Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with stage

Arts and Cultural Appropriation

divabat — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:19:50 -0800

How have issues of cultural appropriation, stereotypes, and diversity been tackled in art and popular culture? I'm in the early stages of working on a performance piece on cultural appropriation and identity in the arts, and I'm looking for inspiration from others that have done the same. So far I am only familiar with Guillermo Gómez-Peña and his Living Museum of Fetish/ized Identities, and the SF/fantasy RaceFail debacle.

I am especially interested in these issues as they occur in burlesque, circus, and theatre, since that's what I'm working with, but any creative field would be good too.

Making A Vagina Monologue Awesome

divabat — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:24:27 -0800

I'll be performing in next year's Vagina Monologues. How can I be awesome? Some friends from a nearby university are organising next year's V-Day and I've volunteered to help. I'll be performing "The Woman Who Loved To Make Vaginas Happy" (the story with the sex worker and the moans) - this story was suggested to me by my friends as they said I was "loud and energetic" enough to pull it off. Great! Now what?

I don't have a lot of acting experience - just a short skit here and there for school. I've done public speaking, choir, and poetry (recitals/slams) before, as well as other performance styles - but I'm just an amateur dabbler. I want to make the performance awesome - to capture the spirit of the story and entertain the audience.

Rehearsals are starting soon. What can I do to prepare? How do I effectively memorise the monologue without coming off stiff? (I've got a long list of moans to do.) Also, is it OK to adlib in TVM? Since we're performing it in Australia, I'm not sure if some of the Americanisms will translate well, and I'd feel more natural if I was able to add a spontaneous quip here and there.

Has anyone done this monologue (or one very similar) and found the material challenging? I liked the story but I'm worried that when I try to perform it I'll get a sudden case of nerves or some latent prejudice about sex workers will come up out of nowhere. This monologue requires quite a lot of confidence and slack inhibitions - how do I pull that off?

What else should I know about monologue work, stage work, or The Vagina Monologues in general? Actors, performers, directors - what are your tips for me?

(also, side question: who's generally responsible for the costuming with TVM? The actor or the crew?)

Help me tar and feather someone on stage!

minervous — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:39:19 -0800

I'm directing a play that calls for an actor to be tarred and feathered on stage. It's a powerful moment, and I'd love to do it. But ... how? Complicating factors:
- the theater we're working in has no on-premesis shower (there is a large mess sink, but no floor drain) and no possibility of altering the building to have one

Things in our favor:
- the actor is game, and largely bald, and willing to be stripped to skivvies
- we have a large metal tub (several, actually) in which to contain the tarring and/or clean-up
- we have a fair budget, so costly-ish solutions need not be ruled out
- this is the climax of the play, and we can make a feathery mess without worrying about later scenes

Any and all ideas welcomed with open arms. Thanks!

National Steel

chuckdarwin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:51:20 -0800

What is the best method of "mic"ing a single-cone National steel guitar for live work? We tried two condenser mics, but it was kind of boomy. Is the Sure Beta 57A a better option? What about a Rode NT5? Do we need two mics for it? TIA.

Recommend Storyboarding Animation Software

bovious — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:47:52 -0800

Can you recommend a good, cheap and/or free tool for storyboarding a stage production I'm about to direct? Remember the scene in "Topsy Turvy," where Jim Broadbent walks little dolls around a stage mockup to block out a scene from his production? I'm thinking, surely there's a cheap or free animation software that permits this. Pop in a character, experiment with movement, then when you have what you want, save an animation that you can show your actors. I'm thinking this will save lots of time over moving people around on stage without being really sure about what I'm doing.

I'm on Mac OSX. I also own a Windows 2K laptop that could be pressed into service in a pinch. So, I'd prefer references to Mac OSX software.

I don't own any dolls.

Proposal for a stage play?

Sticherbeast — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 14:09:22 -0800

A friend of mine is in talks with a certain comic book writer to adapt a certain graphic novel for the stage. According to the writer's manager, they're interested in at least one run of the show, provided he can show them a satisfactory proposal. Great news! The only problem is, what should that proposal consist of and look like, for presentation to the writer and his manager?

Quality of life vs. quantity

sgass — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:25:40 -0800

My 82 y.o. mother has stage 4 cancer. It's not known if it originated from lung or breast, both of which she was previously treated for. She's currently alert, but very weak, and on continuous oxygen. The decision to be made involves an apparent growth that's pressing her esophagus closed. She has everything someone in her situation needs: she and my father are in an assisted living facility connected to a nursing home, with hospice care. She's not overly uncomfortable, and all preparations such as DNR orders have been dealt with.

The treatment options available are a feeding tube or a stent, but my parents are inclined to let nature take its course, and my siblings and I are inclined to agree. The feeding tube is out of the question in any event, but I guess I just want to confirm my gut feeling that a stent would likely offer only a chance of prolonged suffering. With quality of life being more important than quantity, might such a procedure be worthwhile? Thanks.

