Lady of the House Final

That’s a wrap! Today, we performed our last production of Lady of the House in addition to putting on our first weekend show. Not to mention, the first show in the multi-purpose room. Having this room has opened up new technologies to me, including training on how to use our new Ion lighting console and the sound mixer. This has given me valuable experience in stage tech, something that every stage manager should know. While I am sad it is over, I cannot wait for the spring, when we will be putting on 3 different plays in the same week.

Lady of the House!

Today was the final rehearsal for the show, which ran until about 7. The tech crew remained busy until about 9:30, finishing the stage. I'd like to say we pulled off the impossible, and it loos like we are gonna have a show!

Platforms!

Today, building began on the platforms we are going to use in our production, and has so far been a tremendous task. Requiring over $1500 of material and paint, the workday started after school at 3 and ended at 8 o’clock. While this is definitely one of the longest drama nights I have had, we have laid out much of the foundation, and we are on our way to having a stage to put the show on.

Senior Project Update

1) I am currently about to enter the tech rehearsal stage of Lady of the House. The show opens December 12th!

2) A recent article has been the Stage Managers Association constitution. It has provided me with an idea of how stage managers should be represented and what their interests are, something I want top look in to.

3) Pictured is a scene from rehearsal.

Science Fair Proposal

1) Stage Managers Salaries.
2) The average salary for a stage manager is about $30,000 to $40,000 per year, paid, normally, in an hourly wage. Stage managers can make anywhere from $26,000 to $49,000, depending on where they work and for whom they are working. Television stage managers typically make more than stage managers for live productions.
Stage managers are only likely to get benefits if they are hired full-time with a production company, which is not often the case. Many are like actors, freelancing their skills in one production after another. In this case, paid vacation time and benefits are not at all common.
"Stage Manager." StateUniversity.com. Net Industries, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2012. http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/cwektwkfmb/Stage-Manager.html.
3) If a Stage Manager has an MFA degree, the Stage Manager will make more money.
4) I will be performing a comprehensive survey of different kinds of Stage Managers. I will be asking for information on their salaries and also about any college training they had in theatre. My survey will include a variety of Stage Managers, from both theatre and television. I will use the Stage Managers Association to try and get into contact with Stage Managers.
5) Behavioral/Social Science

Working EQ and Possible Answers

1) What makes a Stage Manager essential to a theatrical production?
2) I am not going to revise my EQ at this time.
3) a.There would be no other person to keep communication open
b. They do a wide variety of jobs.
c. There are so many jobs that are interconnected that need to be overseen by one person with all of the details.

Lady of the House Rehearsal

Today, we had our first rehearsal for Lady of the House, presented by the iPoly Drama Club. This dramady about Didi Mayflower, who runs for office against her son-in-law to be will star several of the iPoly seniors, and promises to be a hit. The show opens December 12, and will include the first weekend show the drama club has put on.

Rough Draft of Presentation 1

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3QkyOl-OY2PR1JSTExfRzc0VW8

Independent Component 1 Plan Approval

1) Write a description of what you plan on doing for your independent study component.

• For my independent component, I will be stage managing the play Lady of the House for the iPoly Drama Club. This will include attending and working rehearsals, assisting in the construction of the set, and running the show during the performances.

2) Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours work requirement.

• Rehearsals are 3 days a week for several weeks, which should result in surpassing the 30 hour minimum.

3) How does your independent study component relate to your working EQ?

• I am directly working as a stage manager, and this will definitely help me understand what the essential duties of a stage manager are. This is also valuable experience in the field.

The Rainmaker

Today, The Rainmaker closed at Chino Community Theatre. I got the chance to Stage Manager for the show and its wonderful team, and I have completed my 50 hours of mentorship for senior year already. I feel that this will give me an advantage when it comes time to cram, and I don’t have to worry about doing my mentorship in addition to whatever cramming I have to do. It was a great experience, and I hope to return to this theatre in the future.

Second Interview Questions

1. How long have you been involved with theatre?

2. What are some of the jobs you have worked in over the years?

3. What were your experiences as a stage manager?

4. Where are some of the places you have worked before?

5. Have you undergone any specific theatre training? (ex: college classes, theatre classes outside of school, etc...)

Working EQ

(1) Ever since starting rehearsal on the show, I have gained a lot of experience. I have learned how to work with actors and how to supervise people who are older than me and who have more experience. I've also worked a lot on y time management skills, learning how to effectively use my time to set up as fast as possible.


