Author Topic: PROFESSIONALISM: Dressing For The Part?  (Read 92610 times)

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ljh007

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #30 on: Feb 19, 2007, 09:00 am »
I agree with nmno, Blahah - wear whatever you're comfortable in.
Not to minimize the work you're doing with your school, but I guess it is a little different when SMing is actually your job.
The techies in my high school all had t-shirts made that read, "When the going get tough, the tough get gaff tape." And they stank because they were high school boys. But we all thought they were the coolest - no loss of respect there (except we did wish they bathed more).
And like centaura says, considering the age of the people in the show, dressing up when in rehearsal among your peers might come off as more polarizing than polished.

Maybe you could add that little bit of professionalism and pride by dressing nicely on opening night.

Tempest

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #31 on: Feb 19, 2007, 09:31 am »
<snip>
 Would black track pants be ok just for tech week when we're there till at least midnight adn Im just in the light box? ???

Knowing that tech rehearsals will be long, stressful and occasionally requiring such bizarre activities as going on the grid, crawling under the stage, etc. I go with comfortable every time.  I actually just tech'd my show on Saturday and wore the most comfortable jeans I own that don't have holes, running shoes, a tank top and unbuttoned overshirt.  Functional, comfortable, still halfway respecatble looking.
Jessica: "Of course I have a metric size 4 dinglehopper in my kit!  Who do you think I am?"

Matt.L

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #32 on: Feb 23, 2007, 06:25 pm »
in rehersal rooms i normally have jeans and a shirt on, sometimes i have black trousers, but i would place my dress code in the smart casual area. When it comes to techs and in theatre work i spend most of the time in black combats, work boots and black top, (beacause up until this year i did most of the rigging for the productions i was involved in) I've never had complaints but then again i have done hardly anything proffesional, just a few dance works.

kjdiehl

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #33 on: Mar 08, 2007, 01:42 am »
I agree with alot of what's been said here. I NEVER "dress up". As mentioned, if I wanted to wear shirts and ties, I'd work in the business world. I can't stand 'em! I do wear nice, crisp dark jeans and a button up shirt, usually of varied colors, (and maybe a jacket,) to interviews. I think clean crisp jeans are an almost perfect item to express a nice look while putting forth a vital image of physical competence. Usually similar outfits to rehearsals- sometimes slacks for a first rehearsal. Often Hawaiian shirts to rehearsals once I feel comfortable in the group. They're bright and fun and flashy and help to lighten the mood, I think. And I *have* to wear blacks often enough. I hate to volunteer to do so. My favorites are flannel shirts, preferably colorful. Sleeves always rolled up. Comfortable shoes, like Merrels or something. Sometimes steel toe boots to a busy Tech if I'm running the deck. Backstage blacks, (or at least dark clothes,) but if I'm calling the show, I usually just wear whatever I want as long as it's nice looking, (see reh garb above,) only giving slightly more consideration to darker colors.

As for the high school situation, as I recall (difficult as that may be!) stage managing in high school was a unique opportunity to learn how to assert authority and earn respect, and the kids tended to get into the heirarchy and roles that developed. So what i'm saying is that I think high school stage managers should take the time to dress a bit nicer, (but still hip! Blacks work nice for this,) in order to practice these lessons.
-Kris Diehl, AEA SM

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sievep

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #34 on: Apr 04, 2007, 05:41 pm »
A great man once told me to always dress to meet the audience. 

How wise he was, as I had to walk out onstage in an emergency to address the audience one night. 
"This lovely light, it lights not me" - Orson Welles

zayit shachor

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #35 on: Apr 05, 2007, 02:55 am »
What's the reasoning behind wearing blacks to anything but tech rehearsals and performances?

KMC

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #36 on: Apr 05, 2007, 08:42 am »
What's the reasoning behind wearing blacks to anything but tech rehearsals and performances?


I don't think there is a reason to wearing blacks to anything but tech/performances (unless you're a choreographer  :P )  As an SM what you wear needs to be an intentional choice - it goes a long long way towards setting the atmosphere.  Personally I prefer to dress very casually and subdued, I don't like attracting attention to myself.  If I wanted to do that I'd be on the other side of the table.   
Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action. -T. Roosevelt

dallas10086

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #37 on: Apr 05, 2007, 09:57 am »
When I was a PA it didn't matter what I wore, so long as I can still operate a screwgun, crawl under and around the set and not whine that I messed up my 'pretty clothes'...so generally black overalls (you laugh but they had a TON of pockets and have lasted me over seven years) or jeans, t-shirt and boots with hair pulled back. Blacks for performance days of course. I didn't think twice about my wardrobe change much when I phased into SM and I never had a director look at me twice in my outfit choice, but I became increasingly self-conscious when my directors would introduce me to other directors, outside producers, actors...I'd meet these people, be in conversation and think to myself, "I wish I had put more time into my appearance this morning."

