This New England Stage Manager
Very much honored that The Green Room is welcoming me to their team.
I am an Equity Stage Manager who resides and works in the New England region. Did try out NYC for a few years but found that I kept leaving it for work rather than actually living AND working there. I’ve been working professionally for 14 years now. Stage Management knocked on my door as early as Sophomore year of high school when I thought I was destined to be a scientist – Oceanographer to be specific. I come from a family of scientists and grew up on Cape Cod. But I wanted to help out with the school musical and the director assigned me the job of Stage Manager. From then on, I was hooked.
I attended Ithaca College where I could major in Drama and be able to experience every aspect of the theatre department at my leisure and take courses from other departments that happened to catch my interest. History was a huge draw. I managed to include several opportunities to work on a stage management team. Junior year was spent abroad for one term and on an internship for the second term. It was a test to see if I truly wanted to pursue a career in stage management. I returned to Ithaca feeling that this was the right path for me. Within a few years of graduation, I worked at 3 different regional theatres and at the third one, I acquired my Equity card.
Using social media for your career
I have a fellow actor friend named Ali. (She’s also a Thriving Artist Circle member!) She made a status on facebook yesterday that I wanted to share. I cut it down a bit, but the point is the same:
“If you own a business (actors, independent contractors, distributors for various network marketing businesses) please, go back and look at your last 10 posts. If more than four of them are about your business or what “deal” there is right now, or what “special” there is and then some link to your website/webstore, reconsider how you’re doing your marketing. I promise you, you are not winning too many new friends with this. Your best bet? Try adding value, first, most often, and 80% of the time.”
I first read this and thought, “YES! Totally true.”
And then I played this game for myself…I didn’t do so well. In fact, I had three posts in a row that were links to different blog posts I had written.
Not only did I find Ali’s status to be important, I found it especially valuable for us actors. How many friends do you have that only post when they have a show coming up? Or maybe when they’re auditioning or taking classes? This doesn’t make them bad people. In fact, we’re taught to promote ourselves and let our voices be heard.
So if we’re taught to promote ourselves, why should we be careful when posting on social media?
It’s really who you know
And all I know is that the Universe really likes me right now and I don’t want to the tip the karmic scales of balance.
First, The Chicago Actor sends Courtney Rioux my way and in less than an hour, she helps me plan out my current life goals and how to accomplish them.
Then my roommate started working a new job – and the employer happened to be looking for another employee with writing skills and athletic ability. I ended up having a job interview via text message at one o’clock in the morning and getting a gig as a writer/basketball referee (and yes, it’s going on my special skills).
I now have an amazing summer job – and the company has a lot of alumni from my alma mater.
I will not underestimate the power of networking and references. I will not underestimate it. I hope I will someday pay it forward with interest.
A little respect please….
As a passionate and now quite regular theatre-goer I’ve noticed myself getting more annoyed at some people’s obvious lack of respect while in the theatre. I wish there was a rule book that had to be read before they brought tickets (even though I’m sure people would just skip over it like they skip the terms and conditions!). And if there was such a thing I would hope this things were included (made for musicals):
- Turn up on time – and by on time I actually mean early. Don’t turn up when the show is meant to start; the show is meant to start then so please be in your seats. The show cannot start until the house is clear and everyone’s wish is to get the show up on time. Even worse is arriving after the show has started as trust me your fellow audience members will not be happy about standing up or their blocked view. Oh and try not leave during the performance unless it is absolutely required (getting another drink is not absolutely required!).
- Dress nicely – I don’t mean full on evening gowns or top hats but it’s meant to be an evening of entertainment so dress appropriately. I generally like to wear a casual dress or a nice pair of trousers with a smart top. I guess it’s just a respect thing. Read more…
Replacements and “RESPECT”
Once upon a time… I auditioned for a show and got a callback. Fell in love with the scenes and music I got to prepare for them. Didn’t book the show.
