Stage Management: ASM (Assistant stage manager) Organisation Communication (Being Aware - Soft skills) Have a structure Know what needs done Production meetings must be organised and you must be able to communicate properly. You must have the correct body language and approachability scale. The term ‘Track’ is used to describe the jobs during the shows. Your ‘track’ is your job during shows. What is stage management? Different types of theatre: Repertory - A group of performers employed for the season Commercial- Money makers touring (Charlie and the chocolate factory ect…) West End- Big money makers in London with commercial shows without the touring. Community / Small scale- Scaled down version of a bigger show (fits in a van). Surrounding groups of people working in the performance (actors or production). Groups being any kind of people. Education- School performances or a performance with a message to it. Fringe- On the fringes of what is considered to be normal theatre. CPP is a fringe performance. Fringe in the general term of unexpected and abnormal. Events- Could be anything for example, festivals, garden party, sports day. Anything out with a theatre. Corporate events have a large amount of monetary value to them (Mercedes etc). Repertoire (Rep)- Set swap over for different shows during the week however the shows are repeated. Ballet- Dancers etc… You must be able to follow a score for stage managing. (must have 21 degrees in theatres) Opera- large vocal works with orchestra. You must be able to follow a score for stage managing. Dance- Self explanatory… Amateur- Not paid. Anything that involves theatre performers that aren’t paid is an amateur performance. Throughout all the different performance types, the basic framework of stage management is the same. Roles of Stage Management: Assistant stage manager (ASM)- Paid the least and therefore has the least responsibility. Deputy stage manager (DSM)- Mid ground responsibility Stage Manager (SM)- in charge of the team and gets paid the most. Head of department takes responsibility for the team, when problems occur. Company stage manager (CSM)- Deal with company details (company in the business sense of the word). Deals with company outwit the theatre (hotels, tours…). Touring allowances are living allowances for the particular city you are in. It is non taxed. ASM: Assists Under supervision of DSM and SM Helps with props (making and sourcing) Assists in rehearsals - could be with the prompt copy Works within get SM budget Guided by the head of the SM team DSM: Deputises Primarily on the prompt copy (the ‘book’) Could be assisting with props In rehearsals creates - The book Running lists Quick change list Could look after actors hours in rehearsals- create timesheets Heath and safety issues in rehearsals Mentoring of ASM Stage Manager: Overseer Overall responsibility for the SM team and their training Oversee rehearsals period and booking of the rehearsal rooms (size and height of rehearsal rooms + accessibility + temperature) in charge of the SM budget could be on the ‘book’ Health and safety: Risk assessments Company policy Runs technical rehearsals and oversees any other stage rehearsals Oversees returning of props Day to day running of the department and any issues that might arise Company Manager: Liaison Looks after accommodation Payments of the company Liase with the marketing and front of house (F.O.H) Travel arrangements General health and wellbeing of the company (Company manager also goes on tour with the show) If stage management aren’t communicating correctly then the team won’t function correctly and the rest of the production will falter. Stage managers are the organisers. Stage management - Organisation Communication Props A personal prop is something that is unique to their person however the prop may transfer to other characters and become their prop. It is usually pretty small. A prop is an item used by an actor on stage - in any way We can borrow props from other theatres: Tron, citizens, Scot op, Pitlochry, Dundee, Lyceum An offstage prop setting list is a detailed list of where everything starts offstage An onstage setting list is a detailed list of what starts on stage - the first thing the audience sees. A running list is used to make sure the show continues if the relevant people are absent. Systems are in place in order to make sure all jobs are fulfilled if any crucial members of the team are off. A running list includes: Retrieving weapons fro the locked cabinet Hand out personal props to the cast Check to make sure all cast are present before show calls Make sure all beginner casts are in the wings and/or on stage Check to make sure the pit is set for beginners Check to make sure technical are ready to go Scene changes and backstage crew are set Make sure the cue lights and prompt desk are operational Where the crew and ASMs