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

As a vector from the 'Talk Back' topic. What happens in your theatre with performances? How are the Cues handled, actioned & by whom? Does the SM carry it out or is left up to the lighting/audio operator to be responsible. Also as an SM do you prefer doing it from backstage or in the Bio Box? Further how do you normally go about calling the cues &/or mark up & setting up the show 'Bile', with the script on the Left or right, no particular method or an ad hoc San Fairy Anne system?

I've generally worked in small venues, where the SM doubles as lx or sfx person. Normally though, SM calls the cues, which the others follow. As an SM I prefer being in the bio box; makes it easier to see what's going on onstage and see what everyone else is seeing. Again, because of working in small venues, there's usually no stagehand, which is a double-edged sword. I actually do a weird combo of prompt copies. If it's text heavy, then I write my cues on the left hand side (being left handed). For not so text-heavy shows, I just write my cues etc on the pages themselves, and don't worry about left/right margins for cues. But then, I'm lazy ;) Fun puppet patterns to make at home! Puppets to buy at Puppets in Melbourne

A SM has to be on stage in prompt corner to manage the actors and be aware of everything thats happening and be on hand to nurture the artistes, not miles away in the booth,I have noticed in some amateur groups a reluctance to pick a SM and let her run things, in pro theatre the SM is the backbone of the show while in amdram the SM seems to be a last minute thing, oh and some-one to do the sound.

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. 

I too have worked as a pro both here and in the UK. The SM or DSM in the UK should call the show. By that I mean every cue, lighting, sound, cast calls and etc. This is probably a fervent wish rather than anything else as certainly in amateur theatre in this country Lighting and sound often work from the script themselves. Sometimes this is due to a lack of effective comms between backstage and on stage, which has it's own problems. There are many situations where communications are difficult. I however believe that as a preferred situation the SM should control the whole show and be in communication with the techs, FOH and the actors. I prefer the SM to be backstage rather than in a booth in the FOH. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

I have done SMing from the Box, for that matter I have done 'it' from a carpark on a mobile phone - but that's another story! For the life of me, even with a good ASM backstage, i always feel disconnected from what's going on there. Might be I prefer to do 'it' in the dark?

TOI TOI TOI CHOOKAS

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

I wasn't referring to puppet shows. I was referring to shows I have tech'd on - which range from profit share in small venues to doing SM for the fringe in one of their hub venues. Some of those shows include puppetry, but also include comedy, drama, etc. As for the 'woman question' - this is an argument I have with one of my friends. I've worked with mostly male techs (including SMs), where as she has worked with mostly females. I don't think there is such a large divide between the two sexes. Fun puppet patterns to make at home! Puppets to buy at Puppets in Melbourne

I apologise Na for the inference. But the F'nM question has never came up, even with techies. I have even worked great riggers, who have been women & are as food if not better than a lot of men. They tend to be more attentive to the little details, where men are a bit more gung ho! One thing with a lot of SM's who have won the booby prise & got lumbered with the job. They do not understand the procedure & protocol of being able to give cues, in the acceptable manner. This happened with a production in a Big Top, which was one of the 'MOUSE' shows. Chucky baby a yank PSM who called the show during the tech rehearsal, Gave cues at 'Hit him' and other weird calls. Of course being an Aussie crew, not happened. They just look bewildered. It took quite a bit of time to det thru to him, that all that is required is the 'GO' word. Not y'know 7 various similar sounding derivatives. It took a few shows for him to get the hang of it, although he did slip ever now & then, but the crew covered him. Basically I use for Lighting numerical, audio alphabetical & Moves numbered per scene. Although now since the advent of digital audio it is simpler to use numerical. In the majority of shows there will be a lot more lighting cues, than audio or set moves. So the lighting cues become the bench mark,when producing the 'Running sheet'. With Moves I rarely give 3 cues per scene shift, so for each scene it is cue 1 - 2 or 3 Go. Then the next scene could be just Move 1 Go!. However I give an adequate stand by cue, possibly 1/2 a page before the cue. Further I use the term 'On Cue' if more than one element is actioning at the same time. This way after the stand by is designated for each operator, It is not necessary to blurt it out again just before the Go. With some shows the Go is prefaced by that many designation. The SM is breathless to give the go or misses it at the right time. But this is only me & I'm sure there are a lot who do it differently.

