Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - RParker2

Pages: [1]
1
Articles from the Old Site / Re: Tips: Charging Glow Tape
« on: Feb 04, 2009, 01:38 am »
I concurr.. best idea ever.  Also fun.

2
Employment / Re: Blacklist of companies for SMs?
« on: Feb 04, 2009, 01:30 am »
I was a big fan of looking on the bright side of each bad experience in order to learn and adapt and all that.  But a few months ago I worked for quite possibly the single most horrible, terrible, evil director on the planet, and now I would pay good money to see her blacklisted, both for my own personal satisfaction and to make sure no other poor SM ends up in my situation: completely degraded, offended, taken financial advantage of, and (temporarily) rethinking her career choice. 

Screw politeness, and forget the benefit of the doubt, stage managers have a right to know.

3
Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: The Ultimate Decision
« on: Feb 03, 2009, 11:53 pm »
So many I've met felt drawn to backstage work after realizing they were either too snarky or too sane to be an actor, or more particularly, to participate in actor warm-ups. 

After acting in a few shows in high school, I realized that I was having far more fun doing backstage work.  Then, when I got older I had senority, so I ended up managing.  With a few shows of experience, other shows just come knocking.  I've done maybe 20 shows now and only asked for one of them, the rest just kind of happened.  People referring one another and what have you.  Honestly, I swore I was quitting theatre to focus on other things a handfull of times before, but jobs always just landed in my lap.  Finally, I gave in. 

4
I call from FOH, so I call places 3 minutes before the Act via my ASM(s).  Usually I have them check for all members who should be standing-by, not just the ones immediately entering the stage, but if there are actors not needed for 15 minutes who are in the dressing rooms or wherever, then they don't count.  Though however one does it, it should be the same every time of course so the actors don't get confused. 

The ASM then tells me when everyone is at places, I wait for the house to close, check with all the rest of the crew (LBO, SBO, etc) to make sure we are on-line, and then call stand-by to everyone.  This includes the ASM who puts the actors about to enter the stage on stand-by as well. 

And then we go!

5
Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Artistic Integrity?
« on: Feb 03, 2009, 11:23 pm »
As a student, the concept of doing a show that I enjoy enough and would actually pay to go see is about as likely as owning a pet unicorn, which would be awesome.  Which is why I do the job not to be entertained, but to work with great people, as seems to be the consensus here, as well as dream of a day in the distant future when the shows I do will be consistently something to be proud of.

That said, I have to admit I'm often proud of the low budget activism shows i've done (especially prevelent in the university setting, I would think), because everyone else involved is so passionate about the message, it's hard not to care a bit.  I've done a number of these "statement making" shows for free or as favors in addition to my regular workload because I think experimental, community, political, cultural, etc etc theatre is really important from a society point of view and what have you.  Plus, it's nice to get shaken up out of that stage manager's apathy once in a while.  Though I have to admit.. if I weren't managing it, I probably wouldn't go myself.  And I'd rather do A Streetcar Named Desire anyday.

But to andswer the question itself, no, I've never done any theatre that made me squirm per se, but I have done a fair amount of "compelling/ controversial theatre" as well, and I've particularly enjoyed watching the "white heads" in the audience squirm from the booth. 

6
Employment / Re: Education Required to get a job?
« on: Oct 03, 2008, 01:47 am »
Thanks all, I will take this into account.

7
Employment / Education Required to get a job?
« on: Sep 21, 2008, 05:16 pm »
Up until recently I didn't think I wanted to stage manage profesisonally and so I pursued another path for my major in college, but now I am not so sure.  Even though my coursework has been focused elsewhere, at the same time I have been assistant stage managing and stage managing top-quality university productions, the same productions that theatre majors manage, for years.  In addition, I have gotten a few gigs from other companies or groups, a few of them paying jobs.  However, I am near finishing my degree in this other field and do not want to spend another 3 years here getting the degree in stage management as well. 

My question then is how foolish would it be to attempt to start my career with just as much if not more experience than some people with a degree in theatre production, but officially with a BA in History, not Theatre?

Thanks, any advice at all would be outstandingly helpful.

Pages: [1]