# advice?



## Nirvano (Aug 10, 2007)

Okay so,
Generally I work with sets and lights, but I'm going to be stage managing for the first time this fall, and any general advice would be _amazing_. 
Thank you!


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## Chaos is Born (Aug 10, 2007)

Nirvano said:


> Okay so,
> Generally I work with sets and lights, but I'm going to be stage managing for the first time this fall, and any general advice would be _amazing_.
> Thank you!



Know the show, be consistant with how you call cues, consistancy with how you give warnings. 

clarity with sound and lights, (eg: sound is letters, lights is numbers)


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## Logos (Aug 10, 2007)

Make sure your prompt script can be followed by anyone in case you have a problem.


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## Van (Aug 10, 2007)

Peruse the Heck outta the Stage Managment forum here. There have been a lot of good discussions about various ways of doing things, different opinions and answers for whatever type of SMing it is, Theatre is Much different than R&R. R&R is a lot different from Dance. Dance is different from anything in the known Universe.
Organization, keeping a precise, up to date, and clearly understood, script is a requirement under Equity rules for an SM. If you get hit by a bus 10 minutes before the show starts, another SM needs to be able to walk into the booth and call the show. Be Firm but not unreasonable. Respect is better than fear, but I'll settle.


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## Grog12 (Aug 10, 2007)

Be the jack of all trades and master of none.

Communication communication communication.
Let nothing go on that you don't know about, and make sure to pass it on to the people who need to know.

And never write in your prompt book with a red pen!


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## gafftaper (Aug 11, 2007)

All those others are good here are three of my favorites...

-Make a photo copy of the script single sided. Put it in a binder. This way you have the blank back of the previous page on the left to add notes as needed. 

-Go to an office store and buy some little colored sticker dots. Put dots in your script to color code all your calls. Warning-yellow, stand by-red, go-yellow... or whatever works for you. You can also mark sound vs. light cues if you like. 

-While at the office supply store get: A pack of a dozen mechanical pencils, a good eraser, I like the "D" ring binders... you'll need either a 2 or 3 inch depending on the length of the script.... and one of those little plastic pencil bags that snaps into the rings of a 3 ring binder... to keep it all in. Put a bunch of blank sheets of paper in the back of the script. 

-Since you have some time you might pick up a book on Stage management. There are several out there. A very experienced Stage Manager I know Recommends "Stage Management" by Lawrence Stern. The current 8th edition is about $66 but you can [URL='http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0205335314/ref=sr_1_olp_2/002-2165941-0008837?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186816863&sr=1-2"]get a used 7th edition from Amazon for $18.50[/URL].


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## avkid (Aug 11, 2007)

Hang around here for tech stuff, but definitely check out http://smnetwork.org/forum/index.php for any and all stage management topics.


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