Thursday, May 30, 2013
Senior Project Reflection
2)
a. P
b. AE
3) One thing that worked for me was finding mentorship and independent components, because I was always able to find something new to do. While many people had trouble trying to get mentorship, I had no issues and already completed 120 hours by the time September was over. From all of this work I was able to learn a lot and improve my skills.
4) One thing I would change is the period of nothingness I experienced between The Rainmaker and Lady of the House. In this gap I was confused and unsure of what to do next, and I feel like working on another show would have kept me busy and informed. Finishing mentorship so early left me with a ton of questions after I got past foundation, and this wasn't fixed until I finally was able to move onto another show and jump back into the swing of things and talk to new people.
5) My senior project has helped to improve my understanding and skill in Stage Management. Junior year when I jumped into drama, I had no experience, and much of what I learned right off the bat was foundational. Research and mentorship opened my eyes to some of the in depth things, and working with new people allowed me to pick up the good habits of those around me. Working with these people gave me new contacts and experience, which is what gets you new jobs in theatre, so if I ever return to the topic the 7 shows I worked on this year will definitely be put on my resume.
I'm Done!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Mentorship
Summer Mentorship
Mentorship
Check logs for contact info.
Interpretive:
Mentorship has provided me with experience, which is extremely important when it comes to Stage Managing. While research and books gave me a basic understanding of what Stage Managing was, it is a topic that requires you to get hands on to really appreciate it. My mentorship gave me plenty of the experience and guidance under Greg Cohen and Emerald Gonzalez, both of whom were invaluable when it came to answering my questions and giving me tips when I was trying to work things out. Experience is also necessary when one is bidding for jobs at a theatre, because there is a good chance that the company will not hire anyone with no experience. My mentor, Greg, has told me numerous stories about moving to Southern California from Northern California, and how he had issues finding jobs here because all of his experience was in local theatres up north.
Applied:
My essential question is 'What makes a Stage Manager essential to a theatrical production,' and my mentorship helped me both form this question and answer it. My best answer to my essential question is calling the show, and I got to do this for two shows for my mentorship. Actually working the shows gave me hands on experience, and helped me realize that my first two answers were only important in the rehearsal period, and that the Stage Manager really takes control of things during the run of the show. In addition to the hands-on aspect, I was also able to ask my mentors, Greg and Emerald, about my answers, and their input helped me decide which were important, and which weren't necessary.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Closing!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Opening Night!
We finally opened our shows today for iPoly drama club! We started with New Kids at Vampire High, which got tons of laughs and then did Delval Divas, which enjoyed a strong opening. I am also the first student to receive director credits on an iPoly play, which I’m incredibly excited about. Tomorrow Nunsense opens and it is looking great so far!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Exit Interview Questions
My essential question is What makes a Stage Manager essential to a theatrical production? My best answer is his or her duty of calling the show, because calling a show is what makes it come alive from the script. According to Emerald Gonzalez, Stage Manager at Chino Community theatre, if the cast were to perform strictly from the book, the show wouldn't have the same energy as if it was called live, leading to a full performance. The Stage Manager is completely responsible for the show at this point, and according to Thomas Kelly, author of The Backstage Art of Stage Managing, there is a mass exodus of creative forces, leaving the Stage Manager to maintain the show.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
2014 Interview
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Independent Component 2
a) I, Gabriel Barreras, affirm that I completed my independent component, which represents 30 hours of work.
b) Both Joseph Hogan and Emerald Gonzalez helped me complete my independent component.
c) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnQkyOl-OY2PdGRjYktLMEhxQkhQQTJMUHVDWkxHMVE&usp=sharing
d) For my independent component, I acted as a Stage Manager on two different shows, one for the iPoly Drama Club and one for Chino Community Theatre. For the iPoly production of Delval Divas, I acted as the sole Stage Manager, and in many cases the director. This production has yet to open. For the Chino Community Theatre production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical, I was a fill in Stage Manager, as the usual Stage Manager had another show and needed someone to cover for her. I worked with her for several days, and after I was comfortable, ran a few rehearsals and a couple of shows. This play runs through May.
Interpretive
Working on any play, you are guaranteed to meet a minimum of 30 hours, and working on two of them really elped me go above and beyond the required minimum. With the Delval rehearsals coming in at 2 hours each, and Trailer park going for 5 hours at a time, as a Stage Manager I enjoyed constant work and many hours.
