Create an Identifying Heading—a Letterhead

With the ease of scanning, copying, imaging, and even clip art, SMs today can easily create a letterhead design that can appear on all of the charts, plots, plans, lists, schedules, signs, reports, and communiqués generated for a particular show. Easiest of all can be the logo used for the original production, or the artwork being created for the present production.

Furthermore, it can be printed out in color or the classic black and white.

Our Imaginary Play

Using an imaginary play, John and Mary, we will build this magnificent chart.

The Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt. is designed to:

• Track the scenes in the play.
• List the characters in the play.
• Show which characters appear in which scenes.

To begin construction of this chart, I have created a simple two-act, one-set comedy play titled John and Mary. I will use this imaginary play in many places as the bases for certain charts, plots, plans, lists, and the like.

If this play were published, the SM would first read it through for its entertainment value. On the second read, the SM would begin to create the Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt. Here are the characters in the play:

John and Mary: husband and wife (the lead characters)

George: John and Mary’s best friend, financial adviser, and attorney

Alice: George’s zany girlfriend

Florence: the maid, who acts as if John and Mary’s home is her own

Frieda: Mary’s nurturing but overbearing mother

The smaller or cameo roles are:

POSTMAN

SUPERINTENDENT of the apartment

DELIVERY MAN

FIRE MARSHAL

REPAIR SERVICE MAN

A GIRL SCOUT: a seven-year-old child selling cookies

Delivery Man Helper: a ten-second walk-on part that will be played by the ASM

Beginning the Scene/Character Tracking Chart

We start by listing the characters’ names across the top of the page (see Fig. 6-1).

Note the design and layout. At the top of the chart, the list of characters in the play starts with the starring and leading roles and ends with the ten-second, walk-on part of the Delivery Man Helper. To be complete and thorough, all characters who appear on stage or whose voices are performed live (not recorded) must be listed. The SM cannot depend totally on the list of characters printed at the front of the script. It is not always complete, especially when it comes to the small, walk-on parts. The SM must read through the entire play to make sure all characters are listed in this Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt.

A Refinement

Before developing this chart further, let’s refine the work already done, giving the readers of this chart more clarity, greater understanding, and the ability to extract information at a single glance. In this production of John and Mary, the producer and director have signed a comedian-actor who is well known from television and plays many different characters on his show. Our play is a perfect vehicle for this actor and he is signed to play the roles of the Postman, Superintendent, Delivery Man, Fire Marshal, and Repair Service Man. The script calls for a child between seven and ten years old to play the Girl Scout. However, there are state laws governing child actors that require a parent/guardian to be present at all times and possibly an academic instructor at rehearsals and performances. The producer is not willing to pay those weekly expenses. He and the director decide the TV comedian will also play the role of the Girl Scout. To convey this information, on the Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt. we can refine and modify the chart as shown in Figure 6-2.

Any person reading this chart can see in a single glance the working situation of this particular production. Note also the use of bold lines, thin lines, and shading to group or separate information. It is this kind of tailoring, refinement, and modification that helps make this chart easy to read and makes the chart stand and deliver.

The Heading—the Archival Text

Besides the “logo” heading we talked about at the top of this chapter, every chart, plot, plan, or list needs to have what I like to call the “archival text,” that is, at the top of the page there is the name identifying the document followed by the date and information pertinent to the particular production. In my head I label this text “archival” because once this show closes, the files and hardcopy created for the production will go into some kind of an archival state, be it on a disc, on the producer’s shelf, in the basement of some theatre, maybe in a library, and oftentimes in a closet at the SM’s home.

In the layout of our Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt., this information is placed in the left-hand corner, before the character names (see Figure 6-3).

Figure 6-1 First step in creating the Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt: the layout of character names across the top of the chart starting with the lead characters.

Figure 6-2 Refining the chart to group together the multiple roles the one actor will play, using bold and fine lines along with shadow areas to separate information to make it easier to extract information in a single glance.

Figure 6-3 Adding the archival heading to the Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt. with identifying information about the production.

Figure 6-4 Listing the first part of the first scene in the play, the “Apartment.” Mark an X in the boxes under the names of the characters who appear in the scene.

Breaking Down the Play by Scenes

Under the heading and along the left side of the page, the acts along with their scene numbers should be listed. In addition, either in parenthesis or in quotes, the scenes are tagged with a name, location, or title that further identifies the scene. In our imaginary play, the first part of Scene One has no strong identification other than it being in the apartment and establishing John’s and Mary’s characters and relationship. The tag for this part of Scene One is simply Apartment.

With each scene written in the left-hand column, a grid of boxes forms across the rest of the page connecting the names of the characters with the scenes. An X is put in each box that corresponds to the characters who appear in the scene (Fig. 6-4).

Subdivision of Scenes, or French Scenes

This first scene in our imaginary play has many parts. Somewhere on page six, the character George (John and Mary’s business manager) enters. According to the script, we are still in Scene One until page thirty-two. Within those thirty-two pages, all the main characters in the play make an entrance. If we were to merely list Scene One as the apartment and put an X in the characters’ corresponding boxes, we would not know when the character enters the scene and generally what is taking place during that time. To be complete and thorough and to make the chart highly usable, the entrances of each character must be noted and their portions of the scene identified with a tag.

With the entrance of a character a subscene within Scene One is created. These divisions within a scene are called French scenes. French scenes begin when a character enters the stage or when a character on stage exits. In the case of our play, the next portion of Scene One, or the first French scene, begins when George enters on page six. Figure 6-5 shows how we would note it on the chart.

Naming or Tagging a Scene

George has come to talk business. The scene is named or tagged accordingly, “Talk Business.” This identifies the scene, gives the reader of this chart an idea of what the scene is about, and at the same time gives the SM, director, and performers an identifying mark. For example, when the director says to the SM as they create the schedule for the next day, “At 11:15, I want to rehearse George’s Talk Business scene,” the SM need not go any further. There it is on the Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt.: page 6, the name of the scene, and the performers who need to be scheduled, John, Mary, George, and Florence. Florence? Yes, Florence. She has no dialogue but passes through the apartment.

