RARA AVIS creation process

bird tableau

bird tableau

bird tableau 

Creation Process the actors go through to come up with material

re-arranging the running order to give the show some sense of chronology in time

Plotting Session

Prompt Desk

BARE 10th, 11th & 12th March

Rigging LX

Setting up Flats

Setting up Flats

Theatre being painted by Set

The majestic cross

Tech Rehearsal

Tech Rehearsal

Top SM team!

Working through scene changes

Production Team

Denton Lounge Valentine Event: 12th February

Denton Tree

Opening of Show

Final Dance

Unit 3 APM Task # 2

Logbook for Musical Theatre Choreography

5th Dec: Making minutes for first Production Meeting discussing general things such as how many dance numbers will be in the show, what technical teams are needed for the show (fly teams/ AV op). Backing tracks need to be sent to the PM and budget still needs to be confirmed.

12th Dec: Making minutes for Production Meeting.Budget still needs to be confirmed. Fly teams have been organised, ground plan has changed slightly but we were already able to change it in the theatre. Some AV still needs to be sent to the production team. DSM will know for sure what dances are in the show after we come back from holidays.

9th Jan: Making minutes for final Production Meeting. All blocking done apart from one dance number. Still waiting on AV from the choreographers. Budget finalised, time of show approx. 55 mins.

14th Jan: Get in. LX/SND/AV focus + plot. Making sure everything is running as smoothly as possible and everyone happy. LX plot took a lot longer than planned but that was down to the choreographers not knowing what they really wanted. Once we got to sound plot, speaker playing up.

15th Jan: Tech, Dress and Shows. Tech wasn’t great, Dress was a little better but Shows were great. (The worse the Tech/Dress, the better the show?)

(photos from Ben Stuart)

Unit 3 ASM Task #3 Comparative Report

Research ASM duties for a Repertory Theatre, West End production and an Opera House and write a comparative report.

The basic Assistant Stage Manager (ASM) duties stay the same across all types of theatre: Repertory Theatre, West End production and Opera House. This involves setting up and assisting rehearsals, assisting the stage manager with risk assessments and mark outs. They also produce running and setting lists and assist with scene changes, sometimes even costume changes. ASMs do, however, have certain specific duties depending on the theatre.

Repertory Theatres produce their own show which tends to run between two to three weeks. The ASM has standard duties, assisting the Stage Manager with clerical work, making props lists, running and setting lists, as well as setting up and attending rehearsals, sourcing props for the show. During the Tech Week, the ASM will help with the stage management get-in, set up the wings and help with the mark out. They will assist with the fit-up, masking, focusing (walking the lights if needed) and finally plotting. Once the show is up and running, the ASM will be backstage ensuring everything runs smoothly and may assist with any complex scene changes and costume changes. After the show is finished, they will ensure the return of any hired items. The typical call for an ASM in Repertory Theatre will be from about 9h30 in the morning until about 22h, 6 days a week. Their daily activities will either involve resets for performances or rehearsals for the next show. 

In West End productions, which tend to be long running shows, the ASM will be on an annual contract. They may take on more of a marketing role and attend publicity events to promote the whole show with the team. In West End productions, ASMs are mostly in rehearsals meaning they don’t always have the time to do the propping. One thing to note with West End productions is that the team will only be full once the show is in the theatre. Therefore some ASMs will only join the team later on in the production process. Because of the endurance of a West End production, Tech Week can take up to 6 months (sometimes starting before the show is even in rehearsals). During this lengthy process, and because of the musical nature of most West End productions, the ASM has more responsibilities. Not only do they help out with the technical things such as those in a Repertory Theatre, but they must also organise band calls as well as piano stage and stage orchestra sessions. These rehearsal sessions are essential to calibrate the sound to the location but also to the performers voices. The ASM aids in the set up of these sessions as well as aiding in the communication between the Musical Director and stage management team. During showtime, the ASM assumes typical duties backstage however may have a more specific task depending on the number of ASMs hired. That is because the bigger the production, the bigger the budget and therefore more people hired. ASM calls will vary depending on what is needed of them. For resets and repairs on a show, their call would be 17h30. However, they may be called at other times if they are needed in rehearsals during the day or of course any of the marketing events they are asked to attend.