Applied
Most of my independent component was focused on rehearsal, which means working hands one with both my first and third answers, which include maintaining the blocking and maintaining the prompt book. Working on a rehearsal this long helped me affirm that neither of these two answers are the best answer, and that the best is calling the show. The Stage Manager I worked with on Trailer Park agreed with me that the most important duties of a Stage Manager are done after the curtain goes up. While working on the plays this time, I really focused more on everything I did, weighing the importance of different tasks in my mind, and I ultimately decided that the prompt book is only necessary for so long. Rehearsing with this mindset, and having another more experienced Stage Manager to answer these questions really opened my eyes and shaped my 2 hour presentation.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Rehearsal at CCT
Hello blog readers :)
Today was the dress rehearsal for a new play I'm covering for at Chino Community Theatre, and it has been a long and crazy today. Me and Danielle Mariano are bringing a little iPoly flavor to this play that opens up this Friday. If you have a chance, The Great American Trailer Park Musical is looking to be as entertaining as it is mature! :D
Monday, March 25, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Trailer Park
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Senior Project and ESLRs
1) Effective Learner
2) I have done several things to learn on my own, including my independent component which is stage managing a play on my own for iPoly. I have also created an account on ControlBooth, a forum dedicated to theatre tech that features advice and ideas. Recently, I have been working with more hands on stuff in preparation for Fullerton theatre festival.
3) Pictured is a snapshot from my independent component, taken from rehearsal for Delval Divas.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
2-Hour Meeting Answer #3
2) The need for a centralized figure to keep everything organized.
3)
a. A Stage Manager is responsible for keeping all documents and reports together for future reference, on them at all times. If anyone needs specific information, the Stage Manager will always have it on them or will be able to note down to ask someone else about it.
b. Documents that a Stage Manager needs to have organized can include things like contact information for cast and crew, the master script, scene descriptions, emails, notes, and other important documents.
c. All of these documents are kept in the prompt book, which unlike I previously thought, does not only contain a copy of the script. The prompt book is usually a heavy duty 2 inch three ring binder.
4) Source 34, How to Make a Prompt Book published on Lois Backstage, explained that the Stage Manager needs to be organized so that every person working on the show has one person to go to instead of stopping theirs and others work.
5) Next, I plan on looking up other documents that a Stage Manager needs to keep organized and at the ready in order to keep everyone on track.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Fullerton
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Fourth Interview Questions
2. What routine do you generally follow when calling the show?
3. What does 'blocking' mean to you?
4. What do you feel is a Stage Managers most important task? Why?
5. What are some of the specific jobs during a show that make a Stage Manager completely necessary?
6. What regular theatre position, if any, could replace a Stage Manager? How would this work?
7. During the rehearsal period, what do you spend a majority of your time doing?
8. What kinds of things do you find yourself doing things for the show when you aren't at rehearsal or at a show?
9. How much time do you spend working on a show? (Including periods outside of rehearsals and show dates)
10. Why is a centralized figure needed to complete specific tasks?
11. What are some of the special skills a Stage Manager needs to have?
12. Why couldn't the actors pull off keeping their own blocking and running the show on their own?
13. How does the Stage Manager contribute to the success of a show?
14. When is it okay for a stage manager to not be there?
15. What is the Stage Managers goal when working on a show?
16. In what way should a Stage Manager interact with the cast and crew?
17. Why does the Stage Manager involve themselves with so many people?
18. Where is the Stage Manager stationed when running a show? Why?
19. What is the Stage Managers role as the head of the Stage Crew?
20. What are the consequences of removing the Stage Manager from a play?
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
2-Hour Meeting Answer #2
Monday, February 4, 2013
Delval
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Independent Component 2 Plan Approval
1) For the second independent component, I will be stage managing or working on several projects for the iPoly drama club. I will be stage managing for the production of Del Val Divas, and a couple of smaller scenes for Fullerton Festival.
2) 30 hours will be easily completed, because the various scenes and show will require 4 days of rehearsal per week, for several weeks until May.
3) My EQ aims to understand why a stage manager is necessary to a production, and gaining experience in the field under a professional teacher is easily the best way to learn what is important.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
Third Interview Questions
1. What makes a Stage Manager essential to a theatrical production?
2. As a stage manager, what job do you find yourself most commonly doing?
3. Are there any tasks that you feel would be better completed by someone other than a SM?
4. What kind of compensation, if any, do you recurve for Stage Managing?
5. Have you ever worked on a show that did not have a SM attached to it? What was it like?
6. Do you feel a SM kind of pulls the show together?
7. What tasks do you find have the most priority when preparing for a show?
8. Where would you place a SM in the chain of command of a production staff?
9. Do you believe that any of a Stage Managers tasks could be accomplished by other crew, thus eliminating the SM?
10. Why does having a SM help or hinder a show?
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Blog 11; Mentorship 10 Hours Check
2. Gregory Cohen
3. 53 hours have been completed.
4. I staged managed the production for all 10 shows on the weekends in September. I would show up two hours early to curtain, set the props, prepare the food, clean up, call time, and keep the staff and actors informed on what was going. After the show, I would put the props back, and clean the set and backstage to prepare for the next show. I was always the one to turn off and reset the alarm every night, because I was the first and last to leave. I also went for 3 hours on the Saturday after our last showing, to break the set down and clean everything on the stage up.