Messages

16

SMNetwork Archives / Re: The new SMnetwork

« on: Aug 20, 2006, 01:59 am »

I like the new design.

I've been away for a while (like anyone really noticed...) but I'm back, more or less.

Kay, thanks for running this place. We all love you.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / It's Half-Hour: Do you know where your SM is?

« on: Oct 22, 2005, 06:00 pm »

It depends on the needs of the show. I've had shows where I've been able to be in the booth from half-hour forward, and I've had shows where I'm running around getting things done and been in and out of the booth, finally getting "into" the booth and settling in just as I call house lights out.

I feel that any such "policy" from a producer truly hinders your ability to do your job, and therefore, no, the producer honestly can't expect to tell you where to be at any particular time.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Where do you draw the line? (Producer rant)

« on: Sep 26, 2005, 06:03 pm »

Update: I've left the show.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PEOPLE: Where do you draw the line? (Producer rant)

« on: Sep 24, 2005, 05:36 am »

(Basic show info: Equity-waiver, LA Area 99-seat agreement, large musical, very heavy tech show)

Okay, so I could live with the fact that my producer left my name off of the promotional materials (postcard and posters) for the show, even though the entire production team (except SM & ASM) AND the entire cast were listed.  I somehow also lived with the condescending speech he gave me (in an email) about how they've never done that and he's never seen anyone ever acknowledge the SM in any promotional materials and if it's really "that important" to me that he might be able to squeeze my name in  IF they printed a second run of postcards. I figure, this isn't so much of a big deal, I'll still be listed in the program. (I've learned years ago to wisely choose my battles.)

I only got mildly frustrated when I found out that we were two days out from load-in and he hadn't even begun to look for running crew. I figured, hey, I've got friends, I know lots of people, throwing together a crew shouldn't be too hard. I did however, send him a snippy email where I told him that waiting this long to even begin to look for crew was just irresponsible. I had been led to believe that the company had a pool of people that usually were available for crew. (This is my first -- and my last -- show for this company.)

But today was it. I walk into the theatre and find they have no intercom system available for rental productions to use, and my wonderful producer seems to be oblivious as to the importance of communication between crew. He assured me that our sound designer would have "whatever it is you need" but upon checking with our sound designer, he only has audio equipment. No intercom equipment.

We are setting cues tomorrow and Sunday, with (hopefully) a full run of the show Sunday evening. I cannot imagine running tech without headsets, and it's just laughable to think of calling a full run without them.

I guess if I have to, I'll run out tomorrow and buy a relatively cheap intercom system for this show. I just don't know what else to do. Part of me says, "No, don't do this, not my problem" and the SM part of me says "The show must go on."

There is no way I'll walk off of this show, but it's honestly crossed my mind.

So -- when do you say "enough"? At what point can you simply not function any longer? At what point do you stop fixing things and just let the producer hang? So much of this stuff could have been so easily avoided if I had just asked the questions, rather than trusting that the producer was actually producing the show, as opposed to letting it just "happen."

Kids, let this be a lesson to you. Don't trust your producer blindly. Ask questions. Ask more questions. Stay awake at night thinking of everything that you take for granted, and ask your producer what's being done about this or about that.

Never assume. Ever. Not even the smallest thing.

20

SMNetwork Archives / PC vs MAC

« on: Jul 31, 2005, 03:54 pm »

I've been a Windoze user for too many years. I know many theatre people that use Macs exclusively, and I'm slowly being won over to the Mac side.

My next computer will most likely be a Mac.

21

Tools of the Trade / latest toyes...

« on: Jul 30, 2005, 10:53 am »

Sharpies are a brand of permanent marker. They come in a waide variety of colors (or colours) and point shapes and sizes, and now they come in miniature, too!


www.sharpie.com

is their website -- and there is an excellent little video clip about the making of a Sharpie.

22

Tools of the Trade / latest toyes...

« on: Jul 28, 2005, 01:30 pm »

I couldn't help it.

I was shopping for binders and pencils and assorted stuff for my new show and I... yes, I bought a mini-Sharpie. Black.

I've attached it to my bad with a keychain ring.

