This past week has been crazy--but in a good way.
After the 5k I jumped back into another full work week, shadowed another show and then worked a headliner gig at T.I.
This past Thursday I went and shadowed, "O." This show is UNBELIEVABLE. Not only are the performers extremely talented, but the technical details are inspiring and the artistic vision is mesmerizing. I could watch this show multiple times and still find new meaning. I plan on visiting the show again on one of my off days and purely watch the show for enjoyment rather than education.
The theater seats about 1,600 and it's quite often that this show sells out. Created by the same director that concocted, Le Rève and Mystère, "O" challenges the audience to re-evaluate their perspective on the world in which they live... but enough about that. Back to the technical side of things...
For those who are not familiar with this CDS avenue, "O" is a water show. It involves divers and swimmers completing acrobatic tricks on a stage that can be submerged in the water to reveal a pool. If all the lifts are up, the audience is presented with a dry stage. If the lifts are down, there is a 15' deep pool. I watched the first show from the booth with the caller, and then was backstage for the second show. Much like Mystère, "O" calls automations as well as performer entrances. I was lucky to witness a clean show with no technical faults, but mistakes do happen very often. When a fault occurs with a lift, the automators try to fix the problem asap, but if nothing can be done--they sink the lift and it stays at the bottom of the pool until the end of the show. This will sometime effect the symmetry of the show, but hey--the show must go on!
As the caller explained more about the procedures for accidents, faults and other complications, I felt a little relief in knowing that not everyone is perfect--even Cirque. Sure, it's what everyone strives for, but again--things happen. What is admirable is how people rise to the challenge. A show can plan for events, but the real test is when theory becomes reality or the unforeseeable happens.
ANYWAY--getting back to the show again--'O' has some awesome effects. Again, it has the lifts that can rise above or sink below water, automation to fly items in, out, across and around the stage, and a giant Kabuki curtain that sits in front of the stage and also floats above the water until it's triggered and disappears in a matter of seconds. At the end of the show (warning--this may be a spoiler) the kabuki curtain reappears by floating onstage in a basket and then re-setting to it's opening position hanging from the proscenium arch.
BACKSTAGE is another world unto itself. The backstage area is divided into 'wet halls' and 'dry halls.' What this simply means is that there are halls with non-slip surfaces that allow cast and crew to walk safely after being in or around the pool. Each dressing room has two entrances--one from the wet hall and one from the dry hall. Wardrobe is stationed between the dressing rooms and the stage and does lots of maintenance each day to repair and maintain all of the costumes that go in and out of the water. There are over 4,000 lights used for the show, and many of these lights also appear under-water. Under the stage there is a 'lighting tunnel' where there are lights and pumps for under the pool. Not only do these lights serve artistic purposes, but they're also there to guide divers and performers during the show. There are lights that mark center, SR and SL, as well as give warnings and cues. This level of the stage has glass paneling that allows someone to look into the pool and see any action that is occurring underwater... and there's a lot that goes on.
Each lift underwater has hundreds of safety levers attached. If one of these levers is activated, the lift stops moving. Sometimes these levers are intentionally engaged, and sometimes a person accidentally hits one. To re-engage the show the lever has to be restored and automations has to re-store the lift, or automations has to re-route the system to bypass the safety. How can an automator in the booth tell if a safety has been triggered on purpose or not? Why, by underwater clear-com of course! Yes... there are divers underwater, and they have clear-com and they can communicate to the caller if need be. The caller also calls several clears and go's underwater through his paging system. In the pool there's a sound system that plays the show music and the calling SMs voice.
As I mentioned before, I was backstage for the second show. What this meant is that I followed the two SMs on their show tracks. The SM team at "O" operates closer to how SM's are normally perceived. They are there to problem-solve, manage and cue more than any other task. This team is good at what they do, and during the second show there was a problem that arose. Rather than bother the caller with the concern, they took care of it on their own and moved on. I respect this Cirque attitude that a Stage Manager is a Stage Manager--no matter where they are. Why bother the caller with something you can fix and they have no control over? They have enough on their plate! Following the SMs backstage was refreshing because nothing ever happened in a rush, but everything has a purpose. All in all--and in summary--I had a very pleasant time shadowing "O" and I hope to go back again--either as an audience member or visiting backstage again.
