Q calling Where, When, Who, What & Why?

As with Na's puppet shows previously I never thought of this type of production being more than a one person band. Which goes back to my days of touring the seaside theatres, during the season in Pohmy land, as a kid. Getting to know the Punch 'n Judy men or women, or should I say the Professors! Until I worked on a couple of 'Phillipe Genty' shows. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-I19IUf-0o Which were amazing & the illusions they created would get standing ovations. Besides them having an SM to call the show, they had a Production Stage Manager as well. {Normal with touring Companies - especialy if they are Candian or yanks] Who spent a lot of time during the production, dressed complete in black clothing & a black hood over his head. He was a fantastic bloke. [primarily because his name was Joseph] This completely changed my idea of puppet theatre. One of these days I must get down to seeing a show at the Fremantle Puppet Theatre. I know they have an SM there she is named 'ChaCha', who frequents another theatre forum. I never thought puppet shows would actually bother having an SM? Actually the illusion is that good, it is only until now, checking out the board. Na is a Naome, I always though from the pic on hNa's posts as being a bloke! [sorry about that Na!} Anyhow side stepping puppets, as it's a world all of it's own. Something I have noticed is not many men actually are SM's these days. I realise men are not attracted to being in theatre or treading the boards, so naturally the job is given to females to do. Not suggesting that any particular gender is suited to being an SM. But this is not only in ameatre but proeatre as well, maybe women do make better stage managers? {I'll avoid the pro & cons of that, as it is a topic all of it's own]. I realise here we get the SM to call the show, where in Britain this done by the Deputy Stage Manager normally. What I have noticed around here, a lot of SM's are used as prompt during rehearsals, but seem to bother getting into the technical paper work side, with the blocking & dovetailing the cues into the script. Just rely on the odd pencil mark to donate a lighting or sound effect, never bothering with logistics &/or the mise en scene. Normally leaving till the tech rehearsal, then expecting the techies to do their own cues. Which with amdram makes it difficult if for what ever reason, their usual operator can't front up & the theatre group has to get in someone to take over. I have been down that road a few times, when as a complete tourist, there are no cues given & if they have a script available. which is never marked, you just have to play it by ear & be completely vision impaired. [I'm partially blind anyway?]. to Me the first thing a Director does is get a Stage manager. who is a major part of the Production team & a conduit between all the different departments & the cast. In one they are the mechanical extension of the directors mind or at least their vision - That is if the director has one!?!?.

TOI TOI TOI CHOOKAS

[May you always play to a full house] Hear the lights & see the sounds.