Fast forward three years to LAST WEEK. I’m working 60 hours a week at three part time jobs and barely making enough money to pay for my new apartment that I just moved into. In between working so many hours and barely sleeping I was doing the crazy hustle that has been “audition season” in Los Angeles since the new year started. I was lamenting to a friend that I couldn’t seem to book gigs I was interested in, and every audition felt more and more like a dead end.
Not 24 hours after that conversation, I got an email asking me to step into a show as an immediate replacement for a girl who got nodes. (Sounds like a bad episode of Glee amiright?) The catch? I had 36 hours to pack a suitcase, find covers for my work shifts, and board a plane to Arizona. The show? Yes, the same director/producer/show that I had auditioned for and lamented about three years before (but a different production!).
Finding Clarity with Courtney Rioux
Thanks to The Chicago Actor, who told me about Courtney Rioux’s free monthly coaching sessions, I had the universe finally answer my nagging doubts.
At least, that’s what it felt like when I had my session with Courtney. An actor and life coach, she was so bubbly and bright! Since we are a time zone apart, we had a forty-five minute phone call in which I went over all of my current life dilemmas which all stemmed from the fact that I’m graduating.
Instead of me just going over the same, stale concerns and crazy ideas I’ve been having, Courtney was there to give me feedback and offer up constructive solutions to support my schemes, especially financially. It was like having a tarot reading done for myself. Thanks to Courtney, I have plans for moving to a future city to pursue work as an actor-combatant. Until that goal is reached, I have my mini-goals:
- using my special skills to help with saving up to afford the move ($5,000 minimum)
- further developing and promoting my brand
- focus on networking so I’ll have relationships already built before I move
- do your research to decide where to move to!
The Second City Trap
Chicago has a lot to be proud of. More television shows are shooting here. There’s a fantastic theatre scene. And the improv community always has something going on. With that, there’s one big name that everyone in Chicago knows about, actor or not: Second City.
I couldn’t wait to get involved with Second City. I assumed that taking a class with them was vital to moving my career forward. As soon as I had the money, I signed up for their popular “Improv for Actors” (IFA) program.
It did not disappoint.
personal photo
I learned that upon completing the IFA program, I was eligible to audition for the Second City Conservatory Program. IFA was two months. Conservatory is a year long commitment. While improv wasn’t what I was planning on pursuing, I thought that this would be a huge stepping stone in my career, leading to countless opportunities. Plus a big resume booster. So I auditioned.
Time, Priorities and Movies – My Interview with Actor Dan Franko.
After interviewing so many awesome moms who are juggling being a parent and an artist (Shannon Plumb, Barbara Barna Abel, Wendy Braun, Joy Dewing, Jennifer Weedon) I thought it was about time to get a DAD on here! Cue the fantastic DAN FRANKO! I especially love his Veep story – such a great reminder for me that even when plans/scheduling fall apart and stress is high, if you can let that go, an awesome outcome is possible! Be sure to check out Dan’s website and follow him on Twitter!
Dan Franko – Photo by Ken Arnold Photography
How do you navigate balancing work and family? Is balance possible?
As with most actors, when you say “balancing a work and family”, the “work” part is kind of open ended. I’m not fortunate enough at this point to make my living solely from acting. So that balance includes my 9-5 “day job”, my acting work, my wife’s work schedule, and family schedules. Even the simplest audition requires the coordination of a lot of moving parts between all of those things.
You find a way to make it work…or at least as much of it as possible. My wife and family have been amazing in supporting and accommodating the situations where I have to be somewhere else for an audition or a booking. If I’m at a class or audition and can’t get to after-care to get our son, my wife does…if neither of us can, the grandparents or one of our cousins who live close by will. It’s definitely a team effort. It makes it easier to keep chasing my goals, knowing that I have a team…that I’m not in it alone. (In fact, I think my wife has a harder time with the whole “when will you hear something?” part of audition process than I do. Drives her crazy that we don’t get some kind of response one way or another).
The Green Room 