16
Introductions / Re: hi everyone!
« on: Jul 04, 2023, 03:44 pm »
Welcome, Jesse!
News:
14 Jan 2021: Happy 21st birthday, SMNetwork! I replaced the old broken mobile theme. -K
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17
Introductions / Re: Can't wait to have more to share!
« on: Jul 04, 2023, 03:44 pm »
Hi and welcome!
19
Job Postings / Job Posting: KCTYA AEA SM for National Tour in Spring 2023
« on: Aug 01, 2022, 05:39 pm »
Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audience is hiring crew positions for our Spring 2023 national tour! Our AEA SM position is hired on a TYA AEA Tier I weekly contract. This position pays $900/week plus per diem and housing in a single hotel-room.
SM prep begins - 12/27/22
First rehearsal - 1/3/23
Move to stage - 1/17/23
Tour launch - 1/23/23
Return to DC - 5/7/23
For more information and link to application, please see the full job posting. Other tour crew positions are also available, and can be found here, listed in the Education Department.
SM prep begins - 12/27/22
First rehearsal - 1/3/23
Move to stage - 1/17/23
Tour launch - 1/23/23
Return to DC - 5/7/23
For more information and link to application, please see the full job posting. Other tour crew positions are also available, and can be found here, listed in the Education Department.
22
Introductions / Re: Excited to join the community!
« on: Mar 18, 2022, 06:29 pm »
Hi and welcome, Kel!
24
Introductions / Re: New student SM - happy for any and all advice
« on: Feb 05, 2022, 05:00 pm »
Welcome!
25
Job Postings / Kennedy Center: Soliciting resumes for Tour Crew positions
« on: Sep 14, 2021, 06:17 pm »
Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences is soliciting resumes for the following position on upcoming tours: (Non-Union) Wardrobe/Props Supervisor with COVID Safety Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Wardrobe/Props Supervisor include, but are not limited to:
1. Loading and unloading of the truck, assisting in the set up/strike of the set, and directing road cases to stage/truck in proper order.
2. Setting up/strike of the prop tables and costume racks, unpacking and setting up all props and costumes during load-in.
3. In coordination with the Stage Manager, assigning and setting up dressing rooms in each venue.
4. Supervising and training local wardrobe personnel during the load-in, performance and load-out. In conjunction with local crew, acting as a backstage dresser during each performance.
5. Managing the backstage area during the run of the show, facilitating any prop hand-offs and helping the Sound Supervisor/ATD in the case of a sound-related problem.
6. Laundering or overseeing the proper laundering of costumes. Timely maintenance/repairs of the properties and costumes.
7. Serving as a truck driver and, when needed, maintaining all applicable paperwork (driver log, trip log and vehicle condition report).
8. Providing COIVD Safety duties for the tour. Responsibilities include implementing and maintaining KC COVID protocols, including mask usage and weekly testing for a company of ten.
Compensation for this position is $750/week plus per diem and housing when on the road. The start date for our next tour is January 11th, 2022, and the expected end date is April 10th, 2022. If interested in this or future touring positions, please send a resume and an email indicating your interest in such positions to kctya@kennedy-center.org , with “TYA Tour Crew Position” in the subject line.
The responsibilities of the Wardrobe/Props Supervisor include, but are not limited to:
1. Loading and unloading of the truck, assisting in the set up/strike of the set, and directing road cases to stage/truck in proper order.
2. Setting up/strike of the prop tables and costume racks, unpacking and setting up all props and costumes during load-in.
3. In coordination with the Stage Manager, assigning and setting up dressing rooms in each venue.
4. Supervising and training local wardrobe personnel during the load-in, performance and load-out. In conjunction with local crew, acting as a backstage dresser during each performance.
5. Managing the backstage area during the run of the show, facilitating any prop hand-offs and helping the Sound Supervisor/ATD in the case of a sound-related problem.
6. Laundering or overseeing the proper laundering of costumes. Timely maintenance/repairs of the properties and costumes.
7. Serving as a truck driver and, when needed, maintaining all applicable paperwork (driver log, trip log and vehicle condition report).
8. Providing COIVD Safety duties for the tour. Responsibilities include implementing and maintaining KC COVID protocols, including mask usage and weekly testing for a company of ten.
Compensation for this position is $750/week plus per diem and housing when on the road. The start date for our next tour is January 11th, 2022, and the expected end date is April 10th, 2022. If interested in this or future touring positions, please send a resume and an email indicating your interest in such positions to kctya@kennedy-center.org , with “TYA Tour Crew Position” in the subject line.
26
Introductions / Re: Semi-Retired SM But Still Teaching!
« on: Mar 06, 2021, 10:18 am »
Welcome, Jackie!
27
Job Postings / Kennedy Center TYA - open call interviews for DC-area SMs, ASMs, & PAs
« on: Mar 05, 2021, 07:59 pm »
Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences is holding virtual open call interviews, and there are dedicated times for DC-area stage managers, ASMs, and production assistants. These interviews are not for any specific positions in our upcoming season, but we'd love to get to know you for future stage management needs. Please note that most of our productions (other than tours) are local to Washington, DC.