TOI TOI TOI CHOOKAS

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

We all make assumptions :) The comments that you make leads me to a thought: I wonder what the percentage is in terms of untrained techies not knowing how to cue, vs. trained ones. I did a lot of tech training, from all roles while at uni. I was also the main SM, and one of the few tech people in the class (one of two lx people as well). I know I'm lazy when it's just me, but when I'm in charge of other people, I'm very organised and cue properly. When starting out doing tech, I met a lot of people who had either begun in the industry by chance (usually as a roadie) and while they didn't have training, they certainly knew what they were doing. Others I've met have had the training, but sometimes, not the forethought or consideration to work with other people in a professional way. It seems we may be also talking across each other: is there a distinction to be made between those doing tech within the amateur scene, and those doing it in the professional scene. Is there much of a difference, given that tech is tech whether in am or pro? Fun puppet patterns to make at home! Puppets to buy at Puppets in Melbourne

This brings up some great points from everyone. I think the biggest thing between pro n Am is attitude, supported by aptitude & empirical know how. This is part of the reason I fired up the 'Stagecraft Guild', quite a few years back. But I was directing Man of La Mancha & A chorus Line back to back. The Guild started off well & we even went off to Albany [South West of here] To do a workshop for a local theatre group. I remember it was great & they were hospitable. the only down side was we got there at about midnight on a Friday night. Went to the hotel, to find the group had forgot to book us in, the hotel of course was booked out. So we drove around for 2 hours or so & the only accommodation open, was a Resort. Which cost me packet paying for 6 people on my old credit card. I never did get the money back from the theatre group or even reimbursed for the fuel & whatever - but that's all another story. The Guild started well but I ended up having a stoke, which I'd realise what it was. Which happened during the Man of La Mancha. The Limes operator hadn't turned for a matinée. So I went up in the box & did the follow spot. All of a sudden the whole of my left sided went numb. I collapsed on the floor & tried to get the light board operator to help me up. But she sat there frozen staring at me, this was her first show at operating the lights. I managed to crawl from the booth & down the stairs, Head first. I kept as quite as I could, because the stairs were right behind the audience. I finally got out side & sat on a bench, until the feeling came back in my left arm & leg. After a quick smoke, I got back up in the box. Just Hywell, who was finishing the song, impossible dream. I gently dowsed the follow spot, which by this time was shinning on the ceiling. So all in all I managed not to miss the cue completely. anyhow following 5 strokes in all, i started up the Phoenix theatre in Cockburn [ Pronounced Coburn, to placate the Edwardian attitudes of the time]. Gawd I waffle on, as what I wanted to say. The Guild evaporated, so now I have proposed to the good folks at Aunt ITA, to put a Technical Advisory Pool together, for member community theatre groups. Actually Graeme [taureen] is helping me out, rounding up a lot of sparkies techies, lighting & audio as well as costumes, set & other ARTiciphers in most theatrical disciplines. As the greatest reusable resource we have is people, I'm sure there are a vast amount of backstage people, who for what ever reason have been discarded or pulled the pin &/or whatever. [even still doing 'it'] Who can assist groups with production problems, mainly on a hands in the pocket basis - so they don't get burnt out! actually this idea came about from Don's post about the enactment of the WA Health Act, concerning public buildings & community theatre. So after I have just gone around the world, for a tra bit. I think you would have guest, I can't throw any light on the fact if teaches know how to cue or not, except they are on the receiving end.

TOI TOI TOI CHOOKAS

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

It sounds like it would benefit a lot of people. ... Five strokes? Maybe you need to stay out of the theatre? :) Fun puppet patterns to make at home! Puppets to buy at Puppets in Melbourne

No I'm considered a success by my Doctor? as I have never been that in all my life. I put it down to plenty of caffeine, nicotine & theatre. in fact after my quad by pass, it was community theatre that got me back on my feet. Especially using PC MacHines to help to get me to use my grey matter & rehabilitate me, relearning how to type & thinking again. thus become useful & not so much of an InValid twit - inversly I'm now a completely valid one! The only down side is I'm restricted to having only 5 cigarettes a day & have chosen not drive a car anymore. In the public interest.

