Stage management week Tuesday & Wednesday

Thoughts on the stage management week (first classes of second year) and how it’s going so far and what I feel I’ve learned so far.

Tuesday, being more of a quick going over of what will happen and what we think is similar between opera and drama was pretty much as I expected basically. Though I’d never really gave a lot of thought of how Vicky and Kieron found the opera (only at various points during the production) I at first didn’t entirely see their point of view on some of the things they brought up about the opera, until they explained it in greater depth.

Communication as a problem and a vital thing that must happen during a production has came up a few times, I don’t feel it was as good as it could have been during the opera, though it was good, from stupid things like everyone else is away on dinner and you’re wandering about trying to find them to ask a question (not knowing you’ve all been called on dinner) to not being completely aware of the plot or what is used in each scene – very bad for set backs and scene changes during stage and pianos (especially when each scene is referred to differently by everyone).

Realising that I’ve not really been talking about this week: Tuesday was useful for learning just what kind of paperwork the DSM and stage manager produce. As it was all kind of small things mentioned (that make an impact if they’re not produced) that you can easily overlook even when working directly under a DSM or stage manager, such as call sheets. I’m enjoying doing these small shows already as I feel it’s a good way of easing into the paperwork as it’s not a proper show and it’s such a small team you can find them and tell them things in person if need be, which means that if everything isn’t accurate it’s not going to mess everything up (or is at least quickly fixed). Essentially the same paperwork, but without the same pressure so you can get used to how it should be set out, or the correct information that should be included that you may not have thought was necessary.

Wednesday: It was extremely interesting reciting lines while trying to do ‘blocking’ a lot harder than I expected it to be, and though I already knew actors done more than we give them credit for, I think I can now be a lot more sympathetic to them when they’re stressed over not knowing lines or messing up small bits of blocking.

What I didn’t expect was that it was also an exercise for prompting. Giving a prompt is a lot harder than I would have thought it to be, giving it only when it’s needed (and wanted) not giving to much of a line or too little, and I know in future I’ll have to be careful with speaking clearly and loudly enough for people to hear the prompts. I felt the prompts I gave Kieron during his speech weren’t too bad, however that was only because I knew that he’d already knew it and could pick it up from a one word prompt from any point in the line he’d forgot and because we’d already done that earlier. That possibly wouldn’t have worked if I’d been prompting Emma or Vicky as they didn’t know their lines quite as well due to not having quite as long to learn due to broken printers so I would have had to give a slightly longer prompt, but I think before we had our discussion on how to prompt properly, I would have prompted them they same way I did with Kieron, only one or two words.

As for learning the lines of the Hamlet speech, I found it relatively easy, after half an hour of learning a few lines at a time then adding more on I’d pretty much got it and would just need to recite it a few times at random to ensure it didn’t slip my mind. However, I highly I doubt I’ll be able to learn much of the 10 minute script, due to it being a dialogue. A monologue is easier as you can set your own rhythm and pace for it.

Apologies for the slightly jumpy (and almost off topic) post, I’m forgetting everything I’ve done this week and during opera already.