What's the protocol for starting a culinary stage?

GilloD — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 17:28:55 -0800

The first of many food career related questions I'll be asking: What's the protocol for a young, unproven would-be to find himself a stage? Bear with me, AskMefi! I want to work with food. This is certain. I do not want to be a pro-chef, this is also certain. The nightmare tales of long hours, bad pay and stifling work have spooked me enough. But I do want to pay my dues and get a little experience, so I'm going to find myself a stage and bust my butt for a while. Get a feel for the kitchen and the misery (and glory) therein and then move on. Whether I end up in management or food writing or what have you (Oh, that question is coming up, just wait!), I think it's really important to understand every aspect of a business.

So!: Is there any particular protocol for finding a kitchen to bust your butt in? Is it uncouth to just show up and ask? Is it better to call ahead? I realize I probably won't get near a stove for months and months, but I'd like to start off on the right foot.

Lighting 101

mike_bling — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:27:21 -0800

I'm trying to find an extremely bright light on a budget. I've been recruited to help out a friend with some stage lighting. What I'm looking for is an extremely bright light that is used very sparsely. We're following a sort of less is more philosophy on this (think mostly black, no cheesy sweeps, some projections), but the less part has to be pretty big to make up for it. Unfortunately, I don't know much about lighting in general.
I think I want the brightest possible light I can get for a reasonable price. Bonus points if it can be adjusted with a high-watt dimmer. An industrial solution may be preferred over actual stage lights (I think - as anything intended for the stage seems overpriced to me).
Another option we talked about was wiring several flashbulbs up somehow. That's sort of the effect I'm thinking of. The color temperature, and an ability to color the light is totally irrelevant right now, the main concern is that the light is very, very bright.
The intention is to cause at least some discomfort in the audience.
Any other tips you have about causing sensory overload are welcome here as well.

Need info on Chauvet stage fixtures

milquetoast — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 09:52:11 -0800

LDs, stage techs, pro musicians: what has been your experience with Chauvet lighting? Despite the goofy packaging, they have a couple of pretty innovative fixtures that I'm considering for a permanent install. Generally speaking, how robust are these things? What's the maintenance schedule? How supportive has the company been? You know, stuff like that. I'm particularly interested in experiences with the Q-Wash LED and COLORado series.

I've googled, seacrhed r.a.t.s. and a.t.s, read the catalogs, seen the product demo movies, and all that. I realize they're not Martins or VLs and that one gets what one pays for. Aside from that, I'm just looking for some hands-on commentary. Many thanks in advance.

Ecstacy Herbal Cigs in NYC

stagewhisper — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:11:04 -0800

Anyone know of a reliable local source for Ecstacy brand herbal cigarettes in the NYC or Poughkeepsie area? Due to smoking laws, it is illegal now to smoke cigarettes on stage. The loophole in the last two years has been to smoke herbal cigs on stage, and as a Prop Master I've bought Honey Rose herbals before for this purpose. The latter have been nixed in favor for the Ecstacy brand due to actor and stage manager preference and I'm having a heck of a time finding a source in NYC (??!!!) for them- every tobacco shop I call tells me they can longer get this brand. If there's anyone in the metro NYC or Hudson valley area who has a secret source for these particular herbal smokes, I will be eternally grateful. (Apologies. I promised myself I would never use Askmefi for prop sourcing and yet here I am!)

Those who can't paint, manage.

princesspathos — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:20:18 -0800

Which U.S. colleges/universities have well-regarded programs in arts management? Are any of them in Wisconsin or Illinois? Since the idea to research arts management degrees just popped into my head today, I won't rule out great programs in other parts of the country. I'd just like to know about good programs close to home.

Do any of you have educational backgrounds in this area? Do you think getting your degree in this field is worth it?

How to prevent plagarism?

dazed_one — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 21:00:03 -0800

A friend of mine recently wrote a play, and now someone who read it has written and is producing a show very similar to it. What can be done to prevent this? A friend of mine wrote a play and had it read by a number of people in the business. Now one of those people has written and is currently producing a play with a plot and characters that are extremely similar to my friend's story and characters. If it's not a word for word copy of my friend's script, is there anything that can be done to prevent this plagarism?

Stage Management 101

divabat — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 04:00:33 -0800

What does stage management entail? I'm considering an offer to be an assistant stage manager for an upcoming peace concert. However, I've only done minor things (think of it as being an assistant to an assistant) and this is quite a step up.

What do stage managers generally do? Are they just concerned with what happens during the event or are they also responsible for the logistics? Do they manage rehearsals? (We won't have any) How much power do assistants generally have? What other resources are there?