When making up the Sc./Chtr.Track.Chrt., many times the SM creates the name or tag for a scene. Sometimes the scenes are famous, such as the one in the musical play Man of La Mancha in which the character Sancho (Don Quixote’s manservant) reads a love letter to the character Aldonza (Quixote’s love interest). In the play, the love letter is referred to as a “missive.” So in rehearsals it is commonly called the “Missive Scene.” There are scenes in other shows with a notoriety all their own: of course, the balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet, the spaghetti scene or the twins scene from The Odd Couple, or the washroom scene and boardroom scene from How to Succeed in Business.

So far we have plotted the first French scene, which opens the play with John and Mary, and then, in the next French scene, George enters to talk business and somewhere in the scene Florence the maid makes an appearance but has no lines.

Now we can fill in all the French scenes as characters come and go in Scene One (Fig. 6-6).

Figure 6-5 Writing in the next part of Scene One, “Talk Business,” noting the page number, and putting Xs for the characters appearing in this French scene.

So, in a single glance, we now know which characters are involved in the first scene and approximately how long they remain on stage, and we have some idea of the content of the various portions of Scene One. We can also see that Scene One is over thirty pages long, which means in manuscript form it runs between twenty to thirty minutes. (As a general rule, with scripts in manuscript form, allow one minute for each page of dialogue.)

Figure 6-6 Writing in the remaining French scenes for Scene One and marking Xs for the characters appearing in each part.

This Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt. is an invaluable piece of hard copy. Copies should be kept at the beginning of the SM’s rehearsal script, in the cueing script, and in the SM’s production notebook or laptop under the heading “Schedule.” This chart aids the SM and director in creating the daily schedule. It is also useful to the SM on those days when in the middle of the rehearsal the director decides to abandon the daily schedule and wants to rehearse a scene that has not been scheduled. At those times the director expects the SM to make the change in as little time as possible. With the Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt., the SM merely runs a finger down the left-hand column to find the selected scene and page number, and then across to see which characters/actors must be gathered for that scene.

Copies of this chart are given to the director and actors, with the suggestion that they too place it at the front of their scripts. The costume/wardrobe department is glad to receive a copy, which they use to check against the charts they have or will create for themselves. The Sc./Chctr. Track.Chrt. is also a useful tool to the sound department for tracking body mics that might be used in each scene. Likewise, the publicity department finds it extremely helpful in deciding which shots they will want to take when scheduling for production photos.

We are now ready to note the rest of Act I and begin Act II (see Fig. 6-7). Notice that bold lines and spacing are used to group and separate information. Also, the Sc./Chctr.Track.Chrt. is most effective when all the information appears on one page.

In the interest of times past (and perhaps a good laugh), Figure 6-7a is a hand-drawn copy of a Sc./Chctr.Track. Chrt. from The Odd Couple.

The Archival Heading for the Rehearsal Sign-in Sheet

Notice that it has all the identifying information needed to tell anyone what this form is about and its use. Also, it is clearly noted with names and dates so when it becomes archived into a file in the SM’s storage box, and if it needs to be referred to at a later time, the information is easily extracted without having to search elsewhere.

Figure 6-7a This was done for a production of the female version of The Odd Couple. Though nicely and neatly done, it is somewhat primitive by today’s electronic standards.

Adding Color to Your Forms

For the first edition, color was not an option (budget considerations), but times have changed and in this second edition color is used when needed. Not only is it pleasant to the eye, but it helps separate sections of information, which makes it easier for the reader to extract information. If you are more traditional in your approach, then by all means black and white is the way to go. It is not the color that is important, but the layout of the form and the ease with which the information can be extracted.

Continuing with the Rehearsal Sign-in Sheet

Let’s take a moment to break down and analyze the content of this rehearsal sign-in sheet in Figure 6-8.

Figure 6-8 The rehearsal sign-in sheet, designed for the actors to note their initials in the correct boxes when they first arrive for rehearsals and when they return from their midday break.

• Notice just under the archive heading the banner of text that runs across the entire form. Between the division of text and coloring, the form has been broken down into its specific parts, which in turn has created the columns.
• Also notice the use of some bold lines along with thinner lines. Once again, the bold lines are to separate blocks of information, which tends to lead the eye easily.
• In the first column on the left side is where the SM types in the cast members’ names—the Equity performers who are required to sign in upon entry into the rehearsal hall.
• Notice within that banner of information the order of the days of the week. Equity and management have agreed the workweek starts on Monday and ends on Sunday, so the form starts with Monday and ends with Sunday.
• Notice under each day of the week the column is divided into two sections with each column having the abbreviated notation “morn.” and “brk.”
• Just under the morn. and the brk. notations are columns of little boxes. This is where the performers will enter in their initials upon arrival at the first part of the rehearsal day, and then upon returning from the midday meal (or “break”), the performers are required to initial again.

This form, like all the forms you will create, will be time-consuming the first time. Take heart! Once you have designed your own, you will keep it on your computer as a template and use it for the rest of your SMing career.

The rehearsal sign-in sheet is to be posted in a place where it is easily seen and accessible, which usually is on the callboard. Originally, the sign-in sheet was a sheet of paper the SM posted daily but has since evolved into a weekly form.

This is the form from which the SM checks to see that all performers are present and ready for rehearsals. This is also the form on which the SM will make the dreaded LITTLE RED BOX should a performer be late or should they habitually forget to sign in.

Day Off while in Rehearsals

The one feature not yet indicated on this rehearsal sign-in sheet (Fig. 6-8) is the day off. Equity has agreed that the performer shall have one day off within a workweek. Traditionally, workweeks start on Monday, which means Sunday is the day off. However, you may work for a producer and/or director who will choose otherwise. So before printing out your rehearsal sign-in sheet each week, find out which day is the allocated day off and then shadow in the columns under that day. Now your form is complete and ready to be posted on the callboard. To complicate things a little more, the director may choose to give groups of people different days off while working with some other group. This is where the SM’s skills will be put to the test. Also, if such a situation exists, the SMs too may end up having different days off.