In an Opera House where there is a repertoire of two or three shows (a different one playing every night), an ASM’s contract will be more seasonal and dependent on the show. Although, each show has one specific “head” ASM while the other ASMs will work on all the shows in the Opera House. As it is a repertoire of two or three shows, rehearsals are constantly happening and therefore that is mainly where the ASM will be. Unlike West End productions, in an Opera House there is the requirement of a full time team presence simply to make the rotation of the shows coherent to everyone. Tech Week in an Opera House usually last for about two to three weeks, however the show is not onstage everyday. This means that ASMs are often busy assisting with the change over of set. Like a West End production, ASMs organise piano stage and stage orchestra sessions as well as, more specific to an Opera House, a sitzprobe. A sitzprobe, literally translated from German as a “seated rehearsal”, is essentially the first meeting between the cast and orchestra. During this rehearsal they sing a play through the show together without any staging. The sitzprobe ensures the orchestral and vocal balance. As in West End productions, the ASM aids in the set up of these sessions as well as communication between the orchestra’s conductor and the stage management team. During the Opera show, the ASM is backstage for usual roles but may also need to follow the score to give the performer their cue to go on stage. ASM calls in an Opera House are often 12h, to set up for the next show. They may be called earlier if they are in rehearsals, but this is only until the shows are opened.

Unit 3 ASM Task #1

Report outlining structure of SM team, where the ASM fits in line management and what Roles and Responsibilities are associated with the position.

Depending on the size and complexity of a show there will be a certain number of people in the Stage Management (SM) team. In this SM team there is of course a Company Stage Manager but there can also be a Resident (Venue) Stage Manager and a Technical Stage Manager too. Under the management of the Stage Manager there will be a Deputy Stage Manager (DSM) and then one or several Assistant Stage Managers (ASM).

The ASM’s job, as the title says is to assist in any way the Stage Manager. This means documenting everything that is going on to helping set things up and making sure the show can run smoothly. Throughout the production period, the ASM’s role varies.

During pre-production the ASM will firstly read the script and start writing out a prop list. Along with the prop list they will come up with a general costing for what they suspect the show will need. The ASM will also assist the Stage Manager with the mark out so taping out the floor plan. 

For the dress rehearsal period, the ASM will help set up the rehearsal space with furniture and props and make sure that everything is put away at the end of the rehearsal. By attending the rehearsals the ASM will get a feel for who and what will need to be where backstage during the show as they will be responsible for running the wings. During this time the ASM will also be sourcing props and making a props acquisition chart, an important document for the production file that lists where props are coming from and when they will need to be returned.

After that, for the technical period the ASM will of course assist with the Stage Management get-in by doing odd jobs such as sweeping the stage. They will also walk the lights for the lighting designer and director to make sure that all lights are focused properly. The ASM will finally set up the wings with the props and furniture that need to be placed in specific places and in the same place they were when the show was rehearsed.

During the performance period, the ASM will run the area backstage. This means they may assist actors with costume changes and making sure they have the props they need. The ASM could also assist with scene changes if they are needed. Their duty as part of the SM team is to make sure that the performance runs smoothly and the way that it was designed and directed. Making sure the show stays true to itself.

After all the performances, the ASM will take part in the get-out making sure everything is cleared up and put away, but more importantly they will make sure all the props and furniture, and sometimes even costumes, are returned on time and in good condition.

If the show is a large scale production their will most likely be several ASMs employed for the show. This means that tasks can be distributed more widely. For example one ASM will be responsible for props while the other is responsible for costumes. The ASMs are there to help the SM team in any way that they are needed and are a big part in the smooth running of a show, helping to avoid major issues or difficulties.

Transformers: Diary of a Madman

Thursday 20th November was the Transformers Show at Northbrook College. I was part of the team working on the Diary of a Madman, designed by Cliffton Hollister, as assistant stage manager along with Melissa Duthie who was the lighting op and George Bundock who was the sound op. I thought the show was a great success and really loved the simplicity of it - telling the story through shadows and voice over.