More information can be found on the website, including how to request access accommodations and how to request a time slot. Stage managers should include a resume - no headshot needed.
Please email kctya@kennedy-center.org with questions - do not send PMs. Thanks!
More information can be found on the website, including how to request access accommodations and how to request a time slot. Stage managers should include a resume - no headshot needed.
Please email kctya@kennedy-center.org with questions - do not send PMs. Thanks!
28
Introductions / Re: What an AWESOME resource
« on: Jan 07, 2021, 03:54 pm »
Hi and welcome, Kyle!
30
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Perfectionism
« on: Oct 15, 2020, 06:36 pm »
There's a really relevant article on HowlRound about this. "Hold, Please - Addressing Urgency and Other White Supremacist Standards In Stage Management." I particularly like the viewpoint of this paragraph,
I struggle with delegating sometimes, as someone who often worked as a one-person SM team. I'm used to doing things myself and sometimes it's hard to let things go. One thing I've found helpful is to think of the stage management team as a whole unit, rather than the SM/PSM as one person, and all the ASMs as extensions of them. An ASM and a PSM are doing different jobs, and likely have different skillsets. Your team will accomplish a lot more as a whole if everyone is contributing, rather than the PSM taking on all important tasks.
It's worth considering the idea of what doing things "right" means. Is it "right" because that is how you would do it? Or does it need to be a certain way for a particular reason? If something has to be a particular way for a certain reason, like fitting requests have to use XYZ format because that's what the costume shop requires, that's one thing. But if an ASM makes their prop list in landscape orientation instead of portrait, maybe that's an individual preference that is not a problem- even if it's not how you would do it.
You can also experiment with laying out some expectations clearly in advance. For example, if you delegate prop tracking duties to an ASM, it's reasonable to ask for a current copy of the props preset at certain intervals (weekly, whenever there's a new copy, at the beginning of tech, etc). It gives you the chance to assess how things are going and make adjustments if needed.
Educational/college theater is supposed to be a place to learn, so it's inevitable that people are going to make mistakes. (That's not limited to college, but it's certainly true there.) So it's worth considering what happens when mistakes are made. How do you address it? What steps do you implement to prevent it from recurring? I can tell you a lot of mistakes that I've made (both in and out of college) and I wouldn't have grown as a stage manager (and as a person) if I hadn't been allowed to make them.
It's great to have a system for checking in with your team, like a daily touch-base at the top or end of the day, which can really help in terms of managing everyone's workload, and can also provide a forum for making adjustments if someone needs help. Sitting down for longer meetings before major events like first rehearsal, move to stage, etc can be really helpful for setting expectations for the next stage of the process and keeping the team on the same page.
Quote
One antidote to this mindset is focusing on completion, not competition—a mantra passed down by stage manager Deb Acquavella. Each member of the stage management team is working to achieve the same goal of a safe and smooth production. Having multiple points of view and avenues to turn to for information doesn’t reduce this goal but rather expands it. If an ASM knows an answer right off the bat, why wait for the PSM to dredge up the information just because they’re the designated one voice? We need to stop viewing the ASM as working below the PSM and instead put value on each person’s unique duties and expertise. We then become a collaborative team where everyone is valued for their contribution, rather than bolstering egos.
I struggle with delegating sometimes, as someone who often worked as a one-person SM team. I'm used to doing things myself and sometimes it's hard to let things go. One thing I've found helpful is to think of the stage management team as a whole unit, rather than the SM/PSM as one person, and all the ASMs as extensions of them. An ASM and a PSM are doing different jobs, and likely have different skillsets. Your team will accomplish a lot more as a whole if everyone is contributing, rather than the PSM taking on all important tasks.
It's worth considering the idea of what doing things "right" means. Is it "right" because that is how you would do it? Or does it need to be a certain way for a particular reason? If something has to be a particular way for a certain reason, like fitting requests have to use XYZ format because that's what the costume shop requires, that's one thing. But if an ASM makes their prop list in landscape orientation instead of portrait, maybe that's an individual preference that is not a problem- even if it's not how you would do it.
You can also experiment with laying out some expectations clearly in advance. For example, if you delegate prop tracking duties to an ASM, it's reasonable to ask for a current copy of the props preset at certain intervals (weekly, whenever there's a new copy, at the beginning of tech, etc). It gives you the chance to assess how things are going and make adjustments if needed.
Educational/college theater is supposed to be a place to learn, so it's inevitable that people are going to make mistakes. (That's not limited to college, but it's certainly true there.) So it's worth considering what happens when mistakes are made. How do you address it? What steps do you implement to prevent it from recurring? I can tell you a lot of mistakes that I've made (both in and out of college) and I wouldn't have grown as a stage manager (and as a person) if I hadn't been allowed to make them.
It's great to have a system for checking in with your team, like a daily touch-base at the top or end of the day, which can really help in terms of managing everyone's workload, and can also provide a forum for making adjustments if someone needs help. Sitting down for longer meetings before major events like first rehearsal, move to stage, etc can be really helpful for setting expectations for the next stage of the process and keeping the team on the same page.