Floating Matinee Days

The most identifying feature in the performance sign-in sheet will the matinee performances. Traditionally, matinee performances were always on Wednesdays and Sundays. Somewhere along the way producers found they had a greater audience turnout if the matinees were on Saturdays and Sundays. More than likely this began in regional and community theatre, where most members of the community were off on weekends. Soon Broadway tried it out. Today is it a mixed bag depending on the show and the demographics for the show. Producers everywhere are continually experimenting to see what day is best for attendance, and you can be sure wherever the money is, that is where the matinee performances will be.

So with the uncertainty of when the matinee days will be, before the SM creates the performance sign-in sheet, he or she needs to find out the producer’s choice.

Days Off during Performance

Another difference in the performance sign-in sheet will be the day off. A tradition that has remained pretty constant is having the theatre dark on Monday, which becomes the cast’s day off, but this too can vary depending on the theatre and the type of Equity contract under which the performers are working. Basically, the rule states that by the end of the eighth performance the cast members will have a day off or be paid overtime. As part of this time off from performances, Equity further states that the actors cannot be called back to the theatre until the time they are to be there for the first performance of the new workweek. With this rule in effect, you get the feeling of having two days off because the performers have had a good portion of the second day to relax or do personal business.

Figure 6-9 The performance sign-in sheet, on which performers place their initials when they first arrive at the performance site.

This form too can list the performers in alphabetical order.

The Cast Address List

There is no specific layout or form in creating the Cast Address List. It is whatever the SM creates to suit the production. It can be done in a word processing document or a spreadsheet. Figure 6-10 was created using Excel. The important part is that the information is clearly noted, can be extracted in a single glance, that all the names are spelled correctly, and that there are multiple ways of being in touch with a performer at any time.

I have chosen to list the cast members of our imaginary play John and Mary for the presentation of a cast list because there are only a few actors/characters to be listed. As much as possible I like to have my cast address list on one page and in portrait orientation. While the listing of the performers in Figure 6-10 is nicely and spaciously laid, on a show with a larger cast, the information would have to be a lot closer. In musical productions with ensemble performers as well as leads and major roles, I might orient the page to landscape, use a smaller font, and list all the information for each performer in one line across the page.

Once again, notice I have listed the actors/characters starting with the star/lead roles, working on down to the supporting and smaller roles, and not in alphabetical order. Again, this conforms to my sense of orientation and organization. You will find your own creation, and once you do it can become a template for other shows, where all you will have to do is fill in the new information.

Figure 6-10 A sample cast address list identifying all cast members and listing their business/home addresses and all phone numbers where they can be easily reached.

The Staff Address List

Whatever form, order, or orientation you choose for your cast address list, the staff list will look pretty much the same if not exactly the same. I also try to keep it on a single page. Once again, I do not go in alphabetical order by name but rather by the order I have created and listed in Chapter 3, “The SM’s Chain-of-Command List.”

The SM’s Group Email List

This is a time-saving list. The SM will be sending out information to blocks of people. Sometimes it will be for everyone in the company; other times it will be for specific groups. As with the address lists, it is worth the time to create Group Email Lists for the cast, technical heads, production, and so on. This will be an easy task. The email addresses are already noted. It is simply a matter of copying and pasting the emails into their groups. Now, at the end of the day, when it is time to send out messages to all, or to specific groups, the SM needs only to highlight the group(s) and send the message on its way.

The Contact Sheet

The contact sheet, on the other hand, is designed for general distribution. It is quite different from the cast address lists in that it is in alphabetical order and lists only those people who choose to be on the list and gives only the numbers they choose to have noted. It will contain both the telephone number and an email address, but once again it will be up to each person if they want both or one or the other. The contact sheet is not a workable document for the SM but is generated and distributed as a service to the company and to enhance general communication.

The Block Calendar

This form is the backbone of the SM’s work in organizing and getting the entire company to work in the same time frame. It is the first step in keeping all departments informed. The Block Calendar is designed to give an overall view of the rehearsal period, technical rehearsals, pre-opening performances, and the run of the show. For a detailed breakdown of each day’s work, the daily schedule, which we will discuss below, is published and distributed each day.

Massive Coordination

In putting together the block calendar, SMs are pushed to the maximum of their coordinating abilities. The SM must first talk with the production office, which is usually the producer’s production assistant, extracting the time frame and schedule for the different phases of the production. This information becomes the foundation and framework for the calendar. The SM then meets with the director, who provides more details for the rehearsals and in putting the show together. If the show is a musical, the SM meets with the musical director and choreographer, getting their input. It is important that the SM also talk with the publicity department to see what interviews have been scheduled and if and when publicity photos are to be taken.

The SM then meets with the technical director (TD). In most working situations, the TD has already gotten the schedule information from the production office and has created a schedule for the crew. During this meeting the SM gets from the TD any information not already noted on the block calendar, and checks to see that the TD is working in the same time frame. Having all the information from the TD, the SM still meets or talks with the heads of the different technical departments, just to make contact, get additional input, and be assured they too are working in the same time frame. The SM also meets or talks with the designers of the different departments, once again, just to make contact, get additional input, and be assured they are working in the same time frame.

Publication and Distribution

With the information gathered, the block calendar has pretty much created itself. As the SM assembles the information on the block calendar, each day’s entry must be checked to ensure that there are no conflicts in times, dates, or places. The SM is also vigilant in judging the time frames, making sure they are reasonable for the work that needs to be done. Most of all, the SM is expected to know the union rules governing the actors’ and technicians’ workdays, call times, breaks, and days off. The SM must never schedule a working situation where the producer must pay overtime or penalties, unless approved by the producer.

Figure 6-11 An overall view of the work to be done in the first weeks of putting together a show, starting with the first day of rehearsals, going into technical rehearsals, into performance, and then the run of the show.

Figure 6-11a This hand-drawn, hand-written block schedule was created for a production of Man of La Mancha. Though nicely laid out, it is still somewhat primitive by today’s electronic standards.

