Messages

31

The Green Room / Re: ARTICLE: National Theatre SM report archives

« on: Dec 14, 2013, 08:36 pm »

From my first show at the theatre I'm at now: "The audience really enjoyed the show- so much that one man lost his pants at curtain call!"

I witnessed this as he stood for the ovation. Scary. Buy a belt.

32

The Green Room / Re: ARTICLE: Sleep no more UNPAID interns

« on: Dec 13, 2013, 09:58 pm »

I think that getting rid of unpaid internships TOTALLY is not a good idea... but they need to be administered correctly. A way that is kind of a pipe dream, I admit, would be to only offer unpaid internships to Students specifically, that would arrange for credit through their educational institution. I know that when I worked an unpaid internship in college I had to submit reports to the school each week, signed by my supervisor at the theatre detailing the things I did, my hours, and what I was learning. This way, the school had a way of keeping tabs on my educational internship, and the theatre was being held responsible as well.

After college I didn't work for free anymore. I have worked for next to nothing as an intern... $125 a week  and housing is not a living wage, but it sure taught me how to budget!

I have the advantage as well however, of having no desire to work in NYC. Everything I have applied for and worked has been regional stuff before I moved to Philly, so I never really felt the need to take unpaid work. There is a little more pressure here, with fringe projects and the like, but I have made the decision that working a job for nothing hurts my career from moving forward at this point, in this market.

I wonder if anyone else outside of the NYC bubble has experienced this. I do think where you are and the jobs available/amount of people applying has something to do with this as Matthew shows with his breakdown of the NYC market.

33

The Hardline / Re: Non-AEA PA pay for tech?

« on: Dec 11, 2013, 12:26 am »

I work as a non equity ASM and have never received a bump for tech. My contracts are clear and negotiated so that the only bumps I ever get are ones for added shows. I have worked for separate weekly rates for rehearsals vs. show weeks, but tech has always been lumped into rehearsals.

34

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: Prop Fire Extinguisher

« on: Dec 10, 2013, 03:13 pm »

Maybe I don't fully understand: why would it have to be a fire extinguisher type thing? Could a regular fog machine be used? They can produce a thick cloud.

35

Stage Management: Other / Re: Tosca Recording

« on: Dec 01, 2013, 12:07 am »

I forgot I even asked around about this- I ended up getting a recording from my local library and using a digital score. It did take me a little bit to figure out how to place timings in a pdf, but what I ended up doing was placing a mark at each 30 second interval, and once we received our paper scores when we arrived it was just writing in the timings.  I was able to do the timing marks before I landed so that did save some of the tedious work. The recording was a great starting place, and it didn't change too much once we started working.

Although I don't recommend Alaska in the winter... it was very dark. Amazing company and great people, but I missed the sun a little too much 

36

The Green Room / Re: Weird Dreams

« on: Nov 28, 2013, 12:21 am »

I've called shows in my sleep before. But I'm sure it happens to everyone...right?...right?

My college roommates complained of this happening quite often. I was also a French minor, so when I wasn't calling a show in my sleep, I was speaking in a foreign language. 

37

Employment / Reasons to Reject a Job Offer

« on: Nov 20, 2013, 06:01 pm »

While stumbling about the internet I found this article:

http://www.salary.com/8-good-reasons-to-reject-a-job-offer/

I think that some of these points can really apply to when Stage Managers are looking for not only 'filler jobs' as the article quotes, but also when evaluating job offers in the theatre. I generally stick to a rule I learned from an actress I knew: A job has to have two of the three following things for me to accept:

1. A good project that I'm excited about
2. Good people that I'm excited to work with
3. Good pay that I'm excited about

It can be difficult to find all three in one position, but evaluating if a position has two out of those three has worked well for me in general. I think the article brings up some really interesting points to think about though- what are your thoughts?

38

Employment / Re: Dear Abby: FOH is rude and racist, how can I help?

« on: Nov 20, 2013, 05:55 pm »

I would tell someone for sure. Perhaps a quick e-mail to whomever is their direct boss is the best way to handle it. I would word it giving them the benefit of the doubt- perhaps saying that it has come to your attention that some comments have been made (and some to you) and you aren't sure if this person is even aware that these comments/actions are offensive, but you observed it.

Now, if this had been hearsay, I would say you might have to hold your tongue, but because you have directly been aware of the issue it is your responsibility to report it. What happens if a patron calls the theatre the next day and reports something that had been said to you in front of them? If you don't say something now, it could severely backfire on you.

