How to stay interested?

[skienblack]

So I am running the lightboard for The Phillistines at my university. I have been doing tech since 6th grade and I'm a freshman in college now. My main interests is stage tech and lighting design, but I understand I have to put my time in running shows and such. Here my problems begin.

For the last couple of years when I have to run a board or even SM a show, I just get board during the show no matter how much I try to pay attention to the show. I'm curious how you guys stay entertained for the various runs of the show?

[rochem]

I can understand why you'd be bored as a board op, as that can be a pretty boring job, especially when you don't even have a view of the stage. If it's a complex show with lots of cues in quick succession, you're occupied with that but for a slow show or slow part, it can get really boring. I usually use any spare time to read manuals or texts or even just a book for pleasure reading, since as a board monkey it's really not necessary to be tuned into the show 100% of the time*.

If you're SMing a show and you're bored, then you're most likely doing soemthing wrong. Don't have a cue for another 6 pages? Look ahead and mentally call the cue so you have that one extra mental rehearsal. Already did that? Get an eye on the stage to make sure the blocking is still as it was on opening night and take notes for any brush-up rehearsals you may need to do. Already did that too? Start brainstorming potential emergency scenarios (fire, earthquake, tornado, medical emergency in the audience, power failure, the list is endless), and then come up with a mental plan for how you would deal with the situation. As a SM you should never not be doing anything, as there's always at least 3 or 4 or 60 things that can be done.


*Disclaimer: I understand that "board monkeys" are responsible for ensuring that they can quickly fix any lighting problems during a show, but considering the reliability of lighting consoles and the extremely low chances of a problem suddenly arising while sitting in a cue, I would consider reading a book while seated at the console an acceptable risk. Others may have different opinions.

[Chris Chapman]

When I worked professionally back-stage in Chicago, the tech crew we usually run an informal contest on the number of books read during a 6 week run. The Floor manager would have a place next to her station for finished books, the House Carpenter the same, etc.

At the same theatre (which has relocated and the original venue on Monroe street has been demolished hint hint hint) the Prop Shop Manager had a small TV in her cubby. During the hey day of the first Chicago Bulls NBA victories with Michael Jordan we sometimes were glued to that set to watch the game. Which was a HORRIFIC, TERRIBLE, AWFUL idea and caused cues to be late on one show. Don't do that or play video games during a show.

The only shows that I could find an SM getting disconnected and bored on are extremely simple lights up-lights down, low cue # shows. (I'm looking at you, early Neil Simon and (groan) Eugene O'Neil)

Most current design work has so much going on light and sound and scenically, that it has to be the rare show where you can really just check out. I'm planning on doing "Bleacher Bums" in the spring, and that show has literally 6-10 lighting cues, including House 1/2, House Out, and curtain calls. BUT it is going to have wall to wall sound cues in it for the atmosphere of the game.

[icewolf08]

It is true that as a board op it is easy to become bored, but it is your job to make sure that everything in your department is going smoothly. Sure, you can't fix the lamp the blows in the middle of a scene, but if you notice that it did, you might be able to fix it at intermission. You have to be prepared for any eventuality that may occur, so you don't want to be buried in something else.

I have worked shows with very limited numbers of cues and done things like play Scrabble with the SM. Convenient that we share the same booth. Something like that doesn't require your full focus and you can still keep your head and eyes on the show. Sometimes it may be OK to read, but you need to make sure that you don't get lost in your book and stop paying attention to the show and the SM. The point is that if you choose to do something to keep you occupied, make sure that it is not distracting from your job.

[Studio]

sing along on headset until a cue is near... we've had 6 parts going...

[Raktor]

Originally Posted by Studio

sing along on headset until a cue is near... we've had 6 parts going...

Do this anywhere near me and you won't have vocal cords for much longer. Communication channels should be kept clear, I don't care how many cues you don't have.

[photoatdv]

2nded

PLEASE

Especially if you aren't terribly important in the grand scheme of the show

And ESPECIALLY PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't do silly crap on the headsets if you aren't important and have 3 cues but others have difficult fast cues and need to be able to communicate

[kiwitechgirl]

Every summer I do a 12-week run with the same operator, and when we find that we're starting to get bored, we start inventing backstories for the characters, which can keep us occupied for quite some time. Or when we did Guys and Dolls we spent a couple of shows working out what would have happened if Nathan had remembered what colour tie he was wearing when Sky bet him $1000 that he couldn't remember....it changes the show quite considerably!

I also have been known to do Sudoku puzzles which aren't as difficult to tear yourself away from as a book. One play I did they tore a Mills and Boon book up on stage every night, and so we had stacks and stacks of them; it was a seven-week run of a play that was exceptionally boring for the operator and me, so we took to reading the Mills and Boons, reading out the best bits to each other on comms...only once have I ever watched TV between cues and that was as the second flyman (flygirl?!) on a production of Oliver where I had 55 minutes between cues, and it timed in perfectly that I could watch an episode of Doctor Who between cues every night (please note that I was within easy earshot of the head flyman so had anything gone wrong I was ready for it).

[Van]

Reading is a great way to stay occupied during a show, but remember it's also extremely important to keep track of what's going on during the show as well. Just as the Stage Manager is responsible to the Director for maintaining the Artistic Integrity of the show as the Light board-op it is your responsibility to maintain the LD's vision. Yes everyone does there pre-show checks for blown lamps, but what about a fixture that has dropped out of focus? You know that one up on the first electric that somebody didn't tighten down quite right. Sometimes these are things that might be too subtle for an SM to catch, as they tend to be occupied with several things at once. So don't think of your job as "just babbysitting" the board, remember you're out front for a reason, you're now the eyes for the LD.

[Studio]

Originally Posted by photoatdv

2nded

PLEASE

Especially if you aren't terribly important in the grand scheme of the show

And ESPECIALLY PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't do silly crap on the headsets if you aren't important and have 3 cues but others have difficult fast cues and need to be able to communicate

I agree but at the time we were only using the light-board and everyone else was not doing anything. You are correct when others are trying to work don't screw around.