Just be polite and really convey your point when speaking to someone about it, and maybe you will be successful. If not, then as I said, look for other options. If there is absolutely nothing else that you can do, then just stick it out. It's hard I know, but in the long run the experience of the job will hopefully outweigh the negative aspects of paying for parking. Best of Luck to you
36
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Well, if you can't admit it here, where can you?
« on: Jan 30, 2007, 12:34 am »
Hahaha, awww don't worry. That happens to all of us. A list is a great way to make sure that you get everything done that you need to. Just relax, I'm sure you'll do just fine!
37
Homework Help / Re: Help with a research paper
« on: Jan 03, 2007, 08:41 am »
Personally, the biggest difference to me is that academic theatre is supposed to prepare you for professional theatre, but sometimes it doesn't. Academic theatre is not as regulated as far as rules and guidelines, at least in my experience. There is also the key difference that academic theatre is limited to students who also have work, classes, and other things. Therefore, the rehearsal schedules are very different. Although there are rules in both academic and professional theatre about when you can rehearse, they are different. Some professional companies rehearse 8 hour days, in 1 1/2 hour blocks with breaks; others do not. I have worked in professional companies where the rehearsal schedules are the same as academic theatre, so it all just depends. In academic theatre, you can usually only rehearse at night for a few hours and then maybe weekends depending on what school you go to.
Union plays a large role in these differences, because there are things that Stage Managers are expected to do in professional settings that academic theatre bypasses. I also think that sometimes the Stage Manager is taken less seriously in academic theatre, which is frustrating. You are working with your peers - some do not even know what a Stage Manager is until you explain the job - and sometimes it is difficult to do your job when people are not really taking you seriously. In professional theatre, more people know the responsibilities and jobs of a Stage Manager and know how large their contribution is to the production. I was definitely more appreciated in my first professional job than in any of my academic experiences, and it was quite startling to me how much people really respected me and my job.
I think another key difference is that in academic theatre, you are mostly working with teachers/professors who are directing, which could make some people quite nervous. As a Stage Manager, you don't want to overstep your bounds, especially if the director is also one of your professors and you are worried about your grade in their class or what they say about you in general, etc. In professional theatre, sometimes you don't even know the director or musical director, and although that can make some people nervous or uncomfortable, sometimes it can also make you quite confident. I think that having a professor as a director can be quite nervewracking, and it is a huge difference between academic and professional theatre.
I would recommend that you get a copy of the Equity handbook and read the responsibilities of a Stage Manager, and then compare/contrast it to your experience in academic theatre. ( I am assuming here that you are a Stage Manager and are SMing in an academic setting.) I think that everyone's situation in academic or professional theatre is going to vary, so you are probably going to get a variety of different answers. These are just some of the things that I've noticed in my experience, so I hope it helps. Best of Luck on your paper
Union plays a large role in these differences, because there are things that Stage Managers are expected to do in professional settings that academic theatre bypasses. I also think that sometimes the Stage Manager is taken less seriously in academic theatre, which is frustrating. You are working with your peers - some do not even know what a Stage Manager is until you explain the job - and sometimes it is difficult to do your job when people are not really taking you seriously. In professional theatre, more people know the responsibilities and jobs of a Stage Manager and know how large their contribution is to the production. I was definitely more appreciated in my first professional job than in any of my academic experiences, and it was quite startling to me how much people really respected me and my job.
I think another key difference is that in academic theatre, you are mostly working with teachers/professors who are directing, which could make some people quite nervous. As a Stage Manager, you don't want to overstep your bounds, especially if the director is also one of your professors and you are worried about your grade in their class or what they say about you in general, etc. In professional theatre, sometimes you don't even know the director or musical director, and although that can make some people nervous or uncomfortable, sometimes it can also make you quite confident. I think that having a professor as a director can be quite nervewracking, and it is a huge difference between academic and professional theatre.
I would recommend that you get a copy of the Equity handbook and read the responsibilities of a Stage Manager, and then compare/contrast it to your experience in academic theatre. ( I am assuming here that you are a Stage Manager and are SMing in an academic setting.) I think that everyone's situation in academic or professional theatre is going to vary, so you are probably going to get a variety of different answers. These are just some of the things that I've noticed in my experience, so I hope it helps. Best of Luck on your paper
38
College and Graduate Studies / Re: Apprenticeships
« on: Dec 27, 2006, 12:08 am »
If you go on a search engine, like Google or Yahoo, and type in Stage Management Internships/Apprenticeships, several different links from different theatre companies will pop up. This is how I found all of my options for summer internships. If you are in school, I also recommend speaking to your teachers/professors - sometimes they have worked with different companies and can maybe help you out with ideas or even a recommendation. Shakespearean Companies are highly prominent. Make sure that you really look at what each company has to offer before you apply. Some give housing and pay; others do not. Think about what you are able to do financially, how far you are willing to travel, and what companies fit you best.
