Happy Stage Management Memories?

[Balletdork]

Swan Lake, Alabama Ballet 2003

We had guest's in to assist in the staging and they were so easy and lovely and the production went soooo smoothly in great part I believe because everyone was so easy and confidant in what the ywere doing because they had been so well prepared by the Guest's:

Names: John Gardner & Amanada McKerrow-----

all you dance folks probably know of them, but if you ever get the chance to work with them- JUMP! The yare really great, and now retired from dancing, and so are staging and coaching exclusively!

[denisezeiler]

  hhmmm....what a great idea.

A happy stage management memory for me is the first time I made a horrible situation work and the curtain rise. Then of course we do that all the time. So I would have to say a more recent memory is working on a new musical of Ethan Frome: An American Romance which I have been working on for two years in concerts, readings and workshops. This process of working on a show from inception through production to an out-of-town tryout this summer is a great feeling. I love the production team, writers, composers, lyricists. Most importantly the producer said, I can't do this show without you. That was great!

[lauracinga]

i heart you deborah!!! I will let you know as soon as possible about the whole Depaul exception.

[Tempest]

I got a happy stage management memory today!  (although it made me worry that one of my actresses had been 'neglected' by her SM in the past).
We were doing heavy blocking, changing this, switching that, just playing with getting around the space before we settled on the blocking for the scene, and all the different versions of the directions the director was throwing out there somehow got muddled when my actress transcribed them to her script.  She said she was confused and asked me what the blocking we had decided on was.

"Well, you get up on this line, pace SR, check out the door, come back SC just below the bench while he gets up and orates SL.  He'll circle back towards you C during his speech, and you escape US of the bench towards SL on this other line," I rattled off immediately, glancing at my script.

She stared at me in openmouthed astonishment and then looked at our director and said in deadpan, "She's good!"

Jeff grinned at me and said, "Yes, she sure is!"

While it feels REALLY good to be impressing my cast and director (and actually being appreciated daily!) with my abilities so early in the process, I'm worried about what SMs they've had before me!  I consider everything I do as BASIC SM duties, and apparently, my predecessors haven't been fulfilling them!!!  My poor cast, director and crew!

[nmno]

A good week this week:
My director offered (unprompted) to look into the theatre getting me local housing for tech so I don't have to make the hour+ drive home.
The actors were being dismissed for an extra long lunch while I had to stay behind to work with the crew to stage the scene shifts...  One of the actors (who is normally a little bit of a trouble maker) very sincerley asked if he could pick up anything for my for lunch since my break was being cut short.
One of the designers commented (a couple of times) that I give very good rehearsal notes.
The director said how much he appreciated me, how big a help I've been.
One actress asked "Would it make the scene shift easier if I found a place in my scene to clean up those stacks of papers, so it's already done?"
Frequently during this process, actors have said "I'll make that work"

[wtcsrstaph4life]

My happiest Stage Management moment would probably been while sming my first show, Measure for Measure. It was a small show that was a grad student's thesis. I had not really had that much experience, but was in the process of taking a  SM class, so I was learning what to do. But just being able to get through the whole run of the show with only a few small problems, and the praises I got from the cast and other friends/classmates who have had more experience as a SM just made me feel great.

Then also when I was ASMing Caucasian Chalk Circle, I had seen the show through out rehearsals, but not very much because I had to do various other things, and on one of the last days of tech when one of our actors was too ill and sent home, I had to step in doing his rough blocking, and reading the script. While I was doing this, the rest of the actors, would help me out being like he usually does this, or we do this really helped out and the fact that they said we should do the show with me instead of the actor, even though it was most definitely more in a joking manor just made me feel great

[dwj0772]

I work part-time as an SM for a theatre group that is part of a local community college.  Every year for our Fall and Spring show, we cut our show down to a 1-hour exceprt performance, and put it on free of charge for local elementary schools.  They come in, get to see a show, they learn how to act in a theatre - we even give them a blackout and let them practice being quiet for a couple seconds.  For a lot of these kids, we are their first exposure to theatre, and is a joy to see them excited about the show, about meeting the actors, and just getting to experience the theatre experience.

My other "memory" is one that keeps on giving - we have a core group of performers that consistently audition for our shows.  Many of them are in high school or early college, and are either working on a theatre degree, or just love it and want to be a part.  As a result of the majority of the casts being younger than me (I'm in my mid 30's), I am considered a father figure by many of them.  My last name is Johns, and a few shows back, I had a young lady in the cast call me "Papa Johns".  The nickname has stuck, and now pretty much everyone (older or younger) calls me that during shows.  I recently found out that I am also going to be a daddy for the first time, and that has given a whole new meaning to the nickname. 

[avkid]

I recently found out that I am also going to be a daddy for the first time, and that has given a whole new meaning to the nickname. 

Congratulations!

[SummerShakespeare]

Life is hard as a SM but every once and a while a feel totally and compeltey appericated!

I am the new (and frist) PSM of a coummunity theatre and I have an contracted amount of shows that I are just soley my shows and I am to call and manage along the way without having a SM.

When we were in a staff meeting the other day the diectors were deciding what shows they wantd to do for the upcomming season and 2 o tem were fighting over Joseph and they asked if I was SMing that one myself and I am not so they both decided they did not want that show and started fighting over scarlet pimpernel becasue that is my next show!

It is a really good feeling to be wanted!!!!

I was also  offred a bribe by another director to Sm their show!

[KMC]

Auction yourself off, good way to make some extra $$$ 

[dwj0772]

Congratulations!

Thanks!  It's a little scary, but if i can manage 35 actors ages 16-25 all at the same time, I can raise one son, right? (Yeah, I know - I have no idea what I'm getting in to! )

[SummerShakespeare]

Auction yourself off, good way to make some extra $$$ 

Thanks Kev!
 

[ben.bavington]

Most of my good show memories are complete blurs as they mostly occur late at night when eere all loopy on 4 hours of paint fumes.

[KMC]

Auction yourself off, good way to make some extra $$$ 

Thanks Kev!
 

You bet!  Supply and demand baby.

[sievep]

I think one of the best feelings I've had while calling a show was during a production of RIGOLETTO.

I was in Chattanooga, TN, and we had rented a huge set from New Orleans, splendid costumes, and had a great crew. 

I called the first fly cue for the house curtain to fly out, and upon seeing the set the audience gasped, then applauded.  It just made me very proud of all the work we had all put into the show, and I just relaxed into the show from that point forward.