Desperately Unrehearsed

Roy Harris and Denise Yaney gave a completely different perspective on the job from Alex Libby because each of them have been part of the business for over 40 years. Roy Harris started out wanting to be an actor, graduated from college and came to NY to be an actor. He worked as an actor for a while until he realized that he wasn’t very good. Then he left the theatre for 10 years and came back to work as an stage manager. It took him about 4 years to reach success in his career with the Heidi Chronicles. This was his first Broadway show and he has since worked on 16 Broadway shows. When one is getting started the jobs that you will be able to take will not pay as well, but they have more flexible rehearsal hours. Therefore, it is possible to hold down a second job when you are starting out in this business. We asked him about whether graduate school would be necessary for a start as a stage manager because it is best for an SM to learn by doing. However, if your desire is to teach stage management then graduate school is highly recommended. The best part of the job for him is that he still loves theatre as much as he did when he started 40 years. Also, he gets excited at half hour, loves having his fingers in every piece of pie, being in charge, maintaining morale, and helping create a relaxing atmosphere. On the other hand, the worst part of the job for him is that he doesn’t like tech and dealing with difficult personalitities. Some really good advice that he passed on to us was to (1) take very detailed rehearsal notes, (2) give good, personal actor notes, (3) make good impressions, (4) not burn bridges, (5) take all jobs, (6) do not be too rigid, and (7) be nice and enjoy yourself. Thank you all!!

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When we met the Assistant Stage Manager of Is He Dead? the first thing that I noticed was how young he looked. I mean he is only 3 years older than I am right now! The way that he broke through into this career was by banging on stage doors until someone was willing to give him a chance becasue he had gumption. As he is gaining more knowledge in this career he is able to identify qualities in his mentors that he respects; such as, someone that accepts no bullshit and has an even temperment. He tried to warn us that this job has very weird hours but it is possible to have a life outside of the theatre. It was great to have someone who has been where we are now so recently and ask for advice becasue it is coming from such a different perspective. He told us to (1) save money, (2) keep relationships, (3) know what you want, (4) be willing to do anything, (5) do not complain, (6) observe everything, (7) pay attention to your mentors and (8) do NOT freak out EVER!!!

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Today was a pretty laid back day in comparison to the rest of the week. First, Talya and I decided to go shopping but on the way we stopped and had lunch at a diner. It was a really nice meal and very relaxed. We had a great time just hanging out even though our shopping trip was not very successful. Later I went to a meeting with with Alex Libby, the ASM of Is he Dead? and Roy Harris & Denise Yaney, the stage management team of The Homecoming. Finally, we all went up to the Lincoln Center and saw South Pacific at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre. This was a really great show because it brought me back to my childhood in a way because it was a movie that I watched a lot as a kid and to see it come to life was very fun! It thought the show was in a great space and that the set and acting was wonderfully fun to watch.

 Later that night Fritz and Katie were in the city, so a few of use decided to go out with them. Eventually we decided to go down to Christopher St. to stroll around and explore. We ended up finding  a very quaint little pastry shop and I had a wonderful piece of NYC cheescake. Next we decided to walk down a few more blocks and saw the Friends building. Even though it was only the outside of the building it was fun to see something that is such an iconic symbol on TV; however, because it was so dark I was unable to get any good pictures. So now I know that I am becoming more comfortable with the city because I can explore the city late at night and not feel overly paranoid.

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On Wednesday, March 5, Sommer, Lucia and myself met with Jill Cordle, the PSM of November. I personally think that she gave us some great advice and it was given in a very effective and concise manner. She has always loved theatre and studied it all the way through her MFA. Her career consisted of a large range of experiences, everything from working in a youth theatre company to touring and to Broadway. Since she received her MFA we asked her if she thought that graduate school was necessary for a stage manager to become successful. However, her response was very reassuring because she stated that if you got the skills from an undergraduate degree then it would be unnecessary to pay close to $100,000 in tutition fees for a skill set that may have already been acquired. She suggested that the best way to begin in this business is by starting as a PA, making contacts, and working your way up the ladder. Some of the things that she considers to be her favorite part of working as a stage amanger is that she likes to watch actors recreate something and knowing that she is part of the art. In addition, what she dislikes the most about the job is when it ceases to be fun and she has to become a cheerleader for the company in order to maintain morale. Some of the qualities that she really likes about a good stage manager is that the y don’t micromanage their team and that they do not always give corrections to every little thing. In particular, one thing that I found to be very impressive about her was that she has been married for 18 years and has 2 children. This gives me hope to the possibility that one can manage to have a family and a personal life while still being very successful as Broadway stage manager. The advice that Jill kindly gave to us was to be a confident, leader with a sense of humor and to be someone that is very well-versed in various aspects of the production. Meeting with Jill was a great experience! Thank you!

