call times

[MatthewShiner]

I'm wondering. If you start with "second call for places" will the company just think they missed the first one? OR is there some sort of scolding inflection in the second call that makes them scamper?

Although in my head I am always afraid I am scolding - not the best way to start a show - I am always do it with a tone and attitude that perhaps my first page didn't go through, or someone turned down their speaker, or they just didn't hear it.  I once got upset because actors didn't hear my page for places - that was the night the paging system went out between 5 (which they hard) and the next call . . . places.  These things happen.

[BayAreaSM]

I've never heard the Ten being called!

C

Well, I guess according to SMNet I'm the odd ball, but it seems, aside from that one SM I met, every other SM in the San Francisco Bay Area (that I've worked with or known) gives a 10 minute call.

Guess we're just special in the Bay.

[NomieRae]

I'm pretty much the norm as well - I tend to call '10' but know that is a quirk that most stage managers I have met don't share.

The current show that I am working on we have quite a close knit and rambunctious group of young actors who still, after nearly 200 performances can still be surprised that "places" is called so close to "5" and thus their places call gets dragged out....

In an effort to light a fire under the repeat offenders (men's dressing room) I at one point started standing outside their dressing room door at 5 minutes checking my watch. It worked so well that we had places in 2 minutes that night, which totally screwed over the PSM's "cheat" of leaving a 5-6min buffer because that is what we were used to! Which leads to actors at places for 3 minutes wondering what is "wrong"

It's not a perfect science but we're learning how to adjust with each day to best get the show up on time.

[VSM]

I can hear Matthew's tone of voice from here!