Everybody ought to have a stage manager.

Stage managers are awesome. A good stage manager is beyond price. No kidding.

I really didn't realize this back when I was a young actor. I focused on the director. I focused on the other actors. I worked on my inner reality.

I heard the stage manager. I called back, "Thanks, 10!" when I heard the announcement "Ten minutes to places!"

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't rude. I wasn't one of those actors who thinks the stage managers or other techies are unworthy of notice. Not at all! I've always been an ensemble gal, so I felt keenly that every single person involved was part of our team.

However, as a young actor, who had not directed, or designed, or run lights, or plotted sound- I had NO CLUE. I was ignorant.

Now, having been blessed several times with good stage managers (and blighted a few times with poor ones), I cannot sing their praises loudly enough.

Stage managers are superheroes.

They have super powers- like super hearing. A stage manager will overhear an actor muttering about fumbling and stumbling during a scene transition, and suddenly there is glow tape on the problematic corner or an additional blue light backstage.

They have stamina and unbelievable endurance. They are with the production from the first production meeting or read through on to closing night.

They are masters of multi-tasking. They are monitoring lines from the actors, cues for the lights and the sound, tracking the props.

They are flexible and adaptable beyond belief, working with last minute blocking changes from directors or finding solutions to scenic or costume change fails during last tech rehearsals or even (Heaven FORBID) during performance.

I've directed for many years now, and I've designed, and I've crewed. I am no longer without a clue.

I know.

All praise to you, stage managers. You are the glue that keeps a production together through the battering of tech and the wear and tear of performance.

As the old joke goes:
- How many stage managers does it take to change a ligh-
DONE!

for the love of the game

The opening ceremonies for the 2012 Olympics were held recently. Theater and the Olympics both trace their roots to the ancient Greeks.

When I was growing up the Olympic athletes were amateurs, not professionals. I've used the words "amateur" and "professional"- and the Olympics- as conversation starters in teaching theater.

The definition of "amateur" is contrasted with "professional". The connotation- and even, these days, the definition- of amateur includes the idea of unskilled, lacking in competence, or a dilletante.

The definition of professional, on the other hand, includes the ideas of expertise, great skill, and learning.


Originally, the words were not antonyms of one another. At one time, professional meant that you were paid for your work (or that you were one of the "learned professions"- such as law).

And the word amateur comes from the Latin for love.

An amateur does what they do for the love of it; a professional does what they do as their occupation, to earn a living. As in the Olympics, the amateur is not necessarily unskilled; the amateur can be one of the best in the world.

And so it is with theater. Some of the greatest innovations and triumphs of theater have come from amateurs, or those who began as amateurs. I do not suggest for a moment that actors, directors, stage managers, designers, technicians or any of the myriad artists of the theater should not be paid. I would merely like to suggest that if some of us still have a "day job" that our work should not be ignored or assumed to be of poor quality.

Whether or not one holds an Equity card does not determine the excellence of the work. It is up to each artist to give passion, effort, intensity and creativity to the task at hand.

For the love of the game.

Conversations about ensemble

The troupe that I founded and from which I have retired is changing and evolving. I was flattered to recently be asked a question about the changes being contemplated by the group.
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The question was:

A question has arisen as the troupe has been trying to standardize some of its policies and to plan for its growth.  It was suggested that the troupe become a two-tiered organization, having a level for beginning actors and another for advanced, more experienced actors.  With this set up, the troupe would be offering open auditions twice a year, with all being cast.  The third show would be an invitation-only audition with no casting guarantees.

I (this board member wrote) am not convinced that the suggested two-tiered approach is representative of our mission.  To me, having two-tiers contrasts with our ensemble approach and sets up competition instead of encouraging mentoring.  Also, we stress the importance of theater for all teens and how it can benefit them, and I feel that by limiting it to "talented" teens, even only for one show, that we are not fully living up to this mission.

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The board member requested my input as founder, as one there when the mission was originally crafted.

I responded:

This issue has been brought up from time to time; as you note, it is a thorny issue. In past years, we had tossed around ideas of invitation only shows; having limits to how many were *in* the troupe, period - so, a membership cap, with guaranteed casting once you were "in"; having an educational track open to all with advancement to the troupe following; and Travel Troupe as a solution.

When we first formed the organization, it was seen as a spin off of the (younger) 4-H performing arts club I'd founded, which we imagined might be a sort of "feeder" troupe (all very informal- don't tell 4-H on us!). The 4-H club was where younger actors, and newer actors, could explore without pressure. The new troupe was where the "serious" actors went.

