# SM v. ASM



## Dean (May 15, 2004)

Just wondering, since i might be SMing this show and all - 

Is the ASM basically the SM's slave?


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## megf (May 16, 2004)

Depends on what the show entails, and the working relationship between the folks on the SM team...

Do you have detailed info on the show?


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## Dean (May 16, 2004)

School Musical - 
Return to the Forbidden Planet


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## zac850 (May 16, 2004)

yes, usually 8O


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## megf (May 16, 2004)

I'm ASMing a musical right now - basically, the SM keeps track of blocking, choreography and anything the director requests, and I watch over the deck. If this were a more complicated show (we only get 25 hours of rehearsal, it's a concert reading), I would probably be managing the deck and on book for sections of dialogue. 

Megf


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## SMTashi (May 21, 2004)

I usually get my ASM to do anything that I don't have time to do. Does that count as slavery?? =P Nah, I try to be good to my ASM but he does end up doing a lot of the work that I just don't get the time to do... checking props (we don't have Props Managers), giving actor warnings, getting the running crew into position for scene changes, etc.


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## Dean (May 21, 2004)

Thanks - I'm so pumped to SM this musical


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## producer (Aug 20, 2004)

Ahhh shoot. 
Just when i thought i knew who was incharge of what, you guys bring up ASM (i take it Assistant Stage manager?) Whats the diff (other than what we've allready discused)? I thought the SM was the person on the floor "directing traffic" (as we call it at my old school).


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## sallyj (Aug 21, 2004)

In most instances, the SM should be "on book", calling all the cues, including deck moves and directing traffic. Because of the concentration needed for calling cues, an ASM will often take over traffic control backstage and make sure everything is running the way it should be. An ASM also could be considered something like a stage manager's understudy- able to step in and call the show in the event of an emergency. At our school we often have two ASMs. One will take care of tracking props and sets, the other costumes. ASMs need to be good problem solvers as well. 
That help?

SJM


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## producer (Aug 22, 2004)

You guys are amazing. Turns out that we just use different names. SM is Cue Master and ASM is SM. SWEETTTTTTTTT


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## JP12687 (Sep 4, 2004)

Normally my stage managers sit up in the booth with the LBO calling cues, and relaying cues over headset to backstage ASMs backstage we have 2 one on each side, they are responsible for all actors, props, and costumes on their side


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## JahJahwarrior (Sep 4, 2004)

SM's and ASM's at my school....SM is always the person who gets really really really mad at everyone for no good reason at all, complains profusely of a lakc of sleep, and is always asking if anyone has anything with caffeine in it. The actors actually do pretty well about knowing when they need to enter, they just walk over to the entrance, and see where they are in the play, an look and see when they need to be up there, ready to go on. SM's in the past have always been girls. This year, we have a guy. ASM is like, usually we don't have one. Someone is drafted a few weeks before production to stand on the other side of the stage and make sure the actors are ther eon time. This year we have a real ASM, and she is working in tandem with the SM. ASM, SM and me, the TD, are allworking to gether to design the set. I think we are also building it too. 

And ofcourse, SM or ASM are always, , before shows, like "yeah I'm gonna be yelling at you" and it's like "oh, great. I'm a good actor, I'm doing my job ,I'm the one that's handling when I need to be up there and ready, the sound and light people are handling their own cues, and we actors are staying quiet backstage. Remind me again why you are prepared to hate us? is it beccause you cannot act or run a lightboard?" 

I'm sure that we are different from most schools


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## JP12687 (Sep 4, 2004)

yes you are completly different from my school.

Actors at my school cannot be trusted to do anything, honestly if we didnt have ASMs and "runners' with them at all times the whole cast would be drunk by the time they came on stage. 

We had the problem last year one of our ASMs would yell way too much, she was hated and theofore no one respected her. I would walk down ask nicely and everyone would shutup.

Our SM is normally always on book and call the cues to lighting(and sound sometimes) because there are way too many cues to handle..most shows i write have well over 250+ cues.


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## JahJahwarrior (Sep 4, 2004)

our lighting is very simple, just 14 Par's. So, we don't have lots of cues anyways, and the director is usually the one running lights (even though she knows diddlysquat about alot of the lighting) 

well, our SM does have to tell us to be quiet...mainly, right before the play, ,and right near the end. But yeah,b ecause of their attidudes, I don't like them a whole lot usually, though sometimes they are needed to quiet actors down.