Quickly touching on my next few nights--Friday I was the SM for Sinbad at TI. This was a simply gig, and all I really did was make sure his rider (contract basically) was fulfilled, and that he got onstage. I called houselights and walk-on music...and that was it. At the end of his act I took him back to the greenroom and gathered any guests he had to visit--which included Chris Tucker among others. For this little gig I got paid more than I make in a week at CDS (not complaining--just stating, please don't read this wrong!), and I now have Sinbad's name on my resume and in my phone. Yup--Sinbad texted me. I'll never have a use for it, but hey--it's still pretty cool. I'm glad that my SM team gave me this opportunity.
And after Sinbad it was back to another week of Mystère, and that's where I am now. Week 4 and halfway through the internship. I think I'm doing well, but I still feel as though there's so much to learn and not enough time. Most internships are 12 weeks, and mine is 8 just because of the timing in their season. This opportunity is allowing me to see what the company does in a short time and challenging me to rise to the occasion of learning and executing tasks in a short amount of time. I'm enjoying the challenge and hope that I'm doing well. We'll see. Success is not measured by job offers (as some past interns feel) but rather the experiences I'm able to learn from during my time here.
...alright. I'm getting a bit too philosophical. It's time for another night's rest after a long week. This weekend (weekend being Thursday/Friday) I get two days off to explore Las Vegas with the bf as he comes to visit. I'll try to take the time to write about any fun locations or discoveries we make about the town.
Thanks for reading again!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Celebrities
So, in the past week I've had the pleasure of being in close proximity to 3 headliners:
-Zac Efron
-Vanessa Hudgens
-Criss Angel
Zac and Vanessa came to Mystère, and I went to see Criss Angel Believe. Due to the confidentiality contracts I've signed I can't do into detail about what I saw backstage, but I can share a few things about the space and the show.
The theater seats approximately 1,600 people and was not originally built for this CDS show. Prior to Believe it was the space for the Blue Man Group and Hairspray. The theater is a traditional proscenium arch venue. Criss's dressing room is 1,200 sq ft. ...that's larger than most of our college apartments combined. Due to the magical theme of this show, there are no acrobatic elements, but rather Criss's stunts and dancers. The cast number is a whopping 16 people.
I'm beginning to think of Cirque as less of a specific form of art and more of a producer. What I find great about this company; however, is that it's a family. From one show to another every one shares a common bond and is there for the same general purpose--to contribute to the production by giving their best in their area of expertise. It's pretty cool, and I'm glad I get to be around it for another 6 weeks.
So, on the same vein of my 'Celebrity' title, I have some exciting news to report. This coming weekend I will be free-lancing for the TI casino and will be Stage Managing the comedian using the Mystère stage. Want to find out who it is? Go to the TI site and look up their events. I'm managing the one of the 26th.
But, moving on and and checking out--the 5K is tomorrow. I'm waking up at 6:30 in the morning to drive 30 mins to go run 3 miles at 8:30 in the morning. Can't wait!
-Zac Efron
-Vanessa Hudgens
-Criss Angel
Zac and Vanessa came to Mystère, and I went to see Criss Angel Believe. Due to the confidentiality contracts I've signed I can't do into detail about what I saw backstage, but I can share a few things about the space and the show.
The theater seats approximately 1,600 people and was not originally built for this CDS show. Prior to Believe it was the space for the Blue Man Group and Hairspray. The theater is a traditional proscenium arch venue. Criss's dressing room is 1,200 sq ft. ...that's larger than most of our college apartments combined. Due to the magical theme of this show, there are no acrobatic elements, but rather Criss's stunts and dancers. The cast number is a whopping 16 people.
I'm beginning to think of Cirque as less of a specific form of art and more of a producer. What I find great about this company; however, is that it's a family. From one show to another every one shares a common bond and is there for the same general purpose--to contribute to the production by giving their best in their area of expertise. It's pretty cool, and I'm glad I get to be around it for another 6 weeks.
So, on the same vein of my 'Celebrity' title, I have some exciting news to report. This coming weekend I will be free-lancing for the TI casino and will be Stage Managing the comedian using the Mystère stage. Want to find out who it is? Go to the TI site and look up their events. I'm managing the one of the 26th.
But, moving on and and checking out--the 5K is tomorrow. I'm waking up at 6:30 in the morning to drive 30 mins to go run 3 miles at 8:30 in the morning. Can't wait!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
At the Zu
Shadowing Zu this past Friday was fun. It's interesting, but I kind of always thought that all Cirque shows followed the same vein of performance. I thought that they all had lots of acrobatic acts with a few clowning bits in between and that the themes just varied from show to show. Nope!
