Help with my book please.

[TheMrsS]

Ok, so I need help. I need to know any ideas that SM's have to make a book just kick-***. I'm about to graduate and my director basically told me that I do not have the talent to become a SM or Production Manager (even though I have been a SM over 20 times- 6 or which were for him), so I want to show him that I can. I am currently working on a  show and I have a wonderful book, I just need to make it fan-tabulous. Please let me know if you have any ideas. Thank you much!

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[sievep]

Maybe it's time to practice the ever important skill of letting comments like that roll off your back.  If you know what you are doing and are doing it well, I doubt you need the help anyone here can give.  There will always be people who make comments like that, and you have to learn to shrug it off.

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[Trevor7]

I have had professors in college tell me that I was terrible at this, and I have had employers on the professional level tell me that I am amazing.  No madder how good you are (or bad) there will always be people with differing opinions.  What matters is weather or not you like what you do, and at the end of the day you know you put 100% into your work. 

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[loebtmc]

...AND, your book will not and does not speak to your SM skills. So do what feels right and what makes sense to you. I have worked w people who have terrible paperwork who are the most amazing SMs I have ever met, and people whose paperwork is exemplary but who can't call a show or run a rehearsal or deal with problems. Honestly, let it go. Your skills as a SM tie more to your attitude than demonstrating that you can work a typewriter.

[planetmike]

I'd be willing to bet you'd never be able to please that director no matter what your final book looks like. Just do the best you can and don't work for him in the future.

[MatthewShiner]

A kick-*** book does not a great stage manager make.

[hbelden]

I agree with all these responses.  It's what you do with your book, not what it looks like, that matters. 

IF you have had trouble calling cues consistently during performances, or if you are unable to quickly find information that you need, then you should think about how to restructure your book to do that.  If you need any advice on specific questions like that, we'd be happy to help.