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## who_touched_the_patch (Sep 8, 2004)

:? Its all really confusing.
My theatre company has two stages - a small one downstairs and a larger upstairs.
During Rehearsals D/S-
My ASM takes all blocking notes and gets most of the paperwork regarding to tasks done. I'll usually call out: "<Name>, make a note of such and such."
That afternoon they create and print/email the notes sheets for that day.

During Shows D/S
My ASM starts props checklists at 1/2 hour call and then I'll usually ask them to take over calls at about 20-15 mins. I then make sure that the tech crew is set, review any problems that haven't been fixed from the previous performance and we start.

During the show, my ASM is usually in the dressing rooms giving actor warnings or helping with quick changes backstage.

Rehearsals U/S
The US space has a dedicated SM desk and control booth, uinlike the DS theatre. My ASM will usually take blocking and other paperwork, similair to the job they do DS.

During shows the ASM sits prompt side at the desk and runs FOH communications, CueLX and has direct access to Backup DMX.
(In tech week and during shows i usually call in what i call the 2ASM, or 2nd Assistant Stage Manager (confusing I know) I usually have them at a spot OP or in the dressing rooms.

Basically, I find that the ASM is there to make the SM's life a whole lot easier.

____________
Stage Managers DO make coffee...


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## EPAC_Matt (Sep 16, 2004)

One of our ASM's main jobs (we had two ASM's) was to make coffee for the techs during the last production 

We had converted one of our box offices into a dedicated coffee room.


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## tenor_singer (Sep 16, 2004)

I don't like the term "slave" to the SM.

I usually put the SM in charge of cue calling and keeping the SR crew organized. The ASM is in charge of the SL crew. This way I know that there are two people, one per stage side, with brains keeping everybody else on task.

Plus it is helpful if you don't have crossover lanes, or in our case, crossover lanes that cannot be traveled timely.


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## JahJahwarrior (Sep 16, 2004)

crossover lines?? like, a way betwen the two sides of the stage?? our thing is like a U. the _ is the backstage, with the || things the hallways to the entrances. In the middle of the U is the stage  

This play is gonna be different I am TD, and together with the SM and ASM, we are all working on things. It's gonna be a better play, and with the best tech ever!!!

PS: my school JUST bought a new sound system, Mackie VLZ1604Pro, two SR1530's and two SR450's. That makes this even better! and to boot, because we rent a church's space for our school, and we use their older crappier sound system, we cannot put ours in anywhere, I'm storing it. 

SM's aren't half bad this go around!


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## Thranduil (Oct 16, 2005)

For us at berekely high, the way it worked last year was the stagemanager was on SL calling cues, the ASM was also SL(where the backstage ie dressing rooms are) taking care of the actors and props ect, and then on SR we had a techie who was ASM, flymaster, and making sure actors dont go into the patch. so for us SM calles cues, and ASM watches the stage, backstage, actors, props


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## JP12687 (Oct 16, 2005)

Depends on the show, i once worked a show, where the SM was..how do i say this nicely...an idiot.

IE- showing up to shows 5min b4 curtain.

in that case, i was the ASM and basicly did all SM duties. I called all deck cues, he did everythign up in the booth(lighting+sound). I handled the House before the show. 

But in normal situations, yes hes the slave


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## Diarmuid (Oct 26, 2005)

JP12687 said:


> Depends on the show, i once worked a show, where the SM was..how do i say this nicely...an idiot.
> 
> IE- showing up to shows 5min b4 curtain.



I have to agree, with JP12687, sometimes the ASM does end up doing the SM's job. For one production, I ended up being the ASM. Now when I am the SM, I do try to make sure that as opposed to being my slave, they are learning the role for when it is there turn. Obviously sometimes, I do need a slave, but as a whole I try to keep to the above.


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## asm (Sep 10, 2006)

hi there. well for the past 3 years i've been ASM (or DSM as we call it). ive basically been in charge of everything back stage from scene changes to prob management and actor controal and curtain cues. the stage manager cues all the sound and the lights.
so if anything goes wrong back stage i generally get blamed for it. unfortunatly actors can be a right pain and screw up all my hard all work.


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## gabe (Sep 12, 2006)

At our school the SM stays in the booth and calls cues, the ASM has a sesk SL and manages crew and actors there, then SR there is the SR Floormanager.


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## thorin81 (Sep 12, 2006)

The AMS has been and always will be the SM's go-to monkey. The AMS's main responsibility is to manage back stage and make sure that the actor's hit their cues. I have tried to do shows without an ASM and I have regretted it. They really are a valuable asset to the show.


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## Van (Sep 12, 2006)

asm said:


> hi there. well for the past 3 years i've been ASM (or DSM as we call it).


