This was a subject of discussion when the KC Improv Festival production team recently met to review this year's festival and set goals for the next. 2011 will be my third year as KCiF's stage manager, and like a kid who can wait no longer than January to write to Santa Claus, I'm already excited for it!
Well, Santa, what I need is an apprentice. At least one. I'm getting involved in the opera world again, and who knows what other opportunities and responsibilities may crop up? Maybe I'll luck into a free trip to Italy in September 2012. I'd feel much better about ditching KCiF for that if I know someone's ready to take my place. =)
Maybe an experienced SM who loves improv will show up to take the reins. But this is a volunteer gig, and the people who want to help don't always have experience. So, what traits would I look for in a stage manager? What unique needs does KCiF have that could take someone by surprise, and what personal qualities will help her/him meet those needs? What do I strive for in myself, that I think makes the best contribution to the show?
- A positive attitude toward the craft and the people.
- Calm, supportive energy.
- Confidence.
- Organization, with flexibility.
- Ego-free invisibility.
Last week I wrote about finding joy in your work. The importance of positive energy is amplified in improv, because the actors' work comes out of here and now. There haven't been six weeks of rehearsals, character-building, subtext-creating. The actors draw on the energy around them, and there's no faking it.
At the same time, it's not your job to "pump them up." You're working with professionals (in caliber, if not by trade). They will get themselves into the zone that's right for them. If the energy you contribute backstage is frenetic or pushy, you might even damage the balance. Love what the actors do, but don't squeeze them to death!
CONFIDENCE
You have to be personally confident in your decisions, and socially confident with the actors. They need to trust that you're getting them to the right place at the right time, and that any other elements will work properly (which, as we all know, they sometimes don't. Don't lie when things go wrong. Establish trust like a ship's captain: whatever happens, you'll keep your people safe.) Put out the "in charge" vibe without being bossy or condescending. Trust the actors and other production crew to be in place and do their tasks, but don't just assume it's happening: observe and follow up.
ORGANIZATION & FLEXIBILITY
If you stage manage theatre (or, God help you, opera), KCiF will be the easiest gig you've ever done. Your show will have a rhythm, a pattern to follow. One troupe is onstage, the next is warming up, the next is watching from the cast seating area, and it all shifts when the set ends. Don't get too comfy, though! The challenge of improv is in the variations to the pattern.
Timing in improv is far more nebulous than scripted shows. An improv set is over when it's over, whether that's twenty minutes or thirty-five. As such, places calls can be difficult to pin down. This year, we had a couple times when troupes were in standby, quiet backstage please, for nearly ten minutes. It's the nature of this beast.
In KCiF's structure, some things a SM would handle elsewhere are covered by the producer or the venue supervisor. And improv doesn't use sets, props, or costumes, right? So there shouldn't be much to keep track of... Not necessarily! And whatever comes up, you might not know about it until right before the show. Improvisers are prone to last-minute ideas. You have to be able to incorporate a new challenge quickly without freaking out.
INVISIBILITY
Be comfortable with the fact that you are not onstage. Enjoy the new perspective. You are not here to stand out and be noticed: you are part of the inner machinery, the gears that pop the cuckoo out of the clock. Granted, there may be times a task will put you in view of the audience, so don't be shy about doing your job. Anyway, if you spend the whole time wishing you were onstage, you are not fully committed to your work. Silver lining: even though most of the audience doesn't know it, the applause is for you, too. Silver lining 2: the actors will appreciate the hell out of you!
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Well, there's the longest job description ever! If it sounds like your kind of thing, or at least something you'd like to try, please get in touch (privately, not as a comment). This is crucial support work for an exciting event, with a truly wonderful group of people.
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