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Meet with Assistant SMs (ASMs) to discuss their roles and duties. Make sure you get their phone numbers and email address(es) at this time.
Create SM copy of script. A few example pages are included.
If someone else is needed at rehearsal, like a fight choreographer, please contact them wayyyyy in advance. Fight choreographers need to be there to rehearse every fight, and they come back once more during tech week to oversee a fight call.
Auditions:
Assist director with running auditions. (the producer will also help with this)
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-Make sure you know why each thing in the cart is there. If there's a prop in the cart and nooneno one's using it, figure out who should be
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-Send out the notes as soon after rehearsal as possible
Before Production week:
Ask your director for input on set transitions. If the director has no artistic input, ask the set designer for an outline of transitions. Assign these to actors.
Assign run-time jobs. Things that Assign run-time jobs. Things that need to be assigned include:
- clean the stage
- clean the audience
- clean the dressing room
- laundry (assign multiple people if play involves blood)
- clean props (as necessary)
- buy food (candy) for dressing room - a lot, actors are greedy
- buy water (and cups) for the dressing room - a lot, actors are thirsty
- silence doors
- warm ups
- morale
- props
- Clean the stage - Sweep the stage before each run and make sure there are no wet or slippery spots. If there is blood in the show, wipe the blood splatters off the stage immediately after the run/perfomance to avoid stains.
- Clean the audience - Make sure the audience is clean before house opens each night. This means all cast/crew belongings, trash, old programs, etc. should be cleared.
- Clean the dressing room - Make sure stray personal belongings (especially food and non-water drinks!) don't get left behind in dressing rooms after runs. Help make-up clean up supplies and help costumes tidy the laundry piles.
- Laundry (assign multiple people if play involves blood) - Not all costume pieces get washed: there should be a specific laundry pile in the dressing room(s) and you should only wash those. Wash laundry-specific costume items three times: after final dress, after the first weekend of shows, and after closing night - if the show has blood, laundry should be done between every run/performance. You can get reimbursed for this, ask the dirstaff (request@) for help!
- Props (as necessary) - Make sure props are clean and not breaking after every run. Ask the props designer for instructions on what they want you to do, because props can be very fragile. If there is blood and swords in the show, wash the blood off the swords (including the handle if needed) immediately after every run. If you notice anything is broken, email the props mailing list.
- Candy for dressing rooms - Buy a lot; actors are hungry. You can get reimbursed for this, ask the dirstaff (request@) for help! The only rules are:
- ask for allergies in the cast
- don't buy chocolate!
- Water for dressing rooms - Buy a lot (1 bottle per actor, and a jug for refills); actors are thirsty. The PJ-Way is to buy bottles and number each bottle cap so actors can place the bottles wherever they want, and they only have to remember what number is theirs. You can get reimbursed for this, ask the dirstaff (request@) for help!
- Silence doors - Using tape, attach wads of newspaper over the latches of a door so it can't click/lock and so that the door closes as silently as possible. Do this to all the doors leading from backstage to the dressing rooms(s) and/or bathrooms, or similar doorways. After the run/performance, take these off so we can secure the premises. Ask the SM/ASM if you need help understanding how, or if you don't know which doors to silence.
- Warm ups - Get people warmed up for the show: nice and toasty! Ask previous morale people for institutional memory, and you can always email dirstaff for help. We usually start with syllables, tongue twisters, and resonators. Projection exercises are also very good. Then we move on to games focused on getting comfortable on the stage and thinking on the spot, such as free play, 5 things, I'm a tree, improv scenes, etc.
- Start on time, every time! You are in charge of showing up and shepherding the flock of actors into getting ready.
- Morale - Get people hyped up and focused for the show! Ask previous morale people for institutional memory, and you can always email dirstaff for help. We play games, common ones are: five things, bunny bunny, wa!, category tag, counting games, etc. and we always end in "take pains."
- Be flexible! If something goes over time, morale is the section that gets shortened to compensate.
- Fight captain - You should have fight experience, but shouldn't be in too many fights yourself. Attend some fight rehearsals before tech week. Make a list of every fight and which actors are in it, and run the list in whatever order is best/optimal before every show. You are in charge of fight call (which is right after warm-ups) and you should run every fight in the show. For small fights, you can run them just once; for more complicated fight choreo, run through each fight in increasing speed percentages (50%, then 75%, then 95% or something similar). The most important thing is making sure everything is done safely and that every actor involved feels comfortable. Never do a fight at 100% speed during fight call, because actors will always do it faster during a real performance than during practice!
(More jobs can be added as necessary to make the number of jobs equal the number of actors)
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The show now belongs to you. Oh, the power =)...
During prod week and the run, you control everything. It is your responsibility to make sure that you get into the performance space every night, and that it's secured when you leave. Your word is law. When you decide the show will start is when it will start. You have to coordinate the actions of the cast, crew, house manager, ushers, audience, etc. Again, you need to make sure that everyone that's supposed to be there is there. You call the show. You tell the light board-op when to hit the button. You tell the sound board-op when to hit the button. You tell the stage crew when to move the button (or table, or chair, or flat, or elephant, whatever!). If anything goes wrong, it's your call on what to do, who to call, and how to fix it, so be prepared to make split-second decisions about what should happen in case an actor takes your pre-show comment to heart, and really does break his leg.
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Q2Q: Again each cue is run, this time with actors. The actors should be given some time to walk around the set to get used to things. During Q2Q, all tricky entrances/exits and all scene changes should be rehearsed until you are confident that everyone can do them well. (usually this is a no-brainer, since they usually coincide with light cues, but not always, so be sure to get them all). (Alternately, if you're your run crew won't stay the same throughout the run, skip set changes for Q2Q but spend 10 minutes on them at each dress rehearsal and (if needed) before each performance. Your actors may hate you, but your audience will be happier. )
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Run each cue sequentially from the beginning.
Before running each cue, state where you'll be starting from. Be sure everyone knows (is listening, can hear) (Cultivate a good projection voice)
Be forceful with your "go/hold/restore"s.
When in doubt, run it again.
Call CAC (3-1391 or 3-1500 or 617-253-1500) to close the space. You must be sure it's secure before you leave! You are responsible!
Communicate frankly with your actors regarding your progress. Break for dinner. Make a plan for how much time to give each act and stick to it, even if lights wants to program one cue for 30 minutes.
TUESDAY: Tech Dress
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