Zumanity is a smaller Cabaret show with very individualized acts. Their theater seats 1,250, and the proscenium arch for their stage is smaller than Elon's McCrary theater. Yup--no joke. This show has just about 40 performers (less than Midusmmer if you include the band!) and even fewer technicians. It's a very small, intimate space. Rather than have group acrobatic acts they have highlight specialized spotlight performances. Though this is unique, it means that if one of their artists is out it drastically changes the flow of their show. They have backup acts and can put them in as needed, but sometimes there's no back-up to the back-up's back-up. ;)
What also makes Zumanity unique from other Cirque shows is how intimate it is. The Emcee runs most of the show, and though he tends to follow a pattern, he's not actually scripted. Also, most of the female performers are topless. No, Zu is not a burlesque show, but rather a creative expression of the human sexual desire reflected in an erotically artistic form. Some of the acts include a school girl hula-hooping while swinging through the air, a woman pole-dancing in-front of a football game screen, a Gigilo strip dancing, and a clown act DIY 'scotch baggies' where she explains the best way to stuff your bra. I know--it probably doesn't sound very artistic, but never once did I think, 'wow, that's not tasteful.' Instead I was still blown away by their performances.
I watched the first show from the booth with the calling SM, and then roved backstage. Unlike the show I'm working on, Zu had a paper-book from which they called from. Though obviously typed and stored on a computer, each SM had their own book in which they wrote, scribbled and highlighted. The SM calls all of the automation cues that control scenic elements (lift, large wave screens tracked on-stage, lighting ladders) and is looking out for the safety of the performer's onstage.
When I roved backstage I was with an ASM in rotation. Rather than have one ASM at the show at all times, Zu has 2 people that come in every few days to do work. This particular girl is on the Stage Management team at Blue Man. After talking with her and spending time with her backstage she invited me to come see Blue Man backstage on one of my off days. Of course I'll look into this. ;) The rover track was much simpler than the one I had just learned. There were perhaps 10 cues in all for the show, and most of them involved opening doors, paging curtains and letting the cast know which audience members had already been chosen for participation. With the newer Cirque shows, ASMs and SMs are more os supervisors backstage rather than hands-on--which is how most people view the SM position should operate.
When Mystère opened, Cirque was still trying to figure things out, which is why their SM team has so much to do during shows. I don't have a preference, but I am enjoying the challenges that my show is presenting me. This week, for example, I'm learning the SR track. Is started last night and will continue for the next few days. The first show I shadowed was a bit hectic as one of the winches failed, and an act was shortened. What's neat about Cirque is that really--the show must go on. Mystère has never stopped or halted a show. What happens is they stall. The calling SM tried 3 times to call the winch in, and after the third attempt, moved on (i found out that it's either 3 quick tries or 20 seconds to try to fix the problem before moving on).
Onstage, you had your characters engaged and acting. Backstage people were ready to go on while another SM made the call to get into positions for the next act. Everyone responded very quickly. One way that Stage Management can communicate to the performers--both onstage and backstage--is a light system. There are sets of green, yellow and red lights located all around the stage that the audience can't see, but the performers and crew can. Green means everything is operating normally, yellow is proceed with caution or look for instructions if you can, and red is stop where you are. Another thing is that the SM team has the ability to page the entire backstage area with their headset. With one click a SM can let performers immediately know any changes. Very cool--very effective.
So--wrapping up that rant--the show went on and my second shadow of the track went much smoother. I continue today with another SM member, and then go back return to roving tomorrow (without a shadow for the second show). Tuesday and Wednesday I'll be back SR to try and do the track myself. But for now I'm going to peace out and go for a walk/jog... the Cirque 5K is this Saturday... fun. I'm not really worried about my ability to finish, but I would like to not be the very last person across the line. We'll see. No matter what, it's for a good cause, and a little exercise never hurt anyone... right?