(2) My interview helped me understand some major issues in Stage Managing, such as maintaining your composure. If you can't remain calm during a show, you will freak your cast out and the shows quality will suffer.


(3) Mentorship hours have really given me a sense of what it is like to be a Stage Manager outside of school hours. There are some differences, especially when you don't have tons of crew working under you to help put on a show.


(4) Research checks have confused me a bit, as I'm not sure exactly where my boundaries are. Sometimes when reading I feel as though the research might be more specific to my experiences in Stage Managing as opposed to Stage Managing in general.

(5)

• One major question that comes to mind is whether or not Stage Managing would suffice as a primary source of income. From what I have read, a lot of it seems to be hopping from one show to the next.
• Overall, I want to improve my skills as a stage manager, and gain valuable work experience in a world where it is hard for a teenager to get a job.
• The director of my show, Greg, mentioned a Business Manager at Long Beach Playhouse who has stage managed for him in the past and is an excellent Stage Manager. I would really like to talk to her to see what she has done in the past to make her so great. 

Problem Statement

1) Topic: Stage Managing

2a) Problem:

Well at my service learning, communication between me and the tech booth can be troublesome at times, due to interference from a nearby police station. This could cause issues during actual runs of the show, as it could interrupt cues to change the lights and or sound.

2b):

I plan to use my answer from the science experiment to help any future shows I work on at that particular theatre, in the hopes that cues for tech run smoother and the show doesn't experience any hiccups.

3a) Problem:

Traffic from LA always seems to have the ability to make several of the actors in the play I am running miss call time, possibly throwing off the energy for the show and resulting in a cut rate performance

3b):

I would attempt to publish my findings on ways to solve the traffic issue in a respectable automotive magazine such as popular mechanics and try to set new standards in car technology.

Interview Preparation

Who do you plan to interview? Why?

• I plan to interview the director of the show I worked on, Gregory Cohen. He has been in the theatre business for several years, and has directed several shows over the years with different crews, some even being iPoly students. This could give me a comparison on how I stack up against past crews and iPoly students. Getting into contact with Greg is painless, as I usually see him every weekend, and for rehearsals. e is the perfect first interviewee for the senior project.

What additional questions do you plan to ask?

• As stated above, I plan on asking how I stack up against past stage managers and iPoly students he has worked with. I also want to know what some of the worst experiences are that he has had with stage managers. The last thing I plan on asking Greg is about what drew him to work in theatre?

Topic Choice

What is your topic and why?

• The topic I have chosen is Stage Management, because it is a topic I enjoy doing, and already having experience and contacts in the field means a relatively simple search for mentorship hours and interviewees. I feel that picking a topic that I have an interest in and that I enjoy will make the senior project seem like less of a burden to me.

What do you hope to accomplish this year with this topic?

• I plan to use my experience in attentive listening and organization to help me become a better iPoly citizen by contributing in various areas in a more effective way.
• My topic this year is all about communication, and my experience can only help improve my communication skills. Stage managing is, in a way, a code word for middle man. Stage managers are always relaying messages back and forth. And even when we are not, we are trying to track down actors or crew, and keeping lines of communication open with most of the theatre staff.
• Stage Managers are constantly learning new things while working in the field, and this experience will help me improve my ability to learn by getting in the habit of picking up the small, seemingly insignificant things.
• One half of a stage managers job is technology. And we aren't just talking about Word and Photoshop. Tech in the theatre world covers anything from sound boards, to stage lights, the light board, and even the tools we use. This will help me become an effective user of technology by introducing me to types of technology I might not have ever had experience with.

Blog 1; Summer Mentorship Component

     Literal: Know

• Summer Mentorship Log

     Literal: Need to Know

• How does one get into the world of professional stage managing?
• How are the duties of a stage manager different from those of stage crew?
• Who is 'in charge' of a theatrical production?
• How does a stage manager organize their priorities?
• Is stage managing a stable job?
• Would a production be hindered by the absence of a stage manager?

     Interpretive

• The most important thing gained from this experience was the experience itself. Stage managing isn't just another title to add to my resume, it is something I enjoy doing. I can honestly say I have fun working with the actors and crew to bring a script to life. The pride that comes with being able to say I helped in creating a great show that will be seen by hundreds of people in the period of a month is just plain awesome.

     Applied

• Already being Head Stage Manager for iPoly drama, stage managing The Rainmaker only helped reinforce my desire to choose stage managing as my topic for the senior project. It is something I enjoy doing for iPoly, and this experience showed me it is just as satisfying on a professional level.