So now for auditions and first rehearsals I dress for first impressions: my hair down or nicely pulled back, clean pants or jeans and dressy-casual top. When rehearsals are in full swing I dress more comfortably for changeovers but still presentable for those 'just in case' moments. In performance I'll wear nice pants or nice jeans, and a cami underneath a nice top--the cami for those last minute fixes to the set i have to do or any dirty work--the nice top for after the show when I'll meet producers or other directors. It's all about landing the next job, and one of those people I meet might be the one to give it to me.

BalletPSM

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #38 on: Apr 05, 2007, 10:13 am »
I was thinking about this topic a couple weeks ago when we had a two-show day on St. Patty's day -- I wore a black skirt, black shirt, and....

bright green tights.  =) 

My ASM was pretty shocked...as was everybody else.  It was probably the first time I had worn color to a show, ever.  When asked about it, I said, "hey, if I have to get up out of this chair during a show, we have bigger problems than the fact I'm not in all black!" 

Stage managing is getting to do everything your mom told you not to do - read in the dark, sit too close to the TV, and play with the light switches!

kjdiehl

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #39 on: Apr 05, 2007, 11:03 am »
HA! I LOVE it BalletPSM! I'll bet it looked awesome!

Oh, and thank you for stating my favorite fix-it-all statement: "If I have to get up from this chair during the show, we've got bigger problems than _________." The other iteration of that being "If the audience is looking at ___________, then we've got bigger problems." I always offer that one whenever a director or designer is giving me some insanely nitpicky note that no one in their right mind would ever notice or care about.
-Kris Diehl, AEA SM

"Somewhere in the city there's a stage manager waiting,
standing in the shadows with a clipboard in hand..."

Mac Calder

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #40 on: Apr 05, 2007, 11:48 am »
What's the reasoning behind wearing blacks to anything but tech rehearsals and performances?

Blacks hide a multitude of sins. I hate dirt. In fact I was one of those children who walked arround puddles because I didn't want to get dirty. I still hate dirt, although I accept it is part of my job. So blacks make sense to me, because it hides the dirt.

Also, as I have said a number of times before, I don't just stage manage, but I have a (hopefully) full time job now working in the corporate world (who are only just starting to realise the value of a stage manager) - in a 5 star hotel doing SM, LX, AV, whatever as a member of the inhouse technical company.

 
I wear black dress shirt and black dress pants, black belt and well polished (ie shiny) black boots. I can spend all day in the roof re-lamping lights (meaning I am covered in god knows what), and it takes me 10 minutes to make myself clean enough to talk to a client. 12 if I decide to put on a tie and re-tie my hair.

That and if the only clothes you ever wear are black, making decisions in the morning is easy.

thehayworth

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #41 on: Apr 06, 2007, 02:36 pm »
Quote
That and if the only clothes you ever wear are black, making decisions in the morning is easy.

its like you are watching me get dressed every morning with your p-sychic powers!
"This time for sure."

Scott (formerly Digga)

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #42 on: Apr 10, 2007, 11:53 pm »
I got away from the blacks once I wasn't going onstage anymore.  If I'm in a booth I may tend to wear a black top or at least a darker top but that depends on how close the booth is to the audience as well.  While calling from backstage - as long as I'm not in indiglo I'm fine wearing whatever.

As for type of clothes, I stick to jeans or cargo pants and t-shirts.  I may get dressed up for opening but I want to be comfortable while in rehearsals and calling a show.  Sneakers are a must for me.  Spent 3 years at a company where you basically stood to call the show at a podium.  The really-tall barstool could be used on occasion but it wasn't all that much fun.

shoos

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #43 on: Apr 26, 2007, 07:30 pm »
Crikey!! Could you image turning up to mark out the rehearsal room in full suited & booted clobber! - Mebbe Not!! This is an issue which I think you have to tread a very careful line, because first impressions do count, what you wear - how you express yourself through what you choose to wear, at work - always has been an issue, but given the way in which we work, which can sometimes be quite physical I'm a firm believer in comfort first - thats the clean, not creased, neat version of comfort & for me Jeans & a nice tee usually do the trick!! Hope that helps x

ScooterSM

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Re: Dressing For The Part?
« Reply #44 on: Apr 27, 2007, 07:16 pm »
Has anyone tried Paramedic's pants?  They usually come in dark colors, are very durable, and have tons of pockets.  They seem like they would be perfect, but I don't know.

Opinions????

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