Well, that didn't work out past the "first generation"; partly due to my time constraints, and partly due to the changing group dynamics, the 4-H club became less and less active- what vital parent support we had had shifted to the new teen troupe.

In the early years, in a very real way, Travel Troupe was the elite troupe. It was started by invitation with longer time members and presented quality shows for a few years.

Something else- on a couple of occasions - one being Zoo Story- one of the troupe asked for a specific project, which the board approved and sponsored. This was youth initiated and formally requested. So, that is one route: a core group of artists find a project they would like to do, and ask the board to approve and sponsor it.

An interesting note to me is that the intermittent pressure and/or calls for an "elite" squad always seemed to come from those (or the parents of those) who had been "newbies" recently, felt that they had "arrived", and were now looking down on the "newbies". The call *never* came from folks like my son A, like MD, like DH or AG, long-timers who had experienced the magic of successful ensemble.

So, having said all that: You are looking at a core dilemma for theater. Collaboration vs. competition. A (I believe - false!) dichotomy between ensemble and excellence.

This is what I believe: there are many, many organizations that force actors to compete to participate. There are few that work to build ensemble.

I believe that ensemble *can be* a path to excellence. However, there is a requirement that in order to build ensemble, you have to spend time- not one show but several shows, not one season but many seasons. If you are in it for the long haul, you know your time and your role will come. You look at the success of the season and the troupe.

It may be that there is no longer a large enough "core" of artists who have been working and have experienced making the whole greater than the sum of the parts. It does take continuity.

I do not have answers for the evolving organization; as has been noted many times, the organization is changing and evolving to what it will be from what it has been. I hope my comments, such as they are, may be of some assistance.

Award winning!

My daughter of Little Pixie Magic fame has honored me with the Versatile Blogger Award.

I am delighted and grateful. Thank you!

Now, to get to the responsibilities of being a VBA winner.

First, to thank the talented and brilliant blogger, Beth of Little Pixie Magic. Beth, your writing inspires me far more often than you know!

Then, 7 things about myself. Mostly connected to theater, some personal:

1. I am a Bardophile. Not really a Bardolator. My first theater experiences were with Shakespeare and Taming of the Shrew. Truly, theatrical genius, from the sublime to the ridiculous- sometimes in the same play.

2.  I love dirty jokes and puns. Another reason to love Shakespeare.

3. I love the audience! I also have great respect for the audience.

4. I love the moment a new play/idea/line reading/moment grabs you and twists your vision and perspective.

5. When I give notes- or when I am playing "The Professor," when I lecture- there is an element of stand up comedy.

6. Theater feeds your mind and heart and soul- and, if I am your director, I feed your body.

7. Personal: Thanks to FB Friend MTST, I now have a name for it: I am a sapiosexual.

Then, nominate 15 bloggers for the VBA. My blog reading tends to be sporadic, beyond my top few. I hope I can come up with 15!

Note: I read a number of the same blogs as does my daughter- therefore, if you've already been awarded the VBA, you mustn't feel compelled to come up with *another* 15 blogs due to my nominating you!

1. I am always eagerly awaiting the next installment of A Little Pixie Magic. Sometimes amusing, sometimes provocative, sometimes inspiring, always worthwhile.

2. Adventures of Megan   Adventures of my friend Meg- a smart girl with heart, whose wit is sometimes wise and sometimes tart.

3. Scatterbrained in Southeast Asia
I hope that we will read more installments from this traveler. A unique take on a unique adventure.

4. Jake's Israel Journal
Another traveler. No posts in a while- I hope to read more soon.

5. Tell It Away
Honest and searching, these posts are always worthwhile.
6. Brand New Day
One of the bravest women I know, on a unique journey of discovery of life as a transgender woman. It is a privilege to be able to share in the journey of my friend.
7. Murf Magic
Another brave soul successfully wrestling with demons. Murf fosters growth for himself- and for beautiful botanicals!
8. Ink Spot
Ink Spot is a highly creative and thought-provoking designer and woman.

9. Altucher Confidential
I stumbled on this wide-ranging blog from a self-identified autistic.


10. Post Secret
A window on so many souls. Sometimes heart-wrenching and sometimes gut-busting (with laughter, people).
11. Best in Class
Amusing musing- discovered when my daughter was featured.
12. Born Storyteller
Educator, artist, writer.


13. Rants and Mutters
Educator, thinker and Guiness-drinker.


14. PhD comics -
Also known as: Piled Higher and Deeper. Not sure if this is a blog? But I sure do enjoy it.

15. The Bloggess
Irreverant and brash. Uncensored.