Messages

46

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: What's the most controversial show you've ever worked on?

« on: Feb 26, 2010, 12:21 pm »

Not what I would have thought would have been the most controversial play I've ever worked on: but when I was west touring "Freedom Train" with Theatrework/USA (first time that property was brought west, I believe) -- we received a bomb threat out in  California.

You wouldn't think Harriet Tubman and emancipation would be still controversial...but there you go.

47

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Alcohol Backstage

« on: Feb 25, 2010, 12:32 pm »

When I was at University, post-production theatre class discussions were sometimes supplemented with wine: and Friday afternoon upper level courses often adjourned to the pub.   (During my time, due to the increase in drinking age, university-wide distribution of peppermint-schnapps in cocoa as well as Friday night free beer and wine at the dining hall were phased out.)

However, campus-wide conspicuous public consumption of drugs was an occurrence only a few times a year.

Of course, most of my peers  found fame and fortune in film and television instead of theatre -- I think we only have a few Tony winners currently active -- so take that as you will...

48

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Alcohol Backstage

« on: Feb 25, 2010, 10:49 am »

On the other, these are students. I can't be everywhere at once, and the director has made it clear to me that the departmental policy has usually been honoured in the breach, particularly at opening and closing when pre-drinking in anticipation of the cast party is usually quite rampant.

Your job is to enforce the priorities of the producer, in this case the theatre department.  Won't you have enough to do without playing narc?

49

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROFESSIONALISM: Pre-show drink

« on: Feb 23, 2010, 11:05 am »

For me, I have always chosen not to drink before a show.  On my current gig, in the contract, there is a no drinking clause before a show or in between shows.  It is a hard rule for all of us, cast, crew, band, management.  No exceptions.

Not a union-show, is it?

50

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: PROMPT BOOK: Organization?

« on: Feb 22, 2010, 01:25 pm »

I find it more useful in to have one book with nothing but script/score and another book with contact sheets, calendars, schedules, production grid, breakdowns, etc.

51

The Green Room / Re: Road Life Advice

« on: Feb 12, 2010, 07:46 pm »

I'm a fan of the portable small size Britta filter -- then you have potable water in every motel room.

52

The Green Room / Re: Trivia Tournament II: Electric Boogaloo

« on: Feb 03, 2010, 01:13 pm »

Literature.

53

The Green Room / Re: Trivia Tournament II: Electric Boogaloo

« on: Feb 02, 2010, 10:23 pm »

So are we playing the same topics for February again?

Cheers, y'all...

54

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSALS: prompting requests around the world

« on: Jan 09, 2010, 02:11 pm »

The other thing is the silent call for line.

No such thing in my rehearsals.  I make it clear at the start that I or my ASM will only respond when an actor calls "Line" or "Word."  [...] I don't think an SM should have to be trained on each and every actor's individual habits.  While I'm willing to make rehearsals run as smoothly as possible for each of them, there should be some basic ground rules which everyone follows.

I think an always SM should always adapt their own ground rules according to the needs of the production.

(For instance, dealing with a group of British actors and/or British director, extended silence may be taken as a cue for the SM to provide the prompt.)

55

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Shadowing in NYC

« on: Jan 06, 2010, 08:15 am »

I went to Stage Manager's Association website and found their educational committee but couldn't find anything helpful and they aren't responding to my e-mails.

N.B. SMA Operation Observation opportunities are posted to the SMA members when they become available.

56

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: Musical number where I can't hear....countdown software?

« on: Nov 30, 2009, 07:37 pm »

? Just curious as to the perceived advantage of a stopwatch "program" as opposed to a stopwatch.

57

Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: What I did over my summer vacation...

« on: Nov 11, 2009, 09:45 am »

I was an apprentice technician at the Santa Fe Opera.  Fantastic program!  I learned a lot.  Love the country there too, it's so beautiful.  Sunsets back East just don't compare! 

Are you in that great video the lighting crew produced?

58

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: i'm due payment, and the person who owes me is MIA. help?

« on: Oct 29, 2009, 10:55 am »

He is getting ready to go on tour, so I know he's busy but also why I want to get paid before he leaves town. It's not that much money- about $50- but it's the principle. I'm not sure what the next course of action is. It was registered with Equity, if that makes a difference.

1) Call Equity.

2) When people don't pay me, I plague them with phone calls.  All hours of day and night.  If you have his home phone number, even better.

3) Can you post his name here so the rest of us are protected from this scammer?

59

The Hardline / Re: Script rewrites

« on: Oct 18, 2009, 11:51 am »

I've asked my source in the world of commercial General Management this question before.

He thinks script changes and updates should be handled by the assistant director (who he sees as a generally not-very-useful salaried position.)

I've also palmed this task off on the author's assistant and on the dramaturg.

I've also had author's handle this themselves, which seems very reasonable to me.

I've occasionally published a revised script page myself, when it was the most expedient solution to getting a page cleaned up so I could do my job.

60

Employment / Re: Workers' Comp

« on: Sep 11, 2009, 01:50 pm »

You are more likely to find a lack of workers' comp coverage when working opera.  Many opera companies still hire stage management as independent contractors.  I have never heard a good reason for doing this from a company, and thus remain convinced it is merely a cheap way to keep costs down as they don't have to cover you under their workers' comp coverage or unemployment insurance.

Don't know if it's fair to blame opera companies -- most organizations who don't hire union positions hire staff as indepenent contractors (probably for the reasons above -- also the employer's share of payroll tax, which is usually at least 15%.)

(The company that I production manage, Bronx Opera Company, puts everyone on salary for all positions