Any tips, ideas, personal experiences, and so on are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

The windup and the pitch

ludwig_van — Mon, 17 Oct 2005 09:36:44 -0800

Tips for tightening up my live vocal performance? I play guitar and sing the songs I write, which are in the indie-pop vein, comparable to The Decemberists or The Magnetic Fields. I perform in local coffee shops and indie-rock venues, and at some point I plan on touring.

My question isn't "how do I sing better?" but "how can I more consistently sing my best when I'm performing for people?" I'm pretty happy with my vocal ability, but I often play shows and feel afterwards like the performance I gave wasn't as musical as what I know I'm capable of. I'd like to be more consistent.

It's not that I get onstage and totally screw up; I sometimes get recordings of shows, and I'm often very pleased with how I sound, but I'm a real perfectionist, and I agonize over every sloppy pitch that I hear in the recording or that I realize I missed onstage.

I've had private voice lessons before, but it's been awhile since I've had them. I study music composition in college, and I sing in choir here as well. I already know the importance of doing vocal warm ups and staying hydrated, though specific pointers in this area could still be helpful.

The way I see it, my problems stem from a couple of things:

1) Nerves. Despite having years of theater experience before I took up music and having played many shows at many venues, I still sometimes get really nervous about playing. I think it's because it feels like there's more at stake now -- it's me up there, my words, my songs, and I've got to sell it. Although there are other times when I'm totally relaxed onstage, and it seems like I can't tell when it's going to happen. I've also been performing mostly by myself, which of course makes me feel rather exposed.

2) Sound. I don't have nearly as much of a problem when I just sit in a room and play and sing as when I'm working with a mic and a PA. It's still sometimes difficult for me to be in tune and sing the way I want to when I'm hearing myself and my guitar coming at me from monitors (or not) and in abnormal proportions. Most of the shows I play are small places with several bands on the bill, so I rarely get to do a proper sound check. It also seems like having nothing but my guitar to listen for and tune with makes things more difficult than they would be if I had a band. I'll leave out the explanation of my bandmate difficulties, but I've decided to start programming backing tracks in Reason and accompany myself with those, which I think will do my songs more justice and will hopefully help me in this area.

Any advice on working with these two issues specifically or any other live performance tips would be appreciated.

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!

Popular Ethics — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 12:03:00 -0800

NASA has released details today of their new "exploration architecture" which they hope will take them to the moon and mars. (really awesome movie). Help me understand a design decision. Here's a shot of the earth-moon transit stack. According to the above movie, the part on the left (with two engines and a great honkin tank) burns all the way to the moon, and is then ejected. The engine on the right (bearing a remarkable likeness to the Apollo service module) brings the spacecraft back.

As I understand it, The Apollo service module performed both duties, (it separated from the Saturn third stage while still in earth orbit).

So why the giant engine this time, and why for just one way?

Atlanta stage lighting sources?

intermod — Sun, 10 Jul 2005 15:59:22 -0800

Any Atlanta stage folks here? I'm looking for stage lighting sources (rental companies, production units) that might be interested in a large lighting fixture that fell into my hands. In Atlanta. (for lighting pros: it's an Altman Orbiter followspot) A couple years ago, the non-profit performance/gallery venue that I help run received a large donation of stage lighting, including a couple dozen elliptical fixtures. Those turned out to be too much for our little venue so we kept a couple and sold the rest off (with the donor's permission).

There was one unit that I didn't sell, that being the Altman Orbiter followspot. This is a large spotlight mounted on a heavy-duty tripod, intended to be manned by a stagehand who turns the light around to follow the talent on the stage. Other similar but SMALLER models include the Altman Luminator and Altman Comet. I didn't sell it because it didn't light up at first, so I thought I'd apply my engineering-fu to it and make it work before trying to get a buyer.

In short order, however, I found out that these lights have high voltage circuits in them (i.e. 15,000 volts) and at that point I put the whole project on pause because I was going to need to be a lot more careful about dicking around inside the thing.

That was over two years ago, and it's still in my basement. OK, uncle, I'll just sell it and somebody who knows how to get it running will reap the rewards. It has a brand new, never-used light bulb (MARC EZT 350/16T) and I have a copy of the operation and maintenance manual.

Apparently these things are built like tanks and worth a bundle.

I'm not trying to sell it here at AskMefi, I'm just looking for some leads to people I can contact to see if they're interested. I'm not that interested in going the eBay route for this -- that's what we did for the ~20 ellipticals and it wasn't very successful. But pointers to stage lighting auction sites would be appreciated, especially ones that Atlanta folks gravitate to.

Auditioning for The Mikado

cbrody — Thu, 25 Mar 2004 05:23:30 -0800

I'm doing an audition for a part in an amateur production of The Mikado. I have no stage experience at all. Any tips? Although I think I have a decent singing voice, I have no acting experience at all (apart from when I was 10, but that doesn't count). I have two main worries: a) being able to memorise the songs and dialogue and b) not having a clue how to portray a character, i.e. how to act. Where do I start? I have one day to prepare.