On completion of the block calendar, but before publication and distribution, it is imperative the SM send out (via email) a copy to the people from whom the information was gathered, have them read it over, and get their approval. That being done, if the SM so chooses, text and sections of information can be colorized for greater separation and ease of extracting information in a glance, as demonstrated in Figure 6-11.

This calendar should be given out liberally to everyone in the company, including those who are in any way associated with the production. Whenever possible, the information in the block calendar should appear on one page. This is an involved and complicated calendar to

produce. Beginning SMs take heart. This is PSM work. You will get your knowledge and experience during your time as an ASM before you will be called upon to make one yourself.

Daily Rehearsal Schedule

This schedule is the soul mate and partner to the block calendar. The Daily Rehearsal Schedule gives the details that the block calendar does not provide. In most working situations, the director and SM create this schedule each day for the next day. In it they detail the entire workday, sometimes down to the minute, specifying the scenes to be worked on, the performers needed for the scenes, the performers’ call times, meal breaks, and dismissal time.

By Equity rule, a copy of the next day’s schedule must be posted on the callboard before the performers leave at the end of the day, otherwise the SM is required to get that information to cast members by before the end of the day. At one time this was a hardship for the SM because the SM then had to spend a good amount of time “calling” each cast member. Today, from the first day of rehearsals, the SM tells the cast that the schedule will be emailed to them on the evening before the rehearsal for the next day and that they will be responsible to check their messages to get the information.

With this in mind, the first order of business at the end of the day is for the SM and the director to create the schedule and for the SM to get that information organized into the computer and sent out.

Like the address lists, there is no particular form to follow in laying out the daily schedule. The objective, as with all paperwork, is to be simple, clear, straightforward, informative, neat, easy to read, and easy to understand. With this piece of hard copy, more so than some of the others, there is no room for interpretation or misunderstanding of information by the reader, who might mistakenly come to rehearsal at the wrong time or not be prepared for the work to be done on that day.

Whatever form the SM uses in creating the daily schedule, it should be the same for each day. Once the company members become familiar with the format and layout of information, there is less chance for mistakes. In addition to emailing out the schedule, the SM prints out about six additional copies. Whenever possible, the schedule should be on one piece of paper, even if it is printed out on legal-size (eight-and-a-half-by-fourteen-inch) paper. One copy is posted on the callboard, one copy is placed on the SM’s worktable, one is placed on the director’s worktable, and for a musical copies are given to the musical director and pianist. The remaining copies are kept on hand should someone not on the email list need one.

Daily Schedule for a Musical

When working a musical show, the daily schedule becomes more involved because the choreographer and musical director must also have their workdays scheduled. If there is an assistant director with the show, there can be as many as four rehearsal locations to schedule at one time. The logistics of moving performers and not double-scheduling become a lot more intense. Once again, it is the job of the SM to see that there are no conflicts in scheduling. Once again, the layout and information on this form must be easily read and understood (see Fig. 6-13).

Scenic Drawings/Blueprints

With the SM’s Personal Floor Plans, we now enter into a whole new world of form making. However, before doing so, we must know about and deal with the set designers scaled Scenic Drawings. By the time an SM is hired for a show, the set has been designed and the SM is handed a set of these drawings of the floor plans and elevations. During the preproduction period before rehearsals begin, the SM must learn about the set and come to know it like the back of his or her hand—in fact, better. This happens mostly by the SM being given the large rolled-up floor plans, which require a tabletop to spread out. Sometimes the SM may get to sit in on a meeting where the set designer presents to the producer and director the drawings, sketches, color renderings, or even a three-dimensional scale model of the set. The scenic drawings give the layout, measurements, and dimensions of the scenery. They also give the placement of any backdrops that might be part of the set design.

Not too long ago, these scenic drawings were called blueprints. An SM today may run across this term when possibly working with old-timers. The designs were printed on sheets of blue paper with white lines that defined the set—thus the term blueprints. Later, with an improved process, the sheets became white with blue lines. Today, scenic designers create their work electronically and the copies are printed out electronically, so scenic drawings now appear as your basic white sheets with black print.

Scenic Drawings—Visual Orientation, Easy Read

The scenic drawings are not difficult to read. Just keep in mind that the various drawings are all viewed from the audience’s point of view. In addition, the floor plans of the scenery are viewed from above looking down on the stage. On the other hand, the elevation drawings are drawn to give the heights of the various parts of the set and are viewed from the same audience perspective, but from eye level, head on.

The SM’s Knowledge of the Set

Like the script, the SM must study the scenic drawings. Anything the SM doesn’t understand in the drawings must be clarified before rehearsals begin. In the absence of the set designer, the technical director is a great help. As the rehearsals progress, everyone will turn to the SM for information about the set and will expect the SM to know as much as the designer. To aid the SM in this effort and to make it easier for the rest of the company to picture the set, the SM gathers and puts up on the rehearsal room walls whatever artist renderings the designer has made, the scenic drawings, and arranges to have a scale model (if there is one) at the rehearsal hall at least for the first week of rehearsals.

The SM’s Floor Plans

The scenic drawings generated from the scenic designer are drawn to scale—usually one inch or a half-inch for every foot of real space on the stage. Even with this scaling down in size, these drawings are large. Traditionally, they come rolled up and do not fit in the SM’s manila folders, briefcases, or notebooks unless they are folded several times. Today, however, these drawings have been generated electronically, so they are easily reduced in size and can be printed out as eight-and-a-half-by-eleven-inch versions.

Once these personal-size plans have been scaled down, they can be placed in the rehearsal script at the beginning of each scene. The placement of actors at the beginning of the scene can be noted, props listed, and the placement of furniture drawn in. Even more helpful, when the director calls for a particular scene to be set up in rehearsals, the SM can quickly turn the page in the rehearsal script and refer to the personal floor plan without having to roll out the original drawings or go to the wall on which they are hanging. In addition, personal-size floor plans are a helpful piece of hard copy for people in other departments.

Know, also, that if you do not have the convenience or generosity of the scenic designer printing out personal-size floor plans, you can take the large plans to a copy center with a printer to accommodate that size and print out personal-size floor plans.