Zumanity is a smaller Cabaret show with very individualized acts. Their theater seats 1,250, and the proscenium arch for their stage is smaller than Elon's McCrary theater. Yup--no joke. This show has just about 40 performers (less than Midusmmer if you include the band!) and even fewer technicians. It's a very small, intimate space. Rather than have group acrobatic acts they have highlight specialized spotlight performances. Though this is unique, it means that if one of their artists is out it drastically changes the flow of their show. They have backup acts and can put them in as needed, but sometimes there's no back-up to the back-up's back-up. ;)
What also makes Zumanity unique from other Cirque shows is how intimate it is. The Emcee runs most of the show, and though he tends to follow a pattern, he's not actually scripted. Also, most of the female performers are topless. No, Zu is not a burlesque show, but rather a creative expression of the human sexual desire reflected in an erotically artistic form. Some of the acts include a school girl hula-hooping while swinging through the air, a woman pole-dancing in-front of a football game screen, a Gigilo strip dancing, and a clown act DIY 'scotch baggies' where she explains the best way to stuff your bra. I know--it probably doesn't sound very artistic, but never once did I think, 'wow, that's not tasteful.' Instead I was still blown away by their performances.
I watched the first show from the booth with the calling SM, and then roved backstage. Unlike the show I'm working on, Zu had a paper-book from which they called from. Though obviously typed and stored on a computer, each SM had their own book in which they wrote, scribbled and highlighted. The SM calls all of the automation cues that control scenic elements (lift, large wave screens tracked on-stage, lighting ladders) and is looking out for the safety of the performer's onstage.
When I roved backstage I was with an ASM in rotation. Rather than have one ASM at the show at all times, Zu has 2 people that come in every few days to do work. This particular girl is on the Stage Management team at Blue Man. After talking with her and spending time with her backstage she invited me to come see Blue Man backstage on one of my off days. Of course I'll look into this. ;) The rover track was much simpler than the one I had just learned. There were perhaps 10 cues in all for the show, and most of them involved opening doors, paging curtains and letting the cast know which audience members had already been chosen for participation. With the newer Cirque shows, ASMs and SMs are more os supervisors backstage rather than hands-on--which is how most people view the SM position should operate.
When Mystère opened, Cirque was still trying to figure things out, which is why their SM team has so much to do during shows. I don't have a preference, but I am enjoying the challenges that my show is presenting me. This week, for example, I'm learning the SR track. Is started last night and will continue for the next few days. The first show I shadowed was a bit hectic as one of the winches failed, and an act was shortened. What's neat about Cirque is that really--the show must go on. Mystère has never stopped or halted a show. What happens is they stall. The calling SM tried 3 times to call the winch in, and after the third attempt, moved on (i found out that it's either 3 quick tries or 20 seconds to try to fix the problem before moving on).
Onstage, you had your characters engaged and acting. Backstage people were ready to go on while another SM made the call to get into positions for the next act. Everyone responded very quickly. One way that Stage Management can communicate to the performers--both onstage and backstage--is a light system. There are sets of green, yellow and red lights located all around the stage that the audience can't see, but the performers and crew can. Green means everything is operating normally, yellow is proceed with caution or look for instructions if you can, and red is stop where you are. Another thing is that the SM team has the ability to page the entire backstage area with their headset. With one click a SM can let performers immediately know any changes. Very cool--very effective.
So--wrapping up that rant--the show went on and my second shadow of the track went much smoother. I continue today with another SM member, and then go back return to roving tomorrow (without a shadow for the second show). Tuesday and Wednesday I'll be back SR to try and do the track myself. But for now I'm going to peace out and go for a walk/jog... the Cirque 5K is this Saturday... fun. I'm not really worried about my ability to finish, but I would like to not be the very last person across the line. We'll see. No matter what, it's for a good cause, and a little exercise never hurt anyone... right?
Friday, March 12, 2010
Updates
Just checking in. I've had the past two days off, and though my show is dark tonight, I'll be shadowing Zumanity. I'll update my blog accordingly.
Also, I've posted pictures of my trip out west to facebook. Here are the links:
NC-NM
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2145317&id=18208183&l=f8e45450c1
NM-AZ (Painted Desert & Petrified Forest National Park)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2145318&id=18208183&l=e6e4b3f4b0
Hoover Dam & Las Vegas Arrival
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2145319&id=18208183&l=bd73e04a05
Yes, most of them are taken out of the driver's side window...
Also, I've posted pictures of my trip out west to facebook. Here are the links:
NC-NM
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2145317&id=18208183&l=f8e45450c1
NM-AZ (Painted Desert & Petrified Forest National Park)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2145318&id=18208183&l=e6e4b3f4b0
Hoover Dam & Las Vegas Arrival
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2145319&id=18208183&l=bd73e04a05
Yes, most of them are taken out of the driver's side window...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Day 3
I