First Time Calling a Show

[Jenna281093]

Ok Guys,

 

I'm 16 years old and part of the National Youth Theatre in the Stage Management department so I know what to do when calling a show so please don't tell me how.

 

I've been given the role of DSM in a current production of Half a Sixpence at my local theatre.

 

But I'd just like to know if anyone has any good advice or tips on calling a show?

 

Thanks,

Jenna x

[smalljoshua]

Hi Jenna,

 

First of all, welcome to the Blue Room, hope you can gain a lot from the knowledge and experience of our longer serving members. However, you do seem to contradict yourself when you say "I know what to do when calling a show so please don't tell me how." and then go on to say "But I'd just like to know if anyone has any good advice or tips on calling a show?" Perhaps a better way to phrase that would have been "I know the basics when calling a show and can get by at the moment but does anyone have any tips on how I could get it spot on?"

 

Humility is a great thing :P

 

Josh

[paulears]

This topic from a few weeks back might help.

 

I've got a recording (mentioned in that topic), which could help you quite a bit.

 

I'll send you the link by PM

Paul

[Dodgecaliber]

Hi Jenna,

 

First of all, welcome to the Blue Room, hope you can gain a lot from the knowledge and experience of our longer serving members. However, you do seem to contradict yourself when you say "I know what to do when calling a show so please don't tell me how." and then go on to say "But I'd just like to know if anyone has any good advice or tips on calling a show?" Perhaps a better way to phrase that would have been "I know the basics when calling a show and can get by at the moment but does anyone have any tips on how I could get it spot on?"

 

Humility is a great thing :P

 

Josh

 

 

Oh leave the poor girl alone! At least shes not doing the usual that our resident teenage company directors do.

 

If you are acting as a DSM, all I would suggest is don't let others take the piss. Im not just saying that because your 16, but it may be a case of you know a lot of them and being a similar age, they think you have no authority (I.e telling them to shh in the wings).

 

Authority and good book keeping are what I'd suggest. But then again im just a lowlife lampie :P

 

Dodge

[Jenna281093]

Cheers paulears thats really helpful :P

I'll listen to it a couple of time & see what I can pick up.

 

And thanks to Dodgecaliber for your advice and I never worry about the respect thing, actors have never seemed to care about my age, maybe just cause I get on with them all and have a laugh... Earn respect and give repsect eh?

And I'm sure your more than a low life lampy :P

Some of my best friends are lampys and soundys so I know the amount of effort you guys put in :P

 

And as for SmallJoshua...

Well I may be 16 but I know how to handle a stage. When I'm DSM its my stage and my rules go. I know what I'm doing on stage otherwise I wouldn't have got into the National Youth Theatre. I was asking for advice from experienced people in the industry not for your pointless criticism. :P

Not 2 seem rude or anything but your post was as bout as useful as a chocolate teapot... :P

(Oh and by the way, I'm 17 in october so really you're only 11 months older than me, never pick on a girl stage manager... Especially Not Me... I know how to play :P)

 

P.S: Cheers to Dodge for sticking up 4 me :)

 

Thanks again 4 everyone's advice,

Jenna x

[paulears]

The thing to listen for in that recording is how people can switch between chat and work in an instant. As soon as a standby is called, people just shut up.

Patrick, as you can hear is a Northerner - and makes no attempt to be 'official' or 'strict'. He gets the respect because he's very good at his job, is human, forgives cockups and doesn't come across as bossy. It sometimes goes wrong when a DSM, as mentioned above, doesn't have the 'pips on the shoulder' that MUST go with the job. In a school or college situation, you cannot have a weak DSM and a strong LX op for example. It's common for know-it-alls to ignore the call and do what they think is best, and if you have this problem, you need to stop it straight away - maybe with staff backing you up if this is the only way they'll listen. In return you get the blame for all their mess ups, if - their mess up was actually you miscalling a cue or making a bad decision. If you say go, and it's early or just wrong - YOU take the blame, say sorry and move on ready to get the flack later. You must be cool, collected and efficient. If the crew find you are indecisive, they'll start to work without you, and if you lose them, you're gone. You don't have to be perfect, you just need to be in charge.

 

If people trust you, they'll follow and support you, even if you make mistakes. If they don't trust you, it won't work. Feel free to ask them for advice, but the end decision MUST be yours.

 

The Stage Manager - responsible for absolutely everything!

