Onstage > Stage Management: Other

Professional Road House

<< < (2/2)

centaura:
I played mainly mid-range houses, the 1,000 to 2,500 range.  Though I have done a few larger and some arenas.  I once got to perform on the Grand Ole Opry stage - they were really nice at that venue.  We got invited backstage for their show, and they flew in the barn for us after our load-out so we could get pics with it.

One of my favorite venues crew-wise is Green Bay.  The university has a union roadhouse, and I could always gaurantee that I'd break my load-in record there.  Its one of those houses that highlight all that a union can be in helpfulness, knowledge and work ethic.

The Majestic in San Antonio got a vote for one of the best old vaudevilles that I've been to.  I mainly played the Empire which backs up to it, but all the show artwork in the lower hallways is cool, and the space itself was very well restored.  I love old vaudeville houses and their histories.

Playhouse Square in Cleveland has a great series of old vaudevilles.  They managed to save almost all of the downtown ones, and I think I've managed to hit every one of them.

There were definately places that I didn't like to go, and that I cringed if I saw on an itinerary.  They would range from bad crews, to bad set-ups, or some other such issue.  Sometimes the peculiarity was livable - the Alberta Bair was tough to focus lights in, not because of any crew issues - it just has an asymetrical house where you can't look out into and easily find center.  The crew was great.  In fact I really like that bunch of venues in the corner of Montana and Wyoming.  Really friendly folks, and the comraderie between venues was really nice to be around.  They really look out for each other, which I always felt was cool.

-Centaura

smejs:
A few things I've picked up:

Be aware that if you play the Palace in Myrtle Beach the proscenium is NOT centered on the house.  If you want your audience to be centered with the show, go off the center front seats (basing it on the center of the two aisles).  I went in to put spike marks down and had a large discussion with my production manager because the added apron to the stage (I can't remember at this point whether we built it or if it was theirs) was centered on "center".

Both the Buell Theatre in Denver and the Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte have strange neon-ish lights in the house...if I remember correctly the Buell are set to specific colors, but Charlotte's can be set many ways....they set ours for a Christmas show in REALLY BRIGHT red and green...and they love to have fun during preshow check...watch your eyes!

If you play at the Milwaukee Theatre (in Milwaukee), you can thank our show for being there during renovation and insisting they have an access to stage right from upstairs (instead of only stage left).  In fact, they put our producer's name over that entrance (thinking they were being funny and snide, I believe, but he and we loved it!).  Don't know if it's still there.  Not a real handy entrance, but it's an entrance.

If you use the elevator between dressing room floors SR at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix, know that a donkey used to ride that same elevator once per show for us....hee!

Erin

smalltimeSM:
I to am a rodie,(Temp IATSE).  I have been doing so for the past 3 yrs. and I could go on and on about things, so I won't.  But if you have specific Q's please ask, I'd love to help if I can.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page