Author Topic: SM "Present" at Rehearsals  (Read 3380 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Rebbe

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 271
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA
  • Experience: Former SM
SM "Present" at Rehearsals
« on: Oct 27, 2006, 01:24 pm »
The thread about Dialect Rehearsals brought this to mind…there is a rule in the SPT book (54-J-1) saying the Equity SM or ASM shall be “present” at all rehearsals.  I’ve always read that as meaning (when I don’t have an Equity ASM) that I must be in the same room as the actors while the are rehearsing, and should only leave when we all take a break. 

Am I interpreting this too narrowly?  Could being “present” mean I’m down the hall in the copy room during rehearsal? 

(Whether an SM should be out of the room during rehearsal is another question all together…I tend to think no, but being able to make said copies occasionally could come in handy!).
"...allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster."  (Philip Henslowe, Shakespeare In Love)

Mac Calder

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 977
  • Plan for the future, live for the now
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: Live Performance Australia / Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance
  • Current Gig: Technical Director
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: SM "Present" at Rehearsals
« Reply #1 on: Oct 27, 2006, 04:45 pm »
I would interperet present as being in the room, accessible. If for some reason your presence is not really required, you could probably duck out for 10/15 minutes to do some copying, but I would try and actually work within the room as much as possible.

MatthewShiner

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 2478
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA, SMA
  • Current Gig: Freelance Stage Manager; Faculty for UMKC
  • Experience: Professional
Re: SM "Present" at Rehearsals
« Reply #2 on: Oct 27, 2006, 10:33 pm »
"Present" at Rehearsals.

I take Present, per the Equity Rule Book, as to be in the building.  (I kind of figured this out when you are running three rehearsal rooms at the same time - vocal work, fight work and dance work.)  For example, our rehearsal hall has three different studios, so being in the building, I can count as the SM for all three rooms.

How I tend to work is I am usually with the director in the main room, and have one of my assistants (either Equity or non-Equity) be in the fight and/or dance work, and dialect is usually in the room by themselves.

I tend never to sit in on fight and dance work, and usually have an assistant do that, while I can catch up or get ahead on paperwork.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

Scott

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 252
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: SM "Present" at Rehearsals
« Reply #3 on: Oct 27, 2006, 10:44 pm »

My sense is that the intent of contracts that require an Equity ASM is that there always be present a SM in the room; other situations, as already noted, would seem to require more flexibility.