[Jenna281093]

Cheers Paul,

 

Good advice, I know what you mean by its the stage manager who is responsible for everything.

Thats what makes it so daunting right :P

 

But its all worth it in the end. :P

 

Many Thanks

Jenna x

Moderation: Jenna - I've pulled out the odd font and pink colour again - please only post in black. As Ross says below - it\'s really difficult to read in magenta or whatever it was.

[rossmck]

Hi Jenna,

 

O/T for the thread I guess but welcome to the Blue Room :) - Can you please stick with black text though, the pink/purple is rather hard to read. Also, you may not want to put your eMail address on every posting - you'll get a lot of spam as a result... as an aside it's a pleasant surprise to see someone of your age with a sensible eMail address - the little things like that really help when you have to put it on a CV or invoice ;)

 

Good luck with calling the show, and your role as DSM - it's one that's very rewarding and carries a lot of responsibility - unlike a lot of the aforementioned 'teenage company directors' you show a lot of promise and I hope you'll continue to learn from, and contribute to, this community :)

 

Ross

[kerry davies]

Nice attitude, Jenna, confidence is crucial.

 

One small tip is that you are going into their house so you will need to have a chat to find out how they do things at present and explain how you intend to run things. The post that Paul refers to shows that there are ever so many personal foibles that become accepted ways of doing things which could cause confusion. Make sure that everyone is on the same wavelength.

 

Enjoy and remember that the punters don't have a script. They don't know exactly what is supposed to happen so fail to even see most "disasters" that we cringe over.

[GridGirl]

Do you already know (and have you worked with) the various operators before? I always find that when I start working with crew members I haven't come across before, it's very helpful to sit down with them for five minutes and find out if there's anything they particularly want or need from you when calling the show. It doesn't have to be formal, and chances are there won't be much at all, but they then feel like you're including them! A common language, as you probably know, is the most important thing; figure out with the flyman whether he wants "Fly Q 15 GO" or "Fly the gauze in GO" (I tend to go with "standby Fly Q 15, which is the gauze coming in over ten seconds" and then "fly Q 15 GO" myself!); if you have sound effects, does the sound operator want a cue light rather than a cue on comms, so they don't have to have a headset on?

 

I regularly work with a hugely experienced operator who is happy to say to me "I think we should shift that lighting cue" and I'm more than happy for him to say that - he has a better view of the show than I do, and the rhythm of a show can often change over the run (as I'm sure you know already!). Be open to suggestions - but don't feel bound to act on them! - particularly if they're coming from someone experienced and knowledgeable.

 

Also, don't be afraid to break with "this is the way it's done" if need be. Sometimes the "right" (or traditional) way to call a cue just doesn't work and you and the operator concerned can work out a much better way. I did a show a couple of years ago where there were some absolutely critical sound cues (starting backing tracks) on a visual cue from the MD - so we gave the operator a conductor-cam monitor and we worked out how best I should stand him by for those cues - I've never used that standby sequence again (and neither has the operator), but it worked in the situation.

 

You sound like you've got the right attitude - have fun and break a leg!

[karl]

Hi Jenna,

 

I do lighting and sound for a lot of amateur shows around Huddersfield and Halifax so our paths may cross at some point. The most important thing I want from a DSM is reliability. I need to have confidence that they're not going to miss calls, etc. You need a cool head to stay focussed regardless of the mayhem that might be happening around you.

 

I have a great respect for people who can do that job well. It's not something I'd be any good at, the one time I stood in for somebody it was a shambles.

 

Hope it all goes well.

[Jenna281093]

Thanks for all your advice guys, its been really helpful :P

 

I'm glad I found this forum now :)

 

Hopefully all should go well but I think I'll find I learn alot cause I'm been chucked in at the deep end as they say...

So combined with your advice and the job I think I'll be fine :P

 

Many Thanks Once Again,

Jenna x

[rossmck]

Don't forget to let us know how you get on and how the show goes :-)

[mrsveevee]

Hey Jenna,

 

I'm fairly new on here too, and close-ish to your age. I work with a few local youth theatres near Glasgow, and I was 19 when I first called the book for a show (I'm 21 now). The biggest tip I can give you is to stay calm- if things go wrong, don't panic, I found that the guys on sound and lights were more than patient, and happy to help me learn. Just don't lose your head if you make a mistake, everyone does!

 

Hope it all goes well for you :)

 

Marian