See, the thing, is, I don't use Sharpies all that much, but when you need one, it's very handy to have one right there at hand.

23

The Hardline / LA 99-seat plan

« on: Jul 07, 2005, 05:27 am »

I've just been hired as SM for a production working under the LA area 99-seat Plan. I have no real experience with Equity; this is my first non-college production.

I've read both the Plan Rulebook and the AEA SM packet, but I have some questions, especially in regard to the Deputy.

Since the 99-seat Plan isn't a regular Equity contract, can I call the AEA office to ask them questions? I'm not an Equity member. (I should note that I have no problem calling them to ask; just unsure whether I'm "allowed" to call without being a union member.)

Additionally, this is my first show with this company, and I just want to make sure that I do everything perfectly -- I guess I'm being super-careful, and I don't want to offend anyone (Producer, AEA, etc.) with my overeagerness!

24

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / warnings verses stanbys . . another poll

« on: Nov 17, 2004, 01:35 am »

Usually, just standby and go, but if there is a gap of more than 3 minutes between one cue and the next, I give a "1-minute warning" about a page before the next cue so that operator can wake up, put away his Gameboy, whatever, and be actually ready for a standby when it comes.

If there's been a few minutes between cues, I just call the next standby a little earlier than I normally would.

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Lights? Electrics? Elex? What do you say?

« on: Oct 16, 2004, 05:41 pm »

Well, I'm still a bit new at this (even though I've called over ten shows in the last three years) but at our college (the way I was taught) is to call the light cues generically: Cue 38, GO.

Any other cues we have (sound, slide, fog, etc.) are called specifically: Sound Cue A, GO. Fog GO....Fog out GO.

Do I have a rude awakening coming when I leave academia?

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Copying scripts

« on: Aug 27, 2004, 07:11 pm »

I've only SMed for a local community college (for almost three years) and in all the reading I've done, it always says the prompt book is the property of the producer. However, the college theatre dept. has always let me keep my prompt books. I guess I'm spoiled; I have a great collection of books from all my shows so far. I'm moving to NYC in February 2005 and I'll just have to get used to not keeping my prompt books anymore.

27

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Gunmaster -- any experience?

« on: Jun 24, 2004, 04:28 pm »

Thank you all for excellent pointers -- this promises to be the most intense show I've done yet.

I'll likely keep everyone posted, either in Self-Promo or The Green Room. (for those that are interested....)

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PROPS: Firearm safety and maintenance (meta-thread)

« on: Jun 22, 2004, 07:12 pm »

I just found out that I will be SMing our college production of Sondheim's Assassins.  Also just found out that there is a Gunmaster for the show. I've never worked with firearms onstage before nor worked with a Gunmaster.

Anyone have experience with this? Thoughts? Suggestions? Comments?

EDIT: This is a meta-thread consisting of multiple merged topics. - PSMK

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SMNetwork Archives / But I don't *want* to be onstage! That's why I Stage Manage!

« on: Nov 10, 2003, 07:21 pm »

Update:

Due to time constraints and the newfound flakiness of my assistant (who would be calling the show while I'm onstage) they have cancelled that perf.

Color me relieved!

It also gives me two extra nights off this week..... what to do, what to do...?

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SMNetwork Archives / But I don't *want* to be onstage! That's why I Stage Manage!

« on: Oct 15, 2003, 12:39 pm »

Setting: a community college production of The Elephant Man

Time: not enough

So, we have this actor who is great. Except he cannot make one Friday perf during our three-weekend run.

We've been looking for an understudy for that night. The guy we read last night was... well, awful.

At the time of casting, we were already a week late starting rehearsals, due to not being able to find a cast that was competent.  We cast the particular actor (who can't make the one perf) because we were desperate.

Well.  The director and his assistant are now telling me that there is one person they know who can do it.  Yep. Me.

My assistant (just out of high school) will be calling the show that night while I'm onstage.  Therefore, she is totally useless backstage for the remainder of the run.  And it's going to be the most technically difficult show *I've* ever called -- I feel for her.

My question: for the pickup rehearsal the (Thurs) night before I go onstage, do I have the right to insist it's a full dress?