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I had the great opportunity of meeting with Jennifer Marik, the PSM of Wicked, and her stage managers, Chris and Kristi, before their matinee on Wednesday, March 5. It was nice to talk to them together because you could really see why together they made a great team because they had a great balance. All three of them had different career paths. For instance, Jennifer Marik began pursuing theatre when she was in college and said to herself that she would keep doing theatre as long as it was fun. That comment was made several years ago and she STILL loves going to work everyday. Her stage manager was really interesting to speak with because he has a very different perspective on theatre. Since he worked in the military for 8 years, he tends to wonder why the stress level is as high…”it’s not like we are doing surgery.” One piece of advice that they all agreed upon, in that respect, was that in this industry you must have a great sense of humor. You need to understand that everyone’s problems are not your problems and that you should be able to say no. Alos, the best way to get into this business is by being aggressive and getting out and meeting people. Who you know and where you work are very important factors as to how you progress in this career.

I got to have one of the greatest opportunities ever after this interview!! I got to sit in the booth with the calling SM and watch Wicked behind her while she called the show. I found myself silently reading her calling script along with her and calling the cues. I was very proud of myself because I was accurately calling these cues along with her which is good becasue I have never called a show with music. Her calling script was very specific and I was very impressed with it because I could follow it so easily. All in all, everyone that I met at the Gershwin Theatre was very nice, accomodating and helpful. I really had a wonderful experience that I know I will never forget. Thank you all!!

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Wednesday, March 5, has been, by far, the most amazing day since coming to the city. I am really beginning to think that this is where I want to begin my life after college. I love the city!

Today Sommer, Lucia, and myself returned to the NYC Opera to have a more in depth conversation with the PSM, Tom Kelly. He sat and talked with us for a long time and gave a lot of great advice. You could definately tell that he was a teacher because he gave all of his answers in a very long-winded but informative manner. After this I went to the Gershwin Theatre to meet with the stage management team of Wicked. I sat and spoke with them for about an hour before the show began and I got to watch the matinee from the SM booth while one of the SM’s called the show. It was overwhelming and incredible!!!!!! Once the show ended I met up with Sommer and Lucia to go onto our next meeting with Jill Cordle, the PSM of November. Together we got to see her calling booth and the set of the show and then we sat and talked with her about our questions and she gave some really concise but clear answers that were very helpful. A break finally came into our day,  just enough time for dinner at the hotel and then we went to the Imperial Theatre to see August: Osage County. This was an amazing show, everything from the text to the set and the acting was perfectly combined to have a powerful effect. It was hilarious and I really enjoyed myself!! Today was a great day and the highlight was definately being able to watch an SM call a major Braodway show!!

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I was given the amazing opportunity with Sommer and Lucia to sit in the house and backstage to observe Madama Butterfly’s final Orchestra dress rehearsal. This was my first opportunity to see an opera!! I was absolutley stunned by the magnitude of the voices these individuals could produce. While watching we were sitting behind the tech table and observing how the director, SM, and lighting director all communicated with each other and others. One specific difference between opera and theatre is that they work from a score rather than a script. An interesting interaction I witnessed was prior to beginning the rehearsal, the press agent came up to the lighting director (only one on headset) and was giving him notes to pass along to the wardrobe crew about a principals’ head piece. Due to the confusion of the lighting coordinator, Tom had to step in and defuse the situation by assuring the press agent that wardrobe would have the leading lady looking perfect before her first entrance. I liked how diplomatically he approached the press agent who was making demands and was able to calm and placate her. Other differences I noticed about this tech rehearsal that I had never seen before was that there were no holds to fix problems. All corrections were either made during the performance (with stage management or crew coming onstage and adjusting actors’ positioning or set pieces) or at the break. Also, because the opera house is in rep (has multiple shows being performed simultaneously) the actors had to move to the light rather than the light moving for the actors. Being able to watch this rehearsal was an indespencible experience!! Thank you to all, esp. Isabel Martin and Tom Kelly!!!

The next morning the three of us returned back to the NYC Opera for a more in depth converstation with Tom Kelly. When we first got their and were searching for a quiet place to talk we came upon a stage management team setting up for a rehearsal and Tom offered our services. So we helped them set up chairs and tape down a center line. It caught us off guard but we were very happy to lend a helpful hand. Afterwards we all went into the house and began the interview. First, Tom described to us his career path and how he was led to his current position. He came from a very artistic family and had been participating in theatre since a very young age. During college he worked on a summer stock theatre for each school break. There he acted and worked as crew and realized that he was advancing much quicker in the technical field rather than acting. Eventually he worked his way to the Woodhouse Playhouse where he made a contact that he worked with for several projects and it helped to significantly shape his career. He stated that because he got to work in several different technical fields he was able to expand his knowledge of the process. Tom did not recommend graduate school unless it was paired with a particular theatre that would offer a lot of hands-on experience. He recommended that when first starting out to take advantage of any and all opportunities because once you become an SM you are required to know everything and you want to start in positions of responsibility but that are not as demanding to answer questions. When asked to describe the SM responsibilities while on tour he stated that they increase exponentially because you are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the show and the designers’ creation. ADVICE: (1) Curtain goes up NO MATTER WHAT, (2) Learn to speak loudly and clearly, (3) Speak with clear & concise diction, (4) Be polite, (5) Always say Thank You, (6) Learn basic knowledge of music. GOOD TRAITS: (1) Instinct not always Yes or No, (2) Positive force, (3) Personable, (4) Friendly, (5) Understanding, (6) Nurturing, (7) Doesn’t have to be everyone’s BFF! To speak with someone with such a incredible reputation and knowledge in the field was great and I wish our schedule has allowed us to have spoken with him for a longer period of time. Thank you, Tom!!

