Messages

46

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: looking for a good college, preferably on the east coast...

« on: Jul 17, 2008, 07:28 pm »

I just graduated from high school, so I know what you are/will be going through. I applied to DePaul and Emerson so let me know if you have any questions about them. I will be going to Syracuse University (upstate NY) this fall, so let me know if you are interested in knowing more about their program. Also let me know if you have any questions about the application/portfolio/interview process.

~Shane

47

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Emerson-- anyone attending?

« on: Jun 22, 2008, 09:32 pm »

While I do not attend Emerson, it was one of the schools I applied to and got in. I just graduated high school (a week ago) so I went through the process you will have to go through. If you have questions, send me a PM, I would be happy to help you out.

48

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Am I just looking in the wrong places?

« on: May 28, 2008, 01:02 am »

There are many schools that offer stage management, it just depends on what sort of program you want. Like yoyomankind said, check out the board, it has lots of info on different schools.

49

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Number Markers for dance?

« on: Mar 02, 2008, 04:30 pm »

I don't know if this belongs in this forum, so mods feel free to move it.
Anyways, I am in high school and we are doing Bat Boy the musical. Last week the cast spent rehearsals learning the songs. Tomorrow we start blocking. I got an email from my director today who wants me number 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 etc. from center going both stage right and stage left (every two feet) on the stage before rehearsal starts. Until our set comes in (late April), she said the numbers could be temporary. However, the space is shared and there will be other people on the stage. So I want something durable but also cheap. My stage is 40 feet across, so I have to buy/make 21 numbers. Any suggestions or ideas? This is my first time numbering the stage.
Thanks

50

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Visiting Depaul

« on: Feb 12, 2008, 01:19 am »

I applied to DePaul and had my interview there last week so PM me if you have any questions about the school or the interview process. I did not have enough time to get a tour of their theatre downtown but you should try to do that (it is not on the official tour, you would have to ask at the theatre school office). The El (Chicago's subway) is about two blocks from the theatre school and takes you downtown in about 20 minutes. If there is a show going on, it might be helpful to see that. As for other things to do in Chiacgo, I can't really help you there. 

Shane

51

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: "Shadowing" Stage Managers?

« on: Jan 07, 2008, 01:43 am »

Today I shadowed the stage manager for the show Jersey Boys, it was a great experience. Its kind of funny how it was set up, as the director for the show this year at my high school used to work at the theatre Jersey Boys was playing at (the theatre is where touring shows play, but also where local shows play at too) and will be in a show there in a few months. I had asked if I could shadow the stage manager for Jersey Boys after first seeing it and she had thought that it would not work out since it was a touring show. Then earlier this week as I was putting together paperwork for our show, I got an email saying she was able to set up a show I could shadow at.
Overall it was a great experience seeing such a large scale show from behind the scenes (literally, the SM was calling cues from backstage off of one color TV monitor and two other TV monitors, and was up on a platform above the stage floor) and everyone was super nice. I'm going to try to shadow more shows now 

52

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Preshow (turn off your cellphone) announcements

« on: Nov 24, 2007, 01:45 am »

I saw a show tonight that took place in Cuba. The preshow announcement was in Spanish, but was very clear about turning off phones. They even said "Ring Ring" with a spanish accent to make it even clearer (kind of hard to describe it). Overall, the audience liked it and get the message. I did not hear one phone go off.
I would have to agree with the posts above that coming up with something creative that that audience will get but will also find cute, etc works well. Of corse having something that is really funny before a depressing show and vice versa will probably not work.

53

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Emerson/DePaul/Webster/Syracuse/Penn State?

« on: Oct 28, 2007, 03:07 pm »

Just another update (if you really don't care you don't have to read this).
I finished my apps as well as my portfolio and I gotta say, .pdf's and scanners are two great tools, especially since two of the schools I am applying to I can't go out to so they are taking electronic versions of my portfolio. Speaking of interviews, I will have two phone interviews this month as well as three interviews at three different schools. Then in February I have three interviews at the Unified Theatre Auditions in Chicago. Luckily a few of these schools have rolling admission so I am hoping I will hear back from a few schools soon. For those of you in high school going through the same thing as me, send me a message if you have any questions or need help in terms of applying or with your portfolio.

~Shane

54

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Emerson/DePaul/Webster/Syracuse/Penn State?

« on: Sep 19, 2007, 08:00 pm »

Thank you everyone so far for all your help, its been great. I am hoping to get my college apps out by next week so I can schedule interviews soon. Quick question, a few of the schools I am looking at want letters of recommendations from people who have worked with me in theatre (in addition to letters from teachers at my school). Do I send this other set of letters to the theatre departments or bring them to the interview (unopened?) or both? Actually, thinking back, a few schools said to bring my prompt book, resume, and 2-3 letters from people who have worked with me. So do I bring unopened letters? Sorry for the long question.
For the two posters above who are going to Webster, I visited the campus last year, and really like Webster. However, I saw a show in the basement/black box theater, not on the main stage. Does that mean you guys can't work on shows on the main stage?

Thanks again 

55

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Emerson/DePaul/Webster/Syracuse/Penn State?

« on: Sep 07, 2007, 10:57 am »

Thank you everyone so far with your comments, they have been very helpful! I understand that you can't just learn stage management, you have to have experiences and learn by trial and error. When I started high school, I knew I wanted to go to college. Most people do not know what they want to major in when they get to college, and in this case I do.
Updates if you are really interested:
School-wise-I think I have figured out the application processes for all the schools, which is good. 
I looked at SUNY-Purchase last year, and with out going on a long rant, I had a bad experience when I visited and talked to (I think) the head of the department. Also, I didn't get the whole "Apply as a stage manager, then you have to declare your major again when you are a sophomore (I think)."
Syracuse-I also looked at it last year, I think I might have come into a rehearsal you were working on Daz. I really liked the program there.

In terms of my resume and prompt book, I met with the stage manager of the theater I had an internship at this summer, and she helped me out a lot. My resume is a lot cleaner and clearer now.

Thanks again to everyone who has responded! I love this site, everyone is so awesome!

56

College and Graduate Studies / Emerson/DePaul/Webster/Syracuse/Penn State?

« on: Sep 03, 2007, 08:27 pm »

I am applying to those schools listed above for BFA in Stage Management. I know that there are already topics on these schools and such, but I was wondering if anyone here goes to/went to any of those schools. I have already looked at them, now I am applying to them. If you have any tips/advice/info on applying, interviews, or just the program itself please let me know. Emerson has been really confusing, and I am still not sure what I am supposed to do in order to get an interview date (I emailed the admissions office and was told one thing, emailed the the person in charge of theater dept interviews and was told another thing, called admissions office and was told a third thing, emailed stage management student I met last year and was told a forth thing...).
The main thing I am trying to figure out now is the interviews. What is it like? I need an updated resumé and a prompt book? Anything else?
Any help/tips/advice/info would be great!
Thanks! 
~Shane