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Topics - Maribeth

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106
Employment / SMs using an agent?
« on: Jul 16, 2012, 08:16 pm »
I was talking to an SM a few months ago who was about to start using an agent for representation. Does anyone here use an agent to find work? If so, what has your experience been like? I'd be interested in hearing any info you'd be willing to share.

107
Self-Promotion / Crown of Shadows: the wake of odysseus
« on: Apr 15, 2012, 08:52 pm »
Just finished previews for "Crown of Shadows: the wake of odysseus" at Round House Theatre. It's a new play about the Odyssey from the perspective of Odysseus's wife and son.

"Penelope and her teenage son Telemachus struggle to maintain control on Ithaca while waiting for Odysseus to return. As Penelope navigates the political waters of countless suitors, Telemachus, in his turbulent youth, chafes against both the bombardment of potential usurpers and his father’s legacy. With pressure for a successor mounting, they battle two outsiders for control over the island, with a shocking ending that can’t be found in Homer’s saga."

There's an interesting article in the Post about the play development organization, The Inkwell, that helped develop the script: http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/the-inkwell-a-dc-theater-incubator-steps-onto-a-larger-stage/2012/04/12/gIQAo34ZFT_story.html

Crown of Shadows: the wake of odysseus
by Jason Gray Platt
Directed by Blake Robison
April 11-May 6
Round House Theatre Bethesda

108
The Green Room / April Fools!
« on: Apr 01, 2012, 06:42 pm »
One of my actors got me at lunch today. She said, "Hey, I just wanted to check and make sure that everything's got taken care of for that Sunday performance I can't be at. It was in my contract so I'm sure it's all taken care of- just wanted to make sure you have it on the calendar and that plans are being made."

..........

She said that I got very still- I can't even remember what I said to her, but she definitely had me going for a minute!

109
Employment / Health insurance
« on: Mar 23, 2012, 12:20 am »
Just out of curiosity, I was wondering how everyone here gets their health insurance. As a freelancing SM, health insurance and health weeks are fairly often on my mind- health weeks become a big factor for me when considering jobs. How big a factor is health insurance for you? Does you maintain another job so that you can get health insurance from them?

110
Self-Promotion / Pride and Prejudice
« on: Nov 27, 2011, 08:04 pm »
Pride and Prejudice
By Joseph Hanreddy and J. R. Sullivan
Adapted from the novel by Jane Austen

Round House Theatre
Directed by Blake Robison
November 23-December 31

Just finished a great week of previews and we open tomorrow- this is easily one of my favorite shows in the last few years. If you're in the DC area, I highly recommend it. Lots of discounted options available- there are $10 tickets day-of for AEA members, $10 Tuesdays,  and $10/$15 tickets for those under 30.

http://www.roundhousetheatre.org/

111
Self-Promotion / Fahrenheit 451
« on: Sep 08, 2011, 10:35 am »
Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury, based on his novel
Directed by Sharon Ott

Round House Theatre in Bethesda, MD
September 7th-October 9th
 
First preview was last night! It's an interesting show that uses a lot of computer animation, film sequences, and live camera feeds all projected onto the stage.

There are a number of $10 ticket options-so if you're in the DC area, come check it out. http://www.roundhousetheatre.org/tickets/discount-tickets/

112
The Green Room / Office Supply Vending Machine
« on: Jul 09, 2011, 06:42 am »
This is pretty nerdy but I figured that of all people, SMs would appreciate this office supply vending machine I found at the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh. You can get note-taking supplies like pencils, index cards, notepads,  and post-its, plus ear buds, magnifying glasses, and a bag to carry your books home. Made me smile.


113
To me, one of the most difficult parts of stage management has been learning to maintain the show after it's open. It takes a lot of sensitivity, connection to and knowledge of the production, and people skills to nudge the various elements of a show so that the original intention is maintained throughout the run (and I don't even work on particularly long runs!)

(as just came up on another thread) I like to do a check-in post-show with the actors. They can tell me how the show went for them, so that I can make any calling adjustments that I need to (actors are not the only ones who need to maintain their performance!) and give any notes. If there is a particularly sensitive note, I pull that actor aside separately.

I like to post the previous show's runtime on the callboard with the sign in sheet sothat the actors can see how the pace of the show was. If a show is 5 minutes longer than the day before (or even 1-2 minutes), it can help the actors get back on track. For some shows, it helps me to note the length of each scene in my script- that way I can tell where we added/lost time.

I don't generally send a separate report out to actors, but I do sometimes tack a note onto the daily call when I send it out. (usually more administrative business rather than performance notes).

What are your best methods for maintaining the show?

114
Stage Management: Other / Managing Large Rehearsals
« on: Mar 25, 2011, 05:24 pm »
What are some of the tools/methods you use to manage large-scale rehearsals? (50+ people)

Are there physical things that help you with big groups? (nametags, sign-ins, a different way of organizing the room set-up)

Do you use your staff differently? (more staff, different responsibilities, etc)

Are there scheduling tools that you use?

Does your management style change? What do you do differently to manage a rehearsal on a larger scale?


115
The Green Room / An interesting read
« on: Feb 04, 2011, 01:12 pm »
I'm reading a great book- it's called The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right by Atul Gawande. He's a surgeon who written a couple of books about the medical profession in this country (all decent non-fiction reads). The Checklist Manifesto delves deeper into something he talks about in his other books- the use of checklists in managing complex situations and maintaining a low level of error in work situations.

The book uses examples from medical situations in hospitals, flight procedures for pilots, and formulas for structural engineering, but it is easily applied to stage management and reducing mistakes and keeping safety at a premium. Definitely worth a look.

116
Stage Management: Other / cold calling an opera
« on: Jun 14, 2007, 03:07 am »
i had an interesting (and somewhat surreal) experience last night, and am wondering if anyone else has done the same-

during the day, i got a call from the PM of an opera company i've worked with for a few years. her stage manager had an emergency and she asked me to come in a call the dress rehearsal. the show i'm currently rehearsing ended early, so i was able to get there about an hour before the orchestra arrived. the show was little women, which is not one that i'm familiar with. the score is in mixed meters-  the time signature changes frequently, sometimes nearly every measure. i have worked with the director and lighting designers before, which made things a little easier.

the SM had unfortunately taken the calling score home with her, so i ended up using the LD's score, and the director gave me the rail cues before we started the dress. luckily, there's no chorus or supers that would need to be cued, and all of the principals took their own cues, without needing to be paged. the ASM cued all of the rail cues off of my GOs, and backstage functioned fairly smoothly. we stopped a few times for the maestro to work some things out musically, but no tragedies with the lights or flying panels- all told, i think it went very well.

all in all, it was kind of fun, and since i haven't gotten to do much opera recently, it was great to get back into it, if only for a night. anyone else ever have to call a score they'd never seen before?

117
Stage Management: Other / Opera tips
« on: Jul 03, 2006, 01:01 am »
I'm curious as to any hints/specifics that any opera SMs on this forum use- forms, prep work, book layout, policies in rehearsal, etc. I haven't worked with as many SMs who do opera, so I'd love to compare notes!

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