In the first edition of this book, all floor plans shown were drawn by hand. I had not yet started doing my personalized floor plans electronically. For this edition I have retained those drawings. However, for comparison, the floor plan in Figure 6-15 is presented in Figure 6-15a as generated in AutoCAD. Similarly, the floor plan in

Figure 6-17 is presented in Figure 6-17a as generated in AutoCAD. As you can see, there is not a great deal of difference between the hand-drawn floor plans and the electronically created ones. Proudly, I say on my behalf that this is due to the expertise I acquired in drawing many floor plans, especially when doing musicals.

The SM’s Floor Plans for Annie Get Your Gun

While I had done quite a bit of SMing before my first big-time show, I did not have a whole lot of experience in reading floor plans, except for the ones I used to look at while building houses with my uncle. So when I was first handed a set of blueprint drawings and was told to make my own personal-size floor plans, there was a steep learning curve. I think it is called OJT (on-the-job training). So to help any reader, student, or beginning SM who might be like I was, let us go over this first floor plan in Figure 6-15, the opening scene for a production of Annie Get Your Gun. For those of you more familiar with reading floor plans, a little review is good for the soul.

• First there is the layout of the stage with the audience and the edge of the stage across the bottom of the page.
• Then, on both sides of the page, just behind the line for the edge of the stage, are the show portals. For this show, this is a painted, flat piece of scenery that carries the design of the set closer to the audience.
• Further up on each side (the short squiggly lines) are the soft legs. These hanging drapes serve first to hide the backstage areas from those audience members who are sitting off to the sides, and just as importantly create entrances and exits for the performers and scenery. These entrances and exits are referred to as the “wings.” Notice there are three sets of these legs/wings along each side of the stage.
  

  Figure 6-15 Stage manager’s hand-drawn personal floor plan for the musical Annie Get Your Gun, depicting the first setup of the show (the meadow scene), with the scenery/drops in place and the show wagon at center stage.
  

  

  Figure 6-15a This is the same floor plan as in Figure 6-15, but it was generated in AutoCAD. Except for the printed text, the differences are subtle. That is due mostly to the fact that by this time the SM had become quite expert at making hand-drawn personalized floor plans.
  

• Before going into the specifics of the setup in the performing area, let’s go all the way back to the cyclorama (cyc); from our view, this is at the top of the page, just under the archive heading. This cyc is permanently placed and will appear in every drawing.
• However, in this first scene, the cyc is not seen by the audience because of the boarding house drop, which is indicated with a bold line across the entire upper part of the stage.
• Also notice the train unit in storage, between the cyc and the boarding house drop. Of course, with the drop in place, this unit is hidden from the view of the audience, but it is nonetheless important that the SM draw it into the personal-size floor plan.
• Coming a little farther down from the boarding house drop, notice the two very narrow rectangle boxes that are noted as tree cut-outs. These are two hard flats of scenery that are flown in to look like the trunks of trees.
• Drawn very close to these rectangle boxes is a squiggly line going across the entire stage. At first glance it gives the appearance of another drop like the boarding house drop, but notice the notation, leaf teaser. Of course, as an SM you know that a teaser can be a short pleated piece of material or a hard piece of scenery that goes across the entire top of the stage. One of its uses is to hide stage lights from the audience, but the other is to add to the scenic design, which in this case is leaves that, combined with the tree cut-outs, give the illusion of full-grown trees in this meadow scene.
• Now all we have left on stage in this opening scene of Annie Get Your Gun is the show wagon at center with two arrows pointing off in different directions, which indicate that this wagon rolls on and off.

There is one more piece of information to which I would like to direct your attention. I have talked at length about the archival heading at the top of the charts, plots plans, and lists. Notice that the text at the left side gives that information. Then, over to the right, a notation gives the placement of the scene in the show (Act I, Scene 1), the major action taking place in the scene (the first shooting match), and lastly the location (meadow). These are simple notes but are valuable pieces of information to have in the rehearsal script at the beginning of each scene.

While the show opens with the setup in Figure 6-15, let us now move to a setup of the same scene but with the scenery and set pieces having been changed, either by the performers or by the stage technicians on the SM’s cue (Fig. 6-16).

The basic scenery pieces of the stage, such as the boarding house drop, the tree cut-outs, and the leaf teaser remain the same, but there is a considerable change in the placement of props or set pieces on the stage deck. So it is important that the SM now make a personalized floor plan for this setup.

As you can see, the show wagon has changed position and the two little rectangle boxes close to the show portal at stage right, labeled costume trunk, have been brought on by performers. Up stage left, just at the edge of the second wing, is placed, first, the gazebo and, beside it the boarding house porch unit. Both units glide into position by automation. Also take note of the very thin rectangle box drawn in just behind the porch. This is a flat piece of scenery with the façade of the Wilson Hotel painted on it. When set behind the porch, it completes the illusion of the hotel with its porch.

Notice in labeling the gazebo that the SM has also noted w/rooster. While the rooster on top of the gazebo appears to the audience as a decorative weathervane, it is in actuality a rigged solenoid so that when Annie shoots at it the head pops off.

So now with these two personalized floor plans inserted into the rehearsal script at the beginning of Act I, Scene 1, at any given time in rehearsals when asked to set up for the top of the show the SM can easily flip to these two floor plans and know immediately what needs to be set up on the stage and what needs to be in the wings to be brought on during the scene.

I have found these personal-size floor plans invaluable pieces of hard copy and strongly recommend that every student and beginning SM make these plans part of their life. With them, I can note the placement of the performers at the top of a large crowd scene. I can note props that appear on stage as well as ones that need to be off in the wings for the particular scene. The choreographer likes having a set of these drawings because it tells him or her where set pieces and large props are placed and allows placement of the dancers in a big ensemble number. I also use them for blocking off large scenes, and additional copies can be found in my rehearsal script in the middle of the scene/dialogue. I offer a copy to the prop department and sometimes they use them extensively and other times they find them useful when they are first learning the placement of props in the show. On several occasions the head carpenter has asked for a set and then has made copies and handed them out to his crew. Without expecting them to be used, I give a set to the director. Sometimes I see each floor plan carefully placed at the beginning of each scene in the director’s script, and other times they are loosely thrown in at the back of the script, becoming tattered and dog-eared.

