The Cardinal Sin

[ERK]

So I committed what I believe to be the cardinal sin of stage management 2 days ago.  I was late for rehearsal.  By an hour.  Fortunately, there were fittings going on and I'm just a lowly intern so all I had to do was make coffee, but I felt horrible for the rest of the day.  Ugh.  Somehow I just got it in my head that we were starting an hour later than we actually were.

But perhaps this isn't THE cardinal sin of stage management.  What do you think is the one thing a stage manager should avoid at all costs?

[smejs]

I've been trying to think, but being late is the main one I can think of.  That or not showing up at all to a meeting you've arranged for people to be at...

Certainly a lot of things you HOPE not to do are human nature...some of us DO call cues wrong, mishear a note, just can't be there when the actor calls "line"...part of the "joy" of live theatre is that it's not perfect.  Though we try damn hard to appear that way.  (I am, aren't you?)  

Erin

[MatthewShiner]

1) Thou shall not be late; for once you are late, you loose all ability to chatise others for being late.

2) Thou shall not lie; for once you lie about something you loose all crediability.

3) Thou shall not pass the buck; remember, the buck should stop with you.

4) Thou shall not show up to work drunk.

5) Thou shall not sleep with a cast member (for that is just a messy situation to deal with).

6) Thou shall not let your script be out of date; woe is the day an actor calls for a line, and you do not have a current copy of the script.

7) Thou shall not be distracted in the booth; for it is a sad day indeed that you miss a cue due a fact you are playing your gameboy.

Thou shall not hit your actors with a 2 x 4, for tho there is no rule against it in the Equity Rule Book, it is still frowned upon greatly.

9) Thou shall not argue with the director in front of actors; it just makes everyone feel unformtable.

10) Thou shall never loose thy temper, throw off your headsets and yell "TAKE THIS DAMN SHOW AND SHOVE IT TO HIGH HELL" in the middle of a complicated calling sequence. It's just not nice.

[smejs]

6) Thou shall not let your script be out of date; woe is the day an actor calls for a line, and you do not have a current copy of the script.

Ah, yes, don't you love those days, though, when you KNOW you've gotten every note, and when you correct the actor they inform you that they "talked to the director/playwright" and the line has been changed?

Matthew, I also liked the "autocorrect" feature that turned your number 8 with a paranthese into a smiley face with shades.  The 2 x 4 did make me smile in that line especially!  Thanks for posting all of these...very fun.

Erin

[lejenna]

I think that you can be forgiven for being late once (well, once a year maybe if the car breaks down in the rain while you're rushing to the hospital to recieve care for the broken arm and ruptured spleen you fought your way through during the first half of a full day rehearsal......) You can still get some credibility back and chastise actors for being late by saying things like "Don't be like me, get here on time..."  I really can't forgive a stage manager who hits an actor, though.  I never have, and really don't see that there would ever be a need for it.  However, I was informed by an actor in another show that they had been kicked in the knee by their stage manager.  That really upset me.  I think that might be the true cardinal sin.

[linka]

Matthew, I LOVED that... did you write that? I want to print it out to keep it in my wallet. -darlene

[MatthewShiner]

Yes, Darlene (HOW NICE TO SEE YOU AROUND) I wrote that.

I do not think a SM should hit or scream at an actor (I have witness both) - which is not cool.  I hated being the ASM going up to the actor afterwards saying "I am sorry, he shouldn't have done that."  (No, I actually sided with the SM - and there was physicality on both side . . . long story.  Booze involved, late night, people sleeping with each other, a vernal disease going around the cast.  I swear, I will write a book someday.)  

Such is life.

[centaura]

Cool Thou shall not hit your actors with a 2 x 4, for tho there is no rule against it in the Equity Rule Book, it is still frowned upon greatly.

Dang.  Not even when they're being REALLY stupid?  No, really, I have never struck someone, no matter how tempting it would be.  Though, there have been times when I've wondered if it would be the only way to get the message across. . .

-Centaura

[ChaCha]

Stage Mgrs have a whole load of people trying to make them super-human - don't give them any help.

I love this line! So true!