Author Topic: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six  (Read 9400 times)

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Sarah

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The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« on: Oct 18, 2008, 10:21 pm »
So, I was wondering...Situation: a director knows and insists s/he wants to schedule all straight sixes, all the time.

Question: Can you schedule a straight six for the first rehearsal day before the company has voted to do so?


VSM

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #1 on: Oct 19, 2008, 03:51 am »
In my opinion, no. That decision requires a secret ballot vote.
The director may schedule 30-45 minutes of Equity business before a five-hour rehearsal block but a break of at least 60 must immediately follow.
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MatthewShiner

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #2 on: Oct 19, 2008, 08:42 am »
No, you can't - or well you shouldn't.

You could schedule a straight six, have the vote be first think, hope they vote for it, and if not pay the over time or end early.


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Scott (formerly Digga)

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #3 on: Oct 19, 2008, 08:56 am »
Yeah - your best option for the 1st rehearsal is to schedule a 5 hour block before lunch and just try to get everything done within that 5 hours and not have to come back after lunch.  Otherwise you have to go with the 1.5 or 2 hour lunch (depending on your contract).  The vote is supposed to be anonymous and therefore can't even be done over email or anything. 

Though I've never found a company say no to a straight six rehearsal block.  Especially on the majority of contracts that make one of the AEA breaks a 20min break.  So far, I've only found that the Off-Broadway doesn't have this 20min break rule and most directors are willing to extend a break anyway so they can have a lunch too.

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #4 on: Oct 19, 2008, 12:03 pm »
Though I've never found a company say no to a straight six rehearsal block. 

I have had casts decline the full use of the straight six and for some shows it just doesn't work.  One in particular was a show, where one woman was onstage the entire show, really driving it and the rest of the cast on in bits and pieces...  The pace for all straight sixes was too much for her; working slower longer would have allowed her to better get a grasp on her character, relate to the other actors better, given us the freedom of more/longer breaks...

Rebbe

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #5 on: Oct 19, 2008, 07:40 pm »
I agree that you cannot count on a straight six until after the vote, and I too have had casts vote against it.  Maybe the production manager should remind the director of AEA rules on this issue, so they don’t give you a hard time if straight six ends up not being an option.
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Sarah

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #6 on: Oct 19, 2008, 08:31 pm »
Thanks, gang. I am of the same mind as all of you. It's a vote, and if we haven't rehearsed yet, we haven't voted. I'll take it to admin to see how they would like to proceed.

Like Digga, I don't think I've been part of a company that hasn't voted for all of the straight 6 options, but it is still a vote.



Scott (formerly Digga)

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #7 on: Oct 20, 2008, 02:10 am »
I have had casts decline the full use of the straight six and for some shows it just doesn't work.  One in particular was a show, where one woman was onstage the entire show, really driving it and the rest of the cast on in bits and pieces...  The pace for all straight sixes was too much for her; working slower longer would have allowed her to better get a grasp on her character, relate to the other actors better, given us the freedom of more/longer breaks...
Yeah - I wasn't saying that a Straight 6 is always the best option, I don't suggest it to directors on shows where I don't think it's useful.  I've never tried it with a large musical, nor would it be useful for a show such as W;t.  Sorry if I wasn't clear with my statements.

Maybe the production manager should remind the director of AEA rules on this issue, so they don’t give you a hard time if straight six ends up not being an option.
I would love it if Production Managers or Administrations knew the AEA rules but I've yet to work at a theatre where the PM knew as much about the Rules as I did.  Be it LORT, SPT, Off-Broadway, or whatever, I've always had to explain rules to companies.  Rules that I thought were pretty standard.  Then again, I don't always know all of the rules either and anyone that's capable of memorizing the AEA Rulebooks completely must have a photographic memory.  I applaud such people.  But in the end, I think PMs, Directors, and Producers rely on the Stage Manager for rule explanations and interpretations 9 times out of 10.

Scott

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #8 on: Oct 20, 2008, 10:08 am »
[I would love it if Production Managers or Administrations knew the AEA rules but I've yet to work at a theatre where the PM knew as much about the Rules as I did.  Be it LORT, SPT, Off-Broadway, or whatever, I've always had to explain rules to companies.  Rules that I thought were pretty standard.  Then again, I don't always know all of the rules either and anyone that's capable of memorizing the AEA Rulebooks completely must have a photographic memory.  I applaud such people.  But in the end, I think PMs, Directors, and Producers rely on the Stage Manager for rule explanations and interpretations 9 times out of 10.

In my vision of a perfect world, all Production Managers would have been Equity Stage Managers.

I'm not really sure what qualifies someone to be a production manager if they don't have stage management experience.

On the last commercial show I production managed, I easily knew the Off Broadway rules, as well as their implications and limits, much better than the PSM (and wouldn't have it any other way :)

For the record, I'm pretty much against straight sixes.  I find there is a much more productive rehearsal when the actors have a chance to recharge their energy and I have a chance to "advance" the rehearsal room.

(On most of the freelance stagehand/tech gigs I work, most of us charge a meal penalty if we work more than the first 5 hours without a meal break.)

P.S. Sit on one of the comittees working on porposals for negotiations and you will find yourself inadvertetnly memorizing much more of the rule-book than you would think.
« Last Edit: Oct 20, 2008, 10:15 am by Scott »

MatthewShiner

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #9 on: Oct 20, 2008, 11:57 am »
I too am against the straight six in theory - because it really means a straight 8 for me . . . but, I do like compacting my day - especially when I am either in rehearsal or performance 52 weeks a year - when else do I get to the gym?  get groceries?  live life?

The straight six works best in regional theatre where a lot of local actors may be holding on to day jobs, or actors are in other shows, or, on Sunday, to allow people to travel home after a rehearsal week.  (We are using them due to our actors rolling over). 


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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #10 on: Oct 20, 2008, 12:43 pm »
I love a mix of straight 6 and an 8-hr day. For example, I like having a straight 6 on the day we do our designer run, so we can kick the cast out and start the prodn meeting without making my day stupid. There are shows where a shorter rehearsal can be useful for the rest and refreshment it allows the actors (or the time away memorizing and working on their own). As mentioned, it depends on what we are doing - granted with exceptions, the 8 hr days lend themselves to musicals just like 55/5 works better in most early choreo sessions. But I too have never had a cast say no to the option. And the fact is, the vote just gives us the option. And as long as we say yes, it's there to use shd need arise.

DeeCap

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #11 on: Oct 20, 2008, 01:59 pm »
Like everyone else, I like a mix of straight sixes and 7 out of 8's.
I do like a straight six on a Sunday (day before a day off). Start at 10:00, end at 4:00. It's a little more civil. I also like them for designer run-thrus.

I don't like straight sixes if I have a lot of costume fittings that need to happen. 

Do Stage Managers make good Production Managers? That's a great topic.

Sarah

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Re: The Ever Scrutinized Straight Six
« Reply #12 on: Oct 20, 2008, 08:33 pm »
I'm also a fan of the mixed week; just like all the rules, there are very practical applications of the straight six, as those above have mentioned.

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In my vision of a perfect world, all Production Managers would have been Equity Stage Managers.

Amen. Having come from a heavy technical background myself, once in a while I entertain the notion of transistioning to an assistant production manager position. I agree with Scott, I think it's a very natural career move for SMs to make.

 

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