39
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Musicals Vs. Straight Plays
« on: Dec 27, 2006, 12:05 am »
I had Stage Managed musicals before, but I had never Stage Managed an operatic musical (nothing but music with no dialogue) until this past October when I did Cats. To me, that was a different experience than calling a musical with dialogue and songs. It was my first time calling a show from a score since there was no other 'script'. I learned after this show that the orchestra makes a huge difference in calling a show, especially when there is The Jellicle Ball in Cats, which is 20 pages of dancing without any music. I also think that my style of Stage Managing during rehearsals changed slightly, and I paid so much more attention to the music rehearsals. I found that I had to know that show better than anything else I had ever done before - I had to know the music like the back of my hand, just in case there were any issues that arose during the show and I lost my place in the score. Although I don't think that there are any 'big' differences when it comes to Stage Managing musicals, I have found that different musicals can strike you different ways and you may find different ways to do things as a way of communicating with a Music Director and dealing with scores and music.
40
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Calling/teching your first show, your experiences.
« on: Dec 14, 2006, 09:33 am »
I remember calling my first "real" show. I Stage Managed in high school but it was a completely different caliber than university level - which in turn is a lot different than professional theatre. In high school, we never really called shows. I SM'd every show at my high school and although I did a lot of work, I never really called a full show. I was always responsible for other things during the show, and the light board/sound board operators just always had a script and pushed the buttons. I wasn't really fond of this since I had the desire to call a show, but it's just how it went. When I got to college it was very different. My first University show was nerve-wracking. It was my first SM job at my university, and so I had to go through the whole "Are you a worthy Stage Manager as a Freshman" thing. It was "Jesus Hopped the A Train", which is a pretty heavy show. I had to run sound as well, so that made me nervous. Everything went really well. I had a few problems but nothing was bad. My director and TD were extremely helpful, and luckily were surprised that I handled the show well. My first professional show was "Footloose", which was extremely different. However, I obviously did well since I got a job with that theatre and am working there now as their PSM! I found it all very challenging, but I just kept working and doing the best I could do. I learned so much from calling those two shows, and I thnk that it reflects in my work now. I don't think I will ever forget my first experiences of actually calling shows!
41
College and Graduate Studies / Re: URTA Applications
« on: Nov 28, 2006, 04:09 pm »
yes, definitely let me know how the process goes for you!
That's pretty funny - I've also been looking at Rutgers, but my 2nd choice is Columbia University in NYC. There are few U/RTA schools that I am truly interested in, one of them being Illinois - Urbana/Champagne. As I said before, we need more choices!!
That's pretty funny - I've also been looking at Rutgers, but my 2nd choice is Columbia University in NYC. There are few U/RTA schools that I am truly interested in, one of them being Illinois - Urbana/Champagne. As I said before, we need more choices!!
42
College and Graduate Studies / Re: URTA Applications
« on: Nov 26, 2006, 04:35 pm »
I've been looking over the U/RTA application as well - I'll be looking to go in Fall of '08. I was wondering the same things! What schools are you looking at the most? I think it's sad that out of all those great schools only a handfull of them offer MFA's in Stage Management!! I think that more schools should offer it. It's not like a production can be that successful without one.... 
43
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Help please
« on: Nov 04, 2006, 07:03 pm »
You can find Forms on the callboard, and you can also go through and look at all the different posts. There are several, even in just this section, about professionalism and what you can do to be a good stage manager in these types of situations. Best of Luck!
44
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Prompt Book Help
« on: Nov 04, 2006, 07:02 pm »
I have a separate blocking/notes sheet on the opposite side of the script page where I write all blocking, costume notes, props notes, etc. It makes things so much easier instead of scribbling all over your script.
45
College and Graduate Studies / Re: Equity Courses
« on: Nov 04, 2006, 07:01 pm »
We have no Equity course where I am going now. However; I have recently been looking at schools with MFAs and almost all of them have at least one course on Equity Contracts, Rules and Regulations.