 
D.S.M. ?? Ok somebody fill me in. What's a DSM ? I thought I had a real good handle on all things theatrical but that one is throwing me

As far as the thread goes, I'd love for someone to come call one of our ASMs a slave. Ha ! We have two designations, being an Equity House, ASM is just that being an assistant stage manager and usually running props and making sure things backstage run smoothly. Under our Equity contract an ASM is only required when we have a cast size of 10 people or more. We also use P.A.s < Production Assistants>, for smaller cast shows. they tend to run props and make sure things run smoothly backstage ( "Why Van, that's what you said the ASMs did !" Yes but P.A.s do it for less money ! )


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## gafftaper (Sep 15, 2006)

I notice lots of young folks talking about how it's done at their school in this thread... remember that every school and teacher is different and run their programs on variety of levels of professionalism. The result is all these crazy differences you see in this thread and positions like the "cue master". I'll try to help sort out what S.M and A.S.M. typically mean in the professional and semi-professional world. 

The S.M. is essentially the director's assistant throughout the rehearsal process, the most critical job being recording every detail possible in their script. Once the show opens the director moves on to their next show (they get paid to direct, not sit around and watch performances). The S.M. then is placed in charge of the show. It is the S.M.'s job to make sure that the show is performed the way the director intended every night... even if it's a Broadway show that runs for years. On a long running show, a director is occasionally called back in to tune the show back to the original vision. The S.M. calls all the cues in the show from the detailed notes in the script. Depending on the house and S.M. preferences, sometimes this is done from backstage at a S.M. desk and sometimes it's done from the booth. Either way, the S.M. is busy calling cues and following the script. The S.M. can't effectively also manage what's going on backstage as well... and so the A.S.M. was born. 

No professional would ever call the A.S.M. the S.M.'s slave. The A.S.M. is the eyes, ears, hands, feet, and voice of the S.M. back stage. Some of the best S.M.'s I know have a limited list of specific A.S.M.'s they only work with. It's a team not a competition. The primary duties of an A.S.M. are to call warning's back stage, oversee props, lead the crew, and put out fires (literally and figuratively). This job and the working relationship between the two is especially important if the S.M. is in the booth.


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## TalBrite (Dec 30, 2006)

The SM/ASM relationship depends on the show, the theatre and it's traditions, and the two people filling those roles. 

The last show I worked on had 2 ASMs (I was one), and the stage manager had me do all of the sweeping/mopping/cleaning of props and the other do all of her coffee/food running, and we both handled props and costumes and actors backstage. She kept track of all of the director's requests and changes and called the show from the booth, and yelled when someone needed to yell. All in all, our role was much more active and interactive, and she did her job from an audience seat and the booth. 

However, while this was her style, I'm stage manager now and there has been no objection to me taking a more active role in the setting up process or directing from the ground with my ASM helping instead of slaving away alone, though when it comes to show time I still sit up in the booth with the board ops and call cues to my ASM backstage. 

The last theater I worked with had the stage manager backstage calling cues and in between them working harder than anyone to get props and actors, etc. prepared to go on. There are a alot of things that effect the relationship. Take your own route as a stage manager within the bounds of your theatre's setup, and decide whether you want a slave (which you could prpbably get) or a helpful understudy.


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## SocksOnly (Dec 30, 2006)

As the ASM for pretty much everything in our school this year, I'm pretty much my SM's *****. I write things down for him, focus lights while he directs where they should be, follow a script and call cues if he needs a nap...I'm usually his caffeine supplier as well (technically, he just steal's half my Mountain Dew).

I might make it sound like I'm his slave, but it's a pretty good relationship- we rely on eachother as a team and it gets stuff done. He just tells me what to do more than I tell him what to do, really.


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## asm (Apr 10, 2007)

i generally found that the SM was in charge of cueing the lights and the sounds and the scene changes. the ASM is basically in charge of getting the stuff backstage done (i.e. getting the set in place and making sure that the side curtains closed and that all the rest of the crew are off the stage).


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## Logos (Apr 17, 2007)

Shall we go to a different country.
As I was trained in Australia Lo these many years ago on small shows you have the SM "on the book" calling the show and making sure all the tech runs smooth. He/she might have one or more ASM's running props making sure of scene changes and resets and ensuring the actors are where they are supposed to be backstage. On a bigger show with major set changes and stuff the SM is on the floor bossing the crew and supervising the changes and the DSM (Deputy Stage Manager) is on the book calling the show and ensuring its smooth flow of the tech.
This is also how the pro and top end amateur world worked in the decade or so I lived and worked in the UK.
This of course does not mention all the work the SM does during the rehearsal period.


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