Figure 6-16 Stage manager’s hand-drawn personal floor plan for the Wilson Hotel scene in the musical Annie Get Your Gun. The floor plan depicts the new placement of the show wagon with the added set pieces of the gazebo, boarding house porch, and costume trunk.

Return to the Archive Heading

Notice in Figure 6-16, the information on the right side is changed. It is now titled the Wilson Hotel, which certainly mirrors the scenery on the stage. In addition, there are listed five musical numbers that will take place within this setting. Good information to have, because not only does it tell the SM what will be going on in this setting but also the length of time the scene will remain on stage, considering the five musical numbers. I point this out just to show how much information is derived from the SM’s notations on personal-size floor plans.

Noting the Acts and Scenes

Once again, back to the archival heading at the top of the SM’s floor plans. While the information at the left is informative, take note at the right of the wording and spelling of act and abbreviation of scene. See how they stand large in size and are bold. This is purposely done to draw the eye of the reader, even the SM who made up this floor plan. Immediately, without having to think much further or search for the information, anyone reading the page knows exactly where this scene and stage setup lies in the show.

There is, however, a difference in how SMs like to note the act and the scene. Some prefer to use act and scene numbers, such as I-1, I-2, II-1, and so on. Others like to circle these figures, as is traditionally done on the professional blueprint floor plans. I choose to spell it out (ACT I, Scn. 1). That way, any person, civilian, or professional, does not have to think about it.

Personal Floor Plans Void of Measurements

Notice no measurements have been included in the SM’s personalized floor plans. For what these plans are used for, that information is not usually needed. At times, the SM will include figures for some important measurements, such as for steps, risers, or platforms. If the SM is working with a director who frequently asks for measurements of things, the SM might make a duplicate copy of each floor plan and on that copy note the measurements. This will save the SM from having to go to the scenic drawings every time the director asks.

Personal Floor Plans Void of Scale Measurement

The SM does not note the scale used to create the personal drawings. The SM’s personal floor plans are not meant to have the accuracy and precision of the scenic drawings—although, with computer-generated plans, scale can be pretty accurate. But in making copies with a copying machine, that accuracy is sometimes lost. It is best for the SM not to note the scale, and if anyone wants to know that information, the SM can either give it to them or direct them to the scenic drawings.

A More Involved and Complicated Personal-Sized Floor Plan

Figure 6-17 is the floor plan for Hello Jerry, a tribute to Jerry Herman, author of the musical Hello, Dolly! On this set, Carol Channing will be performing her famous eleven o’clock number “Hello, Dolly!”

As you can see, this personalized floor plan is a little more involved, including a turntable, placement of the musicians on stage, the famous “Hello, Dolly!” staircase, and the ramp that projects out into the audience upon which Carol Channing does her even more famous signature strut.

The Backside to the Hello Jerry Set

As the turntable turns to reveal its back side, the stands seating the musicians remain in place while the “Hello, Dolly!” set disappears from view. What is now in view is the grand piano, and along the sides of the turntable are the curving staircases. It is here at this piano that Jerry Herman will sit to play his music as singers and dancers enter from the wings or make their way down the stairs performing whatever musical number is being played.

The SM’s work on the floor plans for this show is not complete until the personal-size floor plan for the Jerry Herman side of the set is facing forward, while the Carol Channing side is at the back.

Figure 6-17 The SM’s hand-drawn personal floor plan for Hello Jerry, depicting the setup of scenery on the turntable, the platforms on which the musicians sit, and the “Hello, Dolly!” ramp projecting out into the audience.

Figure 6-17a This is the same floor plan as in Figure 6-17, but it was generated in AutoCAD. Except for the printed text, the differences are subtle. This is due mostly to the fact that by this time the SM had become quite expert at making hand-drawn personalized floor plans.

Once again, just briefly check out the archive heading to this floor plan to get a better idea of what this show was about, where it played, when it played, and who were the contributing staff members.

Personal Floor Plans for the One-Set Comedy John and Mary

This is what the SM might have drawn for a personal-size floor plan of John and Mary.

Figure 6-18 The SM’s personal floor plans for the one-set comedy of our imaginary play, John and Mary.

At first glance this set too may appear complicated, busy, or confusing with all the lines, squares, and rectangles, but once broken down, the floor plan becomes understandable and easy to read. The first thing to notice is that there are three levels of performance:

1. There is the main stage floor on which the bar area is set off to stage right. There is the main performing area at center stage with the couch, chair, and coffee table, and over to the far stage left is a dining area or game table area.
2. The next level or performance area is up on to the six-inch riser/platform that leads off into the kitchen and the master bedroom. Then further over on that same level is a desk set at center stage, and just behind the desk are glass doors leading on to the patio.
3. The third level or performance area is another riser/platform standing at twelve inches above off the main stage floor. For the performer to get up on to this level, there is a six-inch step on the stage level just behind the chair and adjacent to the table. This platform and performance area leads to the entryway, which leads out into the hall. Notice within the hallway the line with the series of Xes and the notation Scrim. With this information, we know that when properly lit, the performers will be seen as they come up the hallway to the entry into the apartment. Then right next to the entry way is a closet and next to that is a shelf.

For measurements and more specific technical information about the set, the SM can consult the scenic drawings and meet with the designer to see sketches, drawings, or possibly a scale model. There is one other notation on this floor plan, and that is the skyline drop backing the entire set and completing the stage picture. If you have been able to follow this with ease and see in your mind’s eye the layout of this set, then you are on your way to reading other floor plans that will come your way.

The Schedule Reminder List

This list is strictly for the SM’s use. On it the SM notes anything that affects the schedule, be it something for the next day, next week, or next month, and then refers to this list each time a schedule must be created. It can be kept as a file on the SM’s laptop or printed out and placed in the SM’s production notebook under the tabbed section “Schedule.”

