Author Topic: PEOPLE: ASM-ing for an Equity SM Returning to Theatre  (Read 7338 times)

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SMRey

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I'm ASM-ing for a small show, and the SM has recently returned to the trade after many years away. I'm non - equity but have a good deal of experience working in equity houses. The SM is incredibly nice, but they haven't been in a rehearsal room for many years, some small mishaps have happened, (scheduling etc.) and the director doesn?t really trust them. They also seem almost checked out in rehearsal, the director has to ask them to call for breaks etc., and when scheduling they forget which actor is in what scene.

I?m trying to be as supportive of the SM as possible, but I feel like it?s very difficult to do a good job while not picking up the slack. The director is starting to turn to me with questions about break times, etc. I really don?t want to get caught in between the director and the SM.

The most recent thing that happened was that the director asked me to send them copies of some paperwork, which I did, not including the SM. The SM found out, and (very nicely) asked me to check in with them before doing anything like that again, which I completely understand, although I was under the impression that what I sent was under my purview, which the SM forgot about/didn't realize.

The last thing I want to do is undermine the SM. I want to be supportive and help them to do their job, but at the same time it seems like there a lots of things that are falling through the cracks. How do I best support the SM and the show at the same time in this situation?

Edited to add topic tag - Maribeth
« Last Edit: Aug 03, 2020, 04:08 pm by Maribeth »

VSM

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Re: PEOPLE: ASM-ing for an Equity SM Returning to Theatre
« Reply #1 on: Aug 14, 2020, 11:31 am »
Have you had a conversation with your SM asking exactly how you can help? Specific job assignments could lead to a conversation about individual strengths, which could segue way into individual weaknesses, which would help in a variety of ways. If you have tried before, this situation about not CC'ing the SM with the paperwork you sent out (which you most definitely should have) may open the door to revisit the topic of how you can help your SM.
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