will need to be during scene changes - including what needs changed Running list layout: Character names are used (not actor name) Numbered cues 1. Check beginners :: At beginners - Hamlet - on stage Ophelia - in 4 post bed (blue) Jane - in stage left wing Freddie - in stage right wing 2. Prepare goblets of wine x6 (Red wine) - goblet half full :: In ‘Ath’ kitchen - DSL :: set on silver tray (round) - from stage left props table [PAGE 5] 3. Crash effects on cue light - DSR [PAGE 7] MAKE SURE THE RUNNING LIST IS CLEAR AND PREISE. Make sure the relevant information is delivered without extra text. Cue lights: Flyworkers Sound/LX Scene Changes Quick costume changes How to make a glass/crockery crash sound effect - Use a bin filled with old crockery and drop a stage weight in the bin ASM duties when using bomb tanks include making sure nobody goes near the pyros and if needed wearing ear protection. ASMs will police around the pyro area. ASM are also responsible for preparing the consumable props (food and drink ect). As an ASM you will be required to make sure the correct time is given before the show start to cook and prepare the consumables. The TSM and Stage Management team work very closely together, including show stop moments. TSM: Head of technical production department SM: Head of organisation and communication Risk assessment for stage management team: 19th C Sword - Controls :: Theatrical swords Fight Director choreographs the action Guns Scenery - joint assessment with the TSM (structural assessment) Blood - Consumable? Allergic reaction Food - Allergy :: ASM/DSM will go around the cast and ask in a confidential environment, if they have any serious allergies Choke hazard Expiry / hygiene Naked flames Children - chaperone :: limited working hours Male and female kids dressing rooms organised Watch your language Animals - look after them Animal handler needed? Animal foliage on stage Liquids - Slip hazards Choke hazards Pyrotechnics near actors/animals - Usually lighting would deal with pyrotechnics however if the pyro is required to be near the actor/animal then stage management would get involved with the assessment. For a risk assessment, the control measurements should be the same throughout the production process. A general added control from rehearsals to stage is to rehearse hazardous actions. Lighting from rehearsals to stage will usually be much different. Prompt Copy: An annotated script - very important for running the show. 3 columns on the annotation page of a prompt copy: Column closes to the script - Cues Mid column is used for description Final column is used for blocking (where people or props or scenery are placed (actions)). As ASM you will often get called into rehearsals to script the blocking procedures for the SM/DSM The stage can be decided into 9 sections. Blocking: Blocking app - StageWrite Ballet blocking techniques use something called 8ths and quarters: From pros to pros, the stage is halved. Find the counterpoint along the pros line. Whit marks are placed along the centreline at the front of stage linol (shaped like a C) $ ! If cloths are flown in, you must make sure the 8ths and quarters are still visible for the dancers therefore marks can be placed on the cloths. You cannot place the marks too far downstage. ! The ASM will read through the script and intensify issues that may appear during casting. If a role is available in which the actors interact with cats then the ASM/DSM must make sure that the casting department know not to hire someone with an allergy to cats. ! Theatrical weapons policy:! All theatres must have a weapons policy. Everything we do on stage with weapons is actually illegal - we use realistic weapons. ! For the conservatoire: All weapons are kept in locked cupboards.! Decommissioned weapons (was a real gun with the firing mech removed) ! RIFs (Realistic Imitation Firearms) ! Real - Literally a real gun with blank fires (We do not use real guns on theatre - Film and TV however may do) ! Toy ! BB gun -Air powered using tiny projectile pellets. Pellets can be filled with small explosives ! Weapon access documentation acquisition is a long process so leave enough time to complete application.! RIFs are important in theatrical work however cause issues. RIFs are illegal however for theatrical work, the law is less provoking. To make sure we do not get prosecuted, the weapons policy is in place. Rules are set in order to avoid unnecessary visibility of the RIF. ! In RCS we have 2 armouries: Production o%ce in Renfrew Building ! Performance cabinet in the Ath kitchen (active armoury) ! Security measures are put in place for these armouries and only the relevant members of sta# can access.! All weapons must be taken back to the armoury by 5pm and for rehearsals a relevant member of sta# will be present during the rehearsals until the weapon is finished with.