Messages

16

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: How to explain what we do...

« on: Mar 26, 2009, 01:51 pm »

Matthew, sorry for posting it without your consent.  You're right, I would want control over who gets my work as well.

By the way, great presentation.

17

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Stage Managers, Stage manager.

« on: Mar 24, 2009, 05:40 pm »

When I was running light board for the last production at my school, it was hard not to just assume all the responsibilities that you have as the SM.  It was almost relaxing in a way to watch someone else run around fixing all the problems.

18

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Marking Out the Floor Without Tape

« on: Mar 23, 2009, 09:23 am »

The only thing with using a tarp is that it is slightly slippery, and can slide along the floor.  A carpet would stay where you put it.

19

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Headset Etiquette

« on: Mar 23, 2009, 08:58 am »

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I had an experience in my last show that really annoyed me.
It was at my High School, and I was running the light board.  The SM is a nice guy, but he had one really annoying thing he did.  While on headset, he would eat, continuously, throughout the entire show.  AND THE MIC ON HIS HEADSET WAS ON! You have no idea how annoying it is to hear someone chewing in your ear the entire night.  Sorry, just needed to vent.

20

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Requests for Electronic Scripts -- Post 'em here!

« on: Mar 09, 2009, 05:07 pm »

Does anyone have High School Musical 2?
(crossed fingers)

21

Tools of the Trade / Re: line note post its

« on: Mar 05, 2009, 05:09 pm »

Yea, it seems like it's just a sticky note pad with a line note template printed on it.  Doesn't it still make loose papers?

22

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Writing down Choregraphy??

« on: Feb 23, 2009, 04:16 pm »

I won't write down the exact dance steps, because the dance captain usually takes care of that, but I will make notes of everything else, such as groups, entrances, exits, and if lead characters are moving in and out during the scene, take down their blocking.

23

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Plan B for everything?

« on: Feb 21, 2009, 03:27 pm »

I agree with everyone else:  Be prepared for the most obvious problems, and for everything else, think on the fly.

For example, since the booth is the only good place to call from in my theater, I always make sure everything that might be needed during the show (extra mic, batteries, mic tape, gaff tape, etc.) is there and the ASM knows where it is.

24

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Acting Class?

« on: Feb 19, 2009, 07:38 pm »

At my high school, you have the option to take an arts elective class you sophomore year, but you have to get invited by the teacher to get into the class.  I got invited to take the performing arts class.  I have been stage managing at this school for the past 2 years (7th and 8th grade) and have been stage managing this year as well.

So I guess my question is that do you think it is beneficial to take an acting class if Stage Management is a possible career choice?

P.S.  I have no experience in acting, coming from tech and being drafted to SM.

Thanks 

25

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: SO MUCH PAPERWORK

« on: Jan 28, 2009, 07:41 pm »

It's only the second day of rehearsal for my current show and I am SWAMPED with paperwork and emails and the like.

What are some suggestions you folks have to keep everything organized and happy?

One thing that helps me is to make to-do lists.  But instead of one big list with everything on it, I break down my tasks into different categories, and then put the things to do under that category.  This keeps me from being overwhelmed with one huge list.
(ipod touch apps are very handy for making lists...)

26

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Reading a play for the first time

« on: Jan 18, 2009, 01:53 pm »

For school I just had to read "Inherit the Wind".  It was very hard for me not to get out a piece of paper and start making lists.  Although I did very well on the test, because I remembered all of the minute details that are important for SM's but not very important for others.

27

Tools of the Trade / Re: Holiday SM Gifts

« on: Jan 05, 2009, 07:36 pm »

Same idea, though mine is slightly different.

28

Tools of the Trade / Re: Holiday SM Gifts

« on: Jan 05, 2009, 06:09 pm »

Amie,

I'm not sure where it's from, but I know it's an X-ACTO brand and it uses a "vacuum mount".  It literally sticks to whatever you put it up to.

29

Tools of the Trade / Re: Holiday SM Gifts

« on: Jan 05, 2009, 05:31 pm »

I got this amazing pencil sharpener that can stick on to any surface, and once it's there, it acts as if it is screwed in to the wall.  Its cool because if I keep this in my kit, I don't have to deal with the annoying handheld pencil sharpeners.

30

Tools of the Trade / Re: MTI's Stage Manager Scripts

« on: Dec 13, 2008, 02:00 pm »

I would get these scripts because they sound like they would be so much easier to copy...a feeder tray would be so convenient to be able to use for once to copy a script. Other than that, I would rather just have my own script for customization.

I agree with you about the copying, it's much easier to just take the pages out the the binder and put them in a feeder tray.  I never have got one of the scripts, I might consider asking the Director of Fine arts at my school to get me one when we do High School Musical 2 in the Spring...