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Messages - SamanthaR

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1
Hello all,
Looking for tips on preshow for ONCE.  Most of the instruments being played in our production are the actors personal.  Our two person sound team will need to mic them up everyday.
Does anyone have any time lines, call times etc that they found worked for their production.  Not everyone will be leaving their instrument at the theatre every night and I’m trying to figure out what time I need them back by to be ready for preshow, while trying to account for their varied half hour call times for those participating in the on stage ‘preshow jam’ before proper TOS.

Thanks!

Edited to add topic tag- Maribeth

2
If memory serves Viewpoints works within a Square.  Could you track each human in their own box.  I am a big fan of stick figures to help notate very specific arm positions etc and different colored pencils/erasable pens to track intersecting patterns.

3
Another Thirding for what VSM said and seconding of loebtmc :)

I am also a fan of a quiet time activity.  If there are large stretches of time when people are gathered backstage I have a basket of puzzles, crosswords, sudoku and trivia cards that are available to help fill the time but are quiet so folks can still be listening to where we are in the show. 

4
I wish I had more to contribute about taking  time off.
My market is very tiny for a "big city".  The idea of taking a season off to be with my new baby is a lovely dream but not a reality for me.  If I were to step away from my resident gig someone else would quickly come up to take it over and I would be SOL.  I try to take as much advantage as I can of my mornings and afternoons that I have to be with her.  Daycare is an interesting challenge as a Stage Manager, especially with an infant, for afternoon options don't exist except in the Nanny sphere.

If I were to take time off, it would probably truly be a career change, and one I might have to think about when she and hopeful future sibling are school age and I'm not able to get one on one time in the daytime hours.

5
Introductions / Re: Arizona SM here
« on: Sep 22, 2017, 09:44 pm »
Welcome, there are a handful of Phoenix area SM's on here! Don't be afraid to reach out about shadowing :)

6
The Hardline / Re: Name change?
« on: Oct 05, 2016, 02:18 pm »
I got married before my first union contract so I used my married name for Equity.  I adjusted my email to include both my Birth Name and Married in hopes of one of the two names being familiar.  My Linked in and my Facebook have both variations of my name.  Oddly enough I notice my SMNet name is still with my Birth Name. 

I have been married 5 years and haven't had any issues professionally with changing it.

7
Usually I have a great working relationship with my dance captains, working together to maintain a show. This time I have a DC that refuses to communicate with me, won't check in at the end of the night, only wants to send me one way emails of her needs. Has "things to do" (last night it was go to the bar) that keep her from taking two seconds at the end of the show to have a conversation about lift call or brush up needs. 

I feel like many of the issues we are having would be solved by a two min conversation but she refuses.

Have I just been very lucky in my experiences so far, is this a normal way for a DC to communicate outside of my regional theatre bubble?

Edited to add topic tag- Maribeth


8
@Beatr79
Thanks for this, our backstage is very tight.  I was thinking something along these lines!

9
Hello All,
Backstage Water Hospitality.  I was Resident SM at a TYA company for years and our cast sizes were typically 8 - 15.  I provided plastic cups that lived on a table right and left with a britta pitcher on each table.  They could also leave a personal water bottle in the position of the cup if they wanted.  This method worked very well.  Cleaning was easy because the theatre had a dishwasher and we washed the cups with the green room coffee cups.

The theatre I am resident at now uses the 3oz dixie cup/igloo pitcher method and this usually works well.  Our cast sizes run between 10 - 35 typically.  Unfortunately, on this last show, the stores that I had previously been able to buy the 330 packs of cups stopped selling them and we were going thru 1000 cups every 2 weeks with a full musical performance schedule.  The cups are bio degradable but those numbers are making me cringe. 

I was curious how other companies handle backstage water hospitality and what has/hasn't worked for you. I have been researching hanging bags and water bottles to replace the one and done cups.

Thanks for the input!

Edited to add topic tag- Maribeth

10
I am on the backstage workout team.  I would keep hand weights and leg weights backstage.  Simple calisthenics help keep me energized and able to watch the stage.  It is easy to drop any of these things at a moments notice to deal with any emergencies or curtain pages, handoffs etc.

11
The Hardline / Re: Visit from My AEA Business Representative
« on: Oct 11, 2015, 06:04 pm »
Our rep came out from California this summer while I was working with the education summer programs.  He received a tour of our new theatre and expanded spaces.  I met him briefly in passing, nothing as formal as you had.

12
Self-Promotion / Re: Coraline
« on: Oct 09, 2015, 11:04 pm »
Happy Teching! I wish I could see it, looking forward to your promo videos :)

13
I would stick with the sharpie and use denatured alcohol to remove it at the end of the show. Another thought it contact paper, but I am bot sure how well it would stick to the texture of the tables. I'd be curious to know what you come up with!

14
The Green Room / Re: Patrons behaving badly
« on: Jul 14, 2015, 02:20 pm »
This subject is my rabbit hole this summer while prepping for next season.  I thought this was an interesting read. 

http://www.clydefitchreport.com/2015/07/patti-lupone-cellphone-audience-behavior-history/

15
The Green Room / Re: Patrons behaving badly
« on: Jul 13, 2015, 07:45 pm »
Thank you for this reminder.   I worked TYA for many years, sometimes I forget all adults haven't made it to the theatre already.

In my story this patron should have known better, but, I suppose we should have looked at it as a compliment that he wanted to come and play with the cast so bad he couldn't stay in his seat.

I tend to agree with Matthew on this one. Yes, people shouldn't do these things, but if it is a person's first time at a theatre (maybe a friend invited him/her, maybe it's a "let's try this out) we can't make any assumptions. Moreover, modern theatre conventions are just that: conventions we've established over time to adapt to the way we currently perform live theatre. They are not set in stone nor that historic. I don't like the fact that many theatres allow drinks inside the space, and yet I recognize it's a change made by these places to be more accomodating to changing audiences and certainly not an entirely new phenomena in the grand history of the stage.

I think this blog post really sums up what we show do as theatre professionals (found on Twitter): "Plan Rocker Show Stopper" by Travis Bedard, especially this part:

Quote
But mostly? We need stop crushing folks who break one of the unwritten rules. Should you know better than hopping on stage? Of course. But this guy is an international laughing stock, Google bombed for the rest of his life because he showed up too drunk to a possessed puppet show and disrespected the altar. Maybe we could treat him as though he were a person.

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