Throughout the day, at any time, someone in the company will give advance information that will have an effect on the schedule, sometimes to relieve themselves of having to remember, other times to ensure they are included or excluded from the schedule, depending on their needs. The SM is responsible for seeing that all of this information is entered into the schedule at the prescribed times. This information should never be committed to memory. Failure in this area is of grave concern to the people involved and to the organization and coordination of the company and may result in loss of time and money.

Industry Phone Numbers List

This list also is mainly for the SM’s use. It is started on the first day of an SM’s first professional show. This list too can be kept as a file on the SM’s laptop or printed out and placed in the SM’s production notebook under the tabbed section “Address Lists.”

This list is a collection of phone numbers and addresses of people who were involved with the production in some way, but not enough to be placed on the staff or cast list. Primarily, these are people who may have provided a service, a specialty, or a product: shops, vendors, supply houses, rental places, magic shops, musicians, vocal coaches, dialect coaches, script typists, publishers, publicists, videographers, recording studios, still photographers, prop providers, food services, hair suppliers, printers, fabric shops, shoe stores, repairmen, and so on.

This list can be organized in categories and in alphabetical order. If kept as a hard copy, it can become a series of handwritten notes and taped-in business cards, entered on the list as they were received. The information collected on this list can be a treasure and a lifesaver to both the SM and the show when a problem or need arises.

The Correct-Spelling-of-Names List

This was a list I created for myself. It was not something that I took from other SMs, as I have done with most of the charts, plots, plans, and lists that are in this book. It came about after a couple of times of having a performer’s name misspelled on one of my lists or, even more grievously, in the program.

It is important to all people that their names are spelled correctly in print and pronounced correctly when spoken. With people in the entertainment business, fame is the name of the game, and the correct spelling of that name is very important. People in entertainment spend a great amount of time and effort to get their names known both to the people in the industry and to the public at large.

Although no one has ever lost work or fame because their name was misspelled in the program, most actors’ reaction to a misspelled name might lead you to believe that their career was in jeopardy. In fact, having a performer’s name spelled correctly in the program is important enough to the actors that Equity found it necessary to create a rule with management that if and when misspelling happens, management must correct the problem by reprinting the program or placing an insert sheet in each program giving the correct spelling.

Part of doing the SM job well, and saving the producer from the embarrassment and expense of printing program corrections, includes creating the Correct-Spelling-of-Names List (see Fig. 6-19). This will be one of the easier templates to make. The basic template is already on file in the form of the performance sign-in sheet. Fortunately, the sign-in sheet was done in a spreadsheet program, which will make it easier to reshape. Of course, once the template for this correct-spelling-of-names list is completed, it is saved on the SM’s laptop and can be used for many shows to come.

Figure 6-19 The SM’s correct-spelling-of-names list, though not standard hard copy, is created to ensure that performers’ names are spelled correctly, especially in the program.

Once all the cast members’ names have been listed, the SM prints out a copy and sees that every person on the list checks his or her name and, if not spelled correctly, prints it out in the adjacent column. For thoroughness and greater efficiency, the SM may also include the director, choreographer, musical director, rehearsal pianist, SMs, and assistants. The production office will be responsible for getting the correct spelling of the designers, technical heads, their assistants, and crew members.

That being done, all who are listed on this form enter their initials in the last column that is there to show approval, protect the SM, and in the long run save the producer the expense of having to reprint the program or go through the bother of having inserts put into every program.

After every person has checked the spelling, has made a correction (if one was needed), and has entered his or her initials, the SM can scan this document into the laptop and either send it out as a PDF to the production office and other departments or, for greater assurance, hand deliver the document.

The Prop List

Of all the technical departments within the production of a show, the SM is most involved with the internal work of the prop department. While the other technical departments create their own charts, plots, plans, and lists, it is the SM’s job to begin creating a Prop List during rehearsals, keep it up-to-date, and as soon as the prop master is on the show, share that information. Then daily, mostly through the daily report, the SM keeps the prop master informed of whatever changes or additions are made. In actuality, the ASM usually is assigned this job and responsibility, while the PSM sees that the job is done accurately, making contributions to the list as information is received, via the scene designer, director, and even the performers.

The prop list starts with the ASM’s second reading of the play. In that reading, the ASM, seated at the laptop, notes in bold text the act and scene and under that heading lists the props mentioned. Each day in rehearsals the ASM adds or subtracts from the prop list as the director and actors make their choices. With each prop listed, the ASM notes:

• the character who uses the prop
• if there are any special ways it is used
• if it gets destroyed and whether a new one will be needed for every show
• where the prop starts in the show
• any special needs or descriptions the actors or director may request.

This information is then related to the prop person. In many productions, the union prop person will not join the crew on a regular basis until the last week of rehearsals. By that time the ASM has created and organized a detailed prop list from which both the ASM and the prop department can work. If the ASM is working for a production company that has a theatre as part of its complex and has a prop person on staff, then the ASM can almost daily, through the daily report, note anything having to do with the props. This gives the prop person a heads-up and a head start on gathering the props. The ASM, however, continues building the prop list, even if the prop person is doing one too. When the show gets into technical rehearsals, the ASM and the prop person can compare notes to build a final prop list.

The information on this list must be noted clearly so the props can be set in the same place and in the same way for each rehearsal and subsequently for each performance. There is no particular form to follow in making a prop list, although prop lists from different SMs look similar.

On new shows, shows heading to Broadway, heavy prop shows, or shows with big budgets, the prop person may be hired to gather rehearsal props before rehearsals start. Once rehearsals begin, the prop person or assistant may be required to be at the rehearsals to set up props for each scene.

Personal Props

There are two kinds of personal props. There is the kind that the prop person has procured but is called “personal” because the performer takes responsibility for the prop. This prop is noted on the prop list as personal, which tells both the prop person and the SM that they do not hold themselves responsible for the prop nor do they have to make sure the prop is in place before each performance begins. The performer is responsible for either placing the prop on stage or keeping it in their dressing room and will take it on stage when needed. If an actor forgets, the actor has no recourse to the SMs or prop department.

