...
The following key words should feature prominently in the first production meeting: contracts, calendar, deadlines, budget, schedule, read-through, designer run, prod hours, parade, put-in, paper-tech, q2q, tech week, vision. It helps to have production meetings scheduled at a regular time (Sundays after rehearsal, for example).
Rehearsal
...
Perio
- Run Production Meetings
- Meet with Chris Nayler
- Register the Show
- Pre-Show Announcement
- Recruit
General
Run all production meetings (usually weekly, more frequently if necessary). Say NO to the director if a task is not feasible - if you are not sure, ask the TD/officers/designer. If you're still not sure, ask Rinaldi. If you're still not sure, say no. Check in at least weekly (not just at prod meeting) with design/building staff. Check in at least every other day with director and SM teams.
Chris Nayler Meeting
Make sure to schedule a meeting with Chris Nayler (nayler@mit.edu) to discuss the set and the light plot, to make sure that there aren't any safety issues. Make sure this happens well before put in is scheduled to ensure that the set can be changed in the unlikely event of a safety issues.
Registering the Show
Obtain entertainment licenses from Cambridge city hall. Register the event with CAC. Remember, we only have 99 guests. On an unrelated note, shows with 100 or more people need a police detail. Remember that the entertainment license costs a large sum of money- make sure you have your $240 (or whatever sum) in cash or money order when you go to city hall.
PRE-SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT
Assist as needed. Catch all the balls that are dropping. Help out the stage manager(s) in any way you can. Make sure that runtime jobs have been assigned to everyone (washing clothes, sweeping and mopping the stage, warmups, morale, cleaning the house, water/candy for actors, etc.) At that point your job will be mostly over, but theirs is just beginning. Making their life easier makes everyone happier.
Pre-show announcement
- Run Crew, House Manager, and Box Office Managers
...
Try to get and idea of what run crew (dressers, stagehands, etc.) will be needed as early as possible and start looking for them as soon as possible, as they are usually difficult to find.
...
Laundry, for example
Performances & Strike
Performances
Assist as needed. Definitely attend opening night, but ideally all the shows.
After Closing
Ensure that all prod staff have fulfilled all their obligations (i.e., returned borrowed equipment). Set a deadline for all receipts to be turned in. Submit a final budget (based on receipts turned in). Schedule and run the post-production meeting to discuss the production (what went wrong, what went right, etc.).
...
- Help Run Papertech
- Help Run Cue-to-Cue
- Assist as Needed
- Schedule Runtime Jobs
- Attend Opening Night (ideally all shows)
- Ensure the Show is Filmed
- Schedule Alumni Reception
- Schedule Brush-up
- Cast Awards & Gifts
After Closing
- Post-production
Miscellaneous
Interpersonal Stuff
...
Things You Should Make Sure Happen
#AuditionsAuditions
Read #Read Through
This is the first rehearsal, sometimes preceded or succeeded by a cast/crew bonding event (such as Theater Games or a meal). This is generally scheduled by the SM, and if possible should be announced in the audition packet, and again when the cast list is announced.
Papertech
Papertech is when cue names, numbers, and timings are established by progressing from cue to cue through the text around a table. Minimum attendees are SM, Director, Lighting Designer, and Sound Designer. Costumes Designer, Set Designer, Props Designer, TD, Producer, and others should also be there depending on circumstances. Papertech is generally scheduled for the Saturday before the show opens, but this can be shifted slightly if necessary. The producer should make sure papertech scheduling is accounted for. Papertech is generally run by the SM. Run plans by the TD to make sure you are working in complementary strides with put-in.
Q2Q
Q2Q is the domain of the SM. It is either the evening at the end of put-in (Sunday before the show opens) or the next night (Monday). The more cues are written before Q2Q, the happier everyone will be. There is frequently (depending on the designers and other people involved) no point in having a Q2Q if less than a critical percent of the cues have been written. Actual actors are necessary to get heights and skin tones accounted for.
Put-in and Strike
This is really the responsibility of the TD, but make sure that put-in and strike are on track to happen in an efficient and effective fashion. Make sure that the space is available very late on closing night for strike, and also that the cast will not get kicked out of space during tech week and performances. Chris Nayler (nayler@mit.edu) is the person to contact if the space is not available for the time needed for strike/rehearsal. Do NOT contact the CAC e-mail address, as they tend not to be very helpful.
Other Topics
...
#Papertech (SM)
#Q2Q (SM)
#Put-in and Strike (TD)
Other Topics
- Keep Interactions with the Director Positive
- If Transitions are difficult, have a Transition Call