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On Tuesday, March 4, Sommer, Lucia and myself had lunch with a traveling Stage Manager, Richard Costabile at the West Side Cottage II. This was a really nice Chinese restaurant where we all sat and he told us all he could about the stage manangement profession. First, he described his own career path: how he was a math major in college, taught high school, worked at IBM, and then began acting in community theatre. He attended the Neighborhood School of Theatre for his 2-year professional degree and realized as an actor that he “had the curse of being good enough to know exactly how much better he needed to be” (Beautiful Children, Charles Bok). After making this realization he began to SM and taught himself from a book and hands-on experience. He continued to work and eventually became one of the founding members of the SMA (Stage Managers Association). Once hearing about how it was he reached his position he began to give significant advice to us. LOVE YOUR JOB!!! The SM is  in contact with countless people throughout the production process, in essence, they are at the center of an enormous spider web. Thus, it is invalid to understand everyone’s positions in order to communicate with them in an empathetic and effective manner. Also, an SM must maintain a positive outlook because their attitude can have an all-emcompassing effect on the production, as a whole. Learn how to prioritze and aritculate with others that you hear and understand their request but that you have something to accomplish in that moment. One of the hardest things for a SM to deal with, according to him, is difficult egos. Also, at a certain point, Richard stressed that, as an SM, you must NOT do everything!! Another good piece of advice, I thought, was to do and experience other disciplines in order to improve your own knowledge and develop a better level of communication. Other advice included: (1) Listen, (2) Always be looking for work, (3) Treat yourself well, (4) Learn how to save producers $$$ (they love that), (5) Make contacts and develop relationships, & (6) NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK!!!

I am beginning to see a pattern.

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Tuesday, March 3, Sommer, Lucia and myself went to lunch with Richard Costabile, a touring Stage Manager and a member of SMA (Stage Managers Association). We ate at West Side Cottage II, and we discussed with him his path and tried to pull as much advice from his well-experienced mind as possible. Once we finished with our interview we ran over to the NYC Opera to meet with Isabel Martin and Tom Kelly. The company was running through their final Orchestra dress rehearsal. Each of us got the opportunity to stand backstage for one act on headset with one of the stage managers running the deck. This was a great experience to be backstage and see and hear how everyone in all the different departments work and communicate together. Also, I was intriqued by how the stage managers had to work with the union crew, they could not touch or move anything. After the rehearsal ended, the assistant technical director gave us a backstage tour. This was an incredible experience for me because not only were we observing professionals in our field, but it was the FIRST opera I have ever seen!! The next part of our day was to travel all the way out to Brooklyn to BAM. Here is where we saw Patrick Stuart in Shakespeare’s Macbeth.  This performance was fantastic! It completely invaded the senses and the violence of the script was portrayed beautifully. I really enjoyed this show, it had me leaning forward in my seat the majority of the time!

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Monday afternoon, we had lunch with Terry Alexander, a sub ASM for Mary Poppins, at the Renaissance Diner. He was a particulary interesting person to speak with because he has a undergraduate in business like I will have when I graduate. So even though he did not study theatre until after he graduated, he was reassuring to me that the skills that I am learning in that discipline will be very beneficial to me when I begin stage managing professionally. Terry did a lot of regional and opera stage management before moving to NYC and Mary Poppins is actually his first Broadway job. He stated that what gives him the most satisfaction about this work is that he loves the art and watching how it touches the audience. When he was giving advice he encouraged that we always speak on behalf of the production (approach people from the perspective of making the show the best it can be)  and ensure that you are listening to people. Some good qualities for a stage manager are: (1) Doesn’t take matters personally, (2) Not a power play, (3) Constantly servicing a production, (4) Not bad talking cast or staff, (5) Avoids gossip, (6) Accpets responsibility for their own mistakes, (7) Makes everything seem absolutely effortless. Offer yourself as a resource for designers, directors, and actors, another pair of eyes to catch things they would miss because they are too close to the project. He could not choose a favorite between regional, Broadway, or opera stage management because each has a its own pros and cons. REMEMBER: (a) You do NOT have to do everything, (b) Keep learning, (c) Do not be obnoxious, (d) Meet people!!!! Terry gave a lot of great advice!! Thank you!

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