39

The Green Room / Re: Poll: Main Factor for Making it In This Business

« on: Nov 19, 2013, 10:47 pm »

I'm interested to see these results. I do agree that who you know and hard work at the two most important, but I did choose hard work. I think your work ethic can and does build relationships that you wouldn't otherwise have and therefore gives you great references. You can know someone to get a job, but if you are no good and don't work hard, that gets around and I see less of those people working consistently.

...of course there are always exceptions, but I think in general hard work is the way to go.

40

Employment / Re: Non-Theater lady looking to work in touring Theater

« on: Nov 18, 2013, 11:54 am »

 

(and there's another one that somehow has Food in the title, but I can't remember it... it's driving me crazy)

Foodplay? I believe I have applied for them before.

I would probably stress the fact that you have worked in many capacities before, and that you are flexible. It seems that you have worked as an SM before, so related the skillset. And I had several interviews with some of the companies Melissitchka mentioned without any previous touring experience, so sometimes it works out on a smaller scale. Check out theatre's educational touring companies too, like Surflight Theatre's Surflight to go, or Pennsylvania Shakespeare's touring educational group.

41

Stage Management: Other / Re: Paid Summer Opera Internships

« on: Nov 03, 2013, 07:25 pm »

You can also check out Utah Festival Opera and musical Theatre in Logan Utah. They hire Stage Management Interns each summer and provide housing, travel and a stipend. I worked in company management there and loved it. It is a great company and you can have a lot of fun. I found the job through offstagejobs.com. They are titled as Production Assistants.


Feel free to PM me if you would like more info on the company.

42

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Can you earn a living? (2013 Research Data)

« on: Oct 26, 2013, 09:44 pm »

Having recently enrolled in EMC I have been having a brighter outlook about working as a full time professional stage manager- maybe it's just because I hate my day job though    Regardless, I have been spending a good deal of time reviewing different Equity contracts and documents trying to prepare myself for the future, and I thought of this thread when I happened to open the AEA Theatrical Season Report for 11-12, and saw that it contained a lot of the information on average weeks worked for AEA members and I was initially shocked to see the number hovered around 17 weeks. 17. out of 52 weeks in the year. Understanding how averages work and knowing there are a ton of unemployed or underemployed actors probably skewing this number, it was still crazy to me. I already have worked 34 weeks this year in theatre (not all EMC) with contracts lined up through the end of the year as well.

They did have the statistics broken down by Principal / Chorus / Stage Management Contracts, and if my math was a little better (and my brain wasn't fried from tech!) I could check to see if the percentages were any better for SM's.

You can check out the document in the Document Library at the following link:
http://www.actorsequity.org/library/library.asp?cat=1

43

The Hardline / Re: How to SM Workshop - For AEA Members?

« on: Oct 24, 2013, 08:56 pm »

Do you agree or disagree with this statement, "Any AEA member can and should be able to SM just as any SM can walk onstage and be an actor." Why?

Despite my actor training from college, I still cringe when the idea of going on as an ASM cover (for whatever reason). Perhaps this is because I do know what kind of time and preparation it takes to be an actor with a complete and real character.

Anyone can read lines or follow good clear paperwork in an emergency, but I think it is naïve to think that just anyone can step into someone else's job because they have worked together before and observed their job. It does not work this way in the business world... you aren't qualified to do work as an accountant because you work alongside one every day.

I think it comes down to respect for the work that we put into our craft not only as stage managers, but as actors as well.
 

44

The Hardline / Re: Employee-Handbook Required Preshow Calls (and more)

« on: Oct 13, 2013, 09:46 pm »

I have a friend who works in a theme park and gets paid hourly, and she was explaining how their pay/docking works and I thought it was really interesting. If they are late they get paid for just the time they are there according to their hourly wage. If they are on time, they get paid for a full 8 hour day, regardless of how few shows they have that day. (their workday is usually about 6 hours long) This is a great motivation for them all, as they clock in with a time clock, and even 1 minute late counts against them.  Their stage manager checks them in at the theatre, but their arrival at the park is what counts.

45

College and Graduate Studies / Re: Compilation of grad schools

« on: Oct 05, 2013, 11:39 am »

One school which has not been listed is the University of Missouri-Kansas City. I don't know much about the school, but the program looks good.

My brother went to UMKC for their undergrad dance program and I looked into the SM grad program. You get to work directly with KC Rep which has a stage in residence at the university so that was a really high point. Everyone I met with was really encouraging as well.

I ended up choosing not to go to grad school at all, but it seemed like a good program- there are a lot of real world opportunities there, and a good small theatre scene in the city.