Trials of a stage manager!!!

[Magic Hans]

Who's been a stage manager?

What have been the highlights and lowlights, or other memorable events?

I've only just finished stage managing my first production. a week's run of "Lady Windermere Flan" .... errrr ... sorry "Fan"!

I think that I've discovered that I'm not an Oscar Wilde fan [ ... a little too high brow, poncy and wittily clever for me thanks!]

Highlights of the week have been:

First night

Announcement at the start was intending to inform that due to 'indisposition' one of the parts would be read in. However, somehow 'indisposition' was mis-said as 'indifference' .... which, quite frankly, was nearer the mark!

As it happens, the chap who was going to get read in [who was, in fact, a last minute replacement for the original!!!!!], does turn up, only his understudy gets all his praise!!

First scene change: Just as the curtains were re-opening, stage hand rushes onto stage, sees the audience, freezes for a moment, then retreats rapidly!!

This gets one of the few titters from the audience .... no-one significantly put off!

One of the cast is quite put out. He has not had a mention in the 5 years at the theatre, whereas the stage hand gets a mention on her first ever night!!

Otherwise, went off quite nicely!

Friday Night
No Fire warden!! Strictly speaking this is a legal requirement!! So, slight delay to opening of curtain, whilst bar lady takes over box office, and box officer (who is also a fire warden) retreats to back stage to be fire warden. Panic over, show delayed by 5 mins.


Saturday Night
One of the cast, who is habitually last minute arriving is absent. Show has started. After some panic, and calling, he does turn up. Nissed as a Pewt!!! Thankfully, there are no major incidents, no-one gets hurt and nothing is damaged, it's just a shame the audience couldn't here him very well!!

Aw well. It'll be a while until he gets his next part!!


... any more interesting stories back stage out there??

[Yliander]

Originally Posted by Magic Hans

Who's been a stage manager?

What have been the highlights and lowlights, or other memorable events?

*snip*

... any more interesting stories back stage out there??

Sounds like a nice run.

I was a stage manager/assistant stage manager for near to 15 years - the range of things that can go wrong is amazing - so here is a sample of my adventures

having to raise a chandiler 5 minutes before 1/2 call so that dancer wouldn't hit it when doing a grand jump

having front of house curtain catch and rip and not opening all the way - was fixed by a stage hand catching back on the other side - and having another one put a ladder over my head and going along railing to release the curtain

having actors rearrange the script at a critical point in the script for lighting cues

have a gel frame fall out of the lighting rig and nearly take out an actor

screaming match between designer and production manager in theatre that was broadcast on the inhouse tannoy system

[Magic Hans]

Originally Posted by Yliander

Sounds like a nice run.

I was a stage manager/assistant stage manager for near to 15 years - the
...

All sounds like good fun to me!!!!

Sadly we don't have a full fly [ .... or flying tower, if that's a thing!]

... It's a converted methodist church, and not too bad ... only really room for smallish trucks, can't do anything too big. 3 spot bars, a good half dozen other bars and curtain tracks though!

Great opportunity for creativity though!

[Dreadful Scathe]

Originally Posted by Magic Hans

a little too high brow, poncy and wittily clever for me thanks!?

How ironic, because if I was asked to describe you I would have said...er......

[Magic Hans]

Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe

How ironic, because if I was asked to describe you I would have said...er......

Oi!! You little blighter you!!! .... mind you ... don't they say something about familiarity and contempt? .... p'raps I'm guilty as charged, won't stop me pleading insantity!!

[Yliander]

Originally Posted by Magic Hans

All sounds like good fun to me!!!!

it is - although as a career of choice is has it's down sides

Originally Posted by Magic Hans

Sadly we don't have a full fly [ .... or flying tower, if that's a thing!]

know as a fly tower - so you know why you should never whistle in a theatre?

[pjay]

Originally Posted by Yliander

it is - although as a career of choice is has it's down sides

know as a fly tower - so you know why you should never whistle in a theatre?

Well, I certainly have no idea.... why????

[Yliander]

Originally Posted by pjay

Well, I certainly have no idea.... why????

in the olden days - many of the operators in the fly towers were sailors and they used whistling to communicate in the tower as they did on the ships.

so if you whistled in the theatre you were likely to bring a set in on your head - and as they can weigh upwards of 1/2 ton that was generally not good for your health.