Figure 6-20 The “working” prop list for the imaginary play John and Mary. This list is used ten minutes before each performance as a double check for the placement of all props.

The second kind of a personal prop is a prop that a performer might have that is unique or maybe very specific to the production—a one-of-a-kind item. If agreed upon by the performer, and if this prop is used in the show, according to Equity rule and agreement with producers the performer must be paid. In conference with the Equity deputy or even the local Equity office, the SM should find out the rate of pay and see to it that this information is sent to accounting or to the department responsible for issuing the weekly paychecks. Similarly, this holds true with personal pieces of clothing or an item the performer may be asked to use in the show.

The Sound Designer

With all of the technical departments associated with a production, and in all the shows I have worked, my contact with a sound designer has been probably limited to an introduction and hellos as our paths crossed. There is little to nothing an SM needs to do to assist or aid the sound designer in his or her job. The quality of the sound is decided upon, the equipment purchased or rented, the stage and body mics set up, the speakers placed throughout the house, and it all happens as the SM continues working with the other technical departments.

Working with the Sound Technicians

This is not to say that the SM does not work or have contact with the sound department. To the contrary, there is plenty to be done. The SM must deliver information to the sound department as detailed and diligently as is done with the prop master and prop department. The list is daunting: prepare a list of all the sounds; make notes of sounds that needed to be recorded, if important to the script or to the moment being acted; and make notes and relate that information. Also, there is the placement of the cues—some are inherent to the script; others are by design dictated by the director and even the performer.

This work is done with the technicians who are setting up the sound, running/mixing the sound, executing the sound cues during performance, and most importantly creating, recording, and editing the sound cues. These are the closet contacts the SM has with the sound department. Then, on productions that might need specialized sound effects, music, voiceover, prerecording, or even a cast recording, the SM’s greatest business is to provide information (lists), make schedules, and generally be available to coordinate and troubleshoot.

Creating the Sound/Effects List

Whatever the working situation, throughout the rehearsals, especially during the first days, the SM and sound technician are in close communication creating the sound/effects list and noting any special needs. This list may change radically or remain as it was originally written, depending on the director, actors, and designers as they work and rehearse the show. Then, through the daily report and weekly production meeting, the SM keeps the sound department up to date, with an eye on seeing that things are getting done so that some of the basic sound cures can be executed in the early stages of rehearsals, and that the full collection of cues can be had for the last week of rehearsals in the rehearsal hall.

Three Sound Lists

Sound Requirement List

According to the archive heading on the Sound Requirements List in Figure 6-22, the play is scheduled to go out on tour, playing the Southwest and West Coast. While the sound plot in Figure 6-21 was put together for gathering up the sounds and recording them into cues, this list in Figure 6-22 was for the express purpose of being sent in advance to the various theatres in which the show would be performing. Due to budgetary considerations, the producer decided it was economical (cheaper) to use the “house” sound system and sound person in each theatre rather than have one travel with the show. While this is good for the producer, it’s not so good for the SM because, upon arrival at the theatre and during the few hours scheduled for technical rehearsals before the first performance, the SM must first keep an eye on the sound

Figure 6-21 This list is geared and designed for the sound person in aiding him or her to first gather what is needed for the show, and then record the variations in music and sound effects as ordered by the director.

Figure 6-22 Sound requirements list, detailing the sound needs for the play It Had to Be You as it travels to each new theatre/performance site.

department in each new venue to see that all gets set up as listed, and then afterward the SM must take the time to rehearse the house sound person for the sound cues.

In anticipation of the limited time for the technical rehearsals and the time that will be needed for the sound department, at the bottom of this sound requirements list the SM personally thanks the house sound person in advance and acknowledges the complexity of the setup, but then in the very next breath expresses her hope and expectation that the house sound department will be ready to go upon arrival.

Once again, check the structure and layout of this list. Notice the separation of information. Notice that the use of coloring not only is pleasing but also helps in separating information. Notice, also, the text made bold and sometimes put into upper case. Keep in mind, what is one SM’s choice in the makeup and design of a list may not be your choice. As long as in your creations the information is abbreviated, detailed, and succinct, then you are in the ballpark, conveying and delivering information that leaves no room for mistake or misinterpretation. The worst thing an SM can hear is, “It did not say that in your list,” or, “Oh, I thought you meant…”

The Body Mic Tracking Chart

At one time, only the lead performers were set up with body mics. Today, practically every speaking part, no matter how small, will be mic’ed. On occasion the sound person may ask the SM for a list of actors in each scene. Before the Scene/Character Tracking Chart (Sc./Chtr. Track.Chrt.) became part of the SM’s cadre of hard copies, this request from the sound department would have been a chore and would have cut into the SM’s time for other things, especially when in rehearsals. However, with a Sc./Chtr.Track.Chrt., the request will not even be made because the SM will have sent a copy to the sound person in the first week of rehearsals.

The Show Running Order for Man of La Mancha

An excellent example of how an SM must sometimes be inventive and creative to service the cast and crew is seen in the show rundown list or running order from the musical Man of La Mancha (Fig. 6-25). As originally produced on Broadway, the set consists of a raked platform stage and a drawbridge that is lowered and raised many times throughout the play. There are no major changes of scenery to help the cast and crew easily identify where they are in the show. There is no intermission or designated Act II, and the scenes are not numbered. The show just flows from one moment to the next. During performance, in a moment of distraction, cast and crew members backstage can become momentarily disoriented, sometimes at a crucial moment in the show. Posting running orders everywhere becomes very important.

With the absence of acts and scenes, the SM has only the moments in the play, and even those moments are not named. However, either through text or through the physical action on stage, some scenes speak for themselves and practically name themselves. Figure 6-25 is the result of one SM’s creativity.

Figure 6-25 A running order an SM might create for the musical Man of La Mancha. The play is continuous and not divided into scene numbers. The SM had to create a list of dividing points and identifying marks.