TOO TOO TOO CHOCKS

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

:) Oh, I'd love not to drive. I hate it! Fun puppet patterns to make at home! Puppets to buy at Puppets in Melbourne

My Son who is both my wifes & my minder, as well as chauffeur. Takes care of all the deliveries & pick ups. It does become only slightly problematical, if I'm unsure what time things finish. But it works out normally.

TOI TOI TOI CHOOKAS

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

This now an old chestnut, that may help with understanding, the SM's job &/or position in the pecking order. I don't know who wrote it, probaly that 'A Non' bod? Producer: Leaps Tall Buildings In A Single Bod? Is More Powerful Than A Locomotive Is Faster Than A Speeding Bullet Walks On Water Gives Policy To God Director: Leaps Short Buildings In A Single Bound Is More Powerful Than a Tank Engine Is Just As Fast As A Speeding Bullet Walks On Water If The Sea Is Calm Talks With God Playwright: Leaps Short Buildings With A Running Start Is Almost As Powerful As a Tank Engine Is Faster Than A Speeding spat Dummy Swims Well Is Occasionally Addressed By God Actor: Makes High Marks On The Wall When Trying To Leap Buildings Is Run Over By Locomotives Can Sometimes Handle A Gun Without Inflicting Self-Injury Dog Paddles Talks To Animals Technicians: Runs Into Buildings Recognises Locomotives Two Out Of Three Times Is Not Issued Ammunition Can Stay Afloat With A Life Preserver Talks To Walls Chorus: Falls Over Doorsteps When Trying To Enter Buildings Says, "Look At The Choo-Choo!" Wets Self With A Water Pistol Plays In Mud Puddles Mumbles To Self Stage Manager: Lifts Buildings And Walks Under Them Kicks Locomotives Off The Track Catches Speeding Bullets In Teeth And Eats Them Freezes Water With A Single Glance Is GOD!

TOI TOI TOI CHOOKAS

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

Normally when I get a script as an SM or Director. the first thing I do is acquire an extra copy, not suggesting I actually photocopy the script or even type it on to the computer. heaven forbid that is a breach of copyright! With this extra copy, that mysteriously appears, I mount it on a blank sheet of paper [A$ or Whatever]. However this is sometimes not necessary, as script may be only printed on one side, so need to have an extra one - which is a rarity. With the script on one side & blank on the other, I put them into a ring binder. So this gives me a blank paper on one side to put cues in or other scribbles. This works if you are left or right handed, just paper punch to suit. I have worked with bibles which use clear plastic envelopes, with the script inside. Not a bad idea but I can never seam to use it. Because just turning a page the script can move about, which can be a drama, especially when a specific cue is actioned on a certain word or whatever, with stick ons or other markings on the plastic. I like to draw a line & indicate the act place in the script for each cue. Also even draw a line straight down, on the left hand margin, if a cue such as sound & even lighting carries on thru the script to the next cue - so at a glance you know what the cue state at that time. I'm sure others use their own preferred way, so feel free to post you may have a better idea you would like to share!

TOI TOI TOI CHOOKAS

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

Many years ago, I was fortunate to have studied under Angela Pammic (from Melbourne's La Mama Theatre). What she taught was that the SM's script was always single-sided, in a 2-ring binder. On the blank facing page are three columns: "BLOCKING", "PRE-SET", & "CUE". Then with a soft (2B) pencil one could completely mark-up the show in an organized fashion. The SM (usually stationed off-DSL, sometimes called the "Prompt Corner") can then call the show. I thank Angela for this wisdom, as I have used it on my own copies of the script when working as either a sound operator or a lighting operator. It works for me!

personally I'm a fan of the "opposing blank page divided into columns so you can call LX, SX & FX easily" method. I'm assuming the SM/DSM model with DSM on the book in the wings, SM roving and putting out bushfires and directing set changes. Thank you very much for the chestnut above. I'd forgotten it and it's one of my favourites! "Life is too short to stuff a mushroom"