I survived

Made it through the massive load-in, now drinking a beer, trying to catch up on life.

In other news, I was recently asked to give an example of a time that a show tech went horribly awry. I explained to the asker that once, I worked on a show where not only did we break a neon light sculpture, but also all the transformers for the neon were busted (that week I learned more about transformers than I ever wanted to know), and there were motorized wheels whose motors couldn't handle the weight of the wheels, which pulled downward at a 45-degree angle. While we tried to fix these motors (for hours), a super-dramatic soundtrack played over the PA at full blast. There were also walls that were built to meet our 22-foot grid, and we had to chain up our fly pipes (which are just sandbag-to-ac cable-to pulleys) to accommodate that, and never quite got them back in working order again.

So let's hear some of your tech stories- describe a time when everything went wrong, and what you learned from it!

Way Behind the Times...

Flickr Site for Techies

Go here to share your backstage photos!

Summer Stock Discussion

Since most people coming to my blog from Google are searching for "summer stock", I thought I'd post some observations on my own experiences with the beast. I've worked at some really cool places, and some really lame ones. Here's what I can tell you:

1. Most theatres will work you 50+ hours per week for the entire summer for a flat fee, or for something in the neighborhood of $300/week. If you're an intern, you may work as many hours for free. If you need to make bank this summer, do not work summer stock. Unless it means you get to sublet your extortionist Williamsburg apartment and live rent-free for a few months.

2. Most theatres will put you up in student housing or an apartment, the quality of which will vary from mouse-infested shithole to cozy middle-class digs. If you're quite lucky, you'll have a room to yourself, and may be within walking distance of the venue. If not and you have no car, befriend a couple folks with cars really quickly. You don't have to love them, but you'll be needing their help to get out once in a while. You may not have laundry facilities or a working toilet. It gets dicey sometimes.

3. Most summer theatre companies become grossly incestuous really quickly. Think "The Real World" for people who are mostly lacking social skills. Put eight 20-something nerds together in a house, and...yuck. If you are a nerd looking to get laid this summer, then summer stock is the gig for you. If you have a strong gag reflex, look into temping or something instead.

4. Most summer stock gigs are an elaborate excuse for people to get trashed for a whole summer without worrying about maintaining any sort of reputation (see #3).

5. You can actually learn a lot from summer stock, especially if the venue employing you doesn't know what the hell it's doing. You may go through hell, but usually you'll come out of the whole experience with some new skills (see also #3). Some places actually have really great TD's and MEs and what-have-you, and you can learn a good deal from them too.

6. Use the opportunity to network. I know it's a terrible word, but "networking" is important, especially if you plan to be freelancing for a while. Theatre's a small world (I run into people I know in NYC all the time- in a city of 8 million + tourists, I see at least three people a week that I know from college, from summer stock, or from random gigs elsewhere).

That's about it for now. Who else has comments or tips for newbies?

Weekly Job Alert

Gigs, paid and upaid, culled from various internet resources, updated throughout the week, newest gigs first. All in NYC unless otherwise specified:


Sound Board Op, Aug 7th-24th, no pay

LIGHTING, SET, SOUND, COSTUME and MULTIMEDIA DESIGNERS , Aug 11- Oct 1st, $150 stipend. Stage Manager: $200 stipend

Carpenter, interior design, full time

ASM, Aug 19th - Sept 2nd, $250 stipend

Operations Asst., part time, $10/hour

TD, National Tour, Sept 08-May 09, $750 base + per diem, MA

Part-time Shop Technician, Parsons, Paid

SM Needed for Musical, $250 stipend

Research Asst/Production Coordinator, Television, Full-time Paid

Props Coordinator, August11th-Sept 29th, $150/Day

Women's Project Box Office Mgr, $17/hr, Seasonal

Rosco Tech Support/Sales, Full time, Stamford CT, Paid

Marketing/Admin Asst/Intern, full-time, $150 weekly

Admin Internships at Roundabout Theatre- hourly compensation

Fashion Show PA, unpaid

Venue Coordinator, Brooklyn, Paid

Production Asst. Barrow Street- Unpaid

SM, AD, Sound, Lights for 4-week run, possible delayed compensation

TD, July 31st to September 1, 2008 $500/wk

Tech Theatre Instructor, Education, Stockton CA

TD, Stamford CT TOUR, Paid

Production Manager, PSM and Props Designer for NYMF show, $500

Designers/Directors for St. John's University "Urinetown", paid

Board Op, 8/5-8/15, stipend

Asst. Prof of Set Design, Stony Brook LI

Stage Directors, Stage Managers, Costume Designers, Lighting Designers and Scenic Designers, no pay

Sound, Lights Sunday August 10th through Tuesday August 12th, no pay

Light Board Op July 31st, no pay

Paid SM, Fringe NYC

Shop Manager, Brooklyn, Full-time

Sound tech, $175 stipend, Now through August 10

Facilities Manager, Full time

SM, $500, August 2nd in Long Island City (1 stop into Queens on the N/W train) and Bushwick (6 stops into Brooklyn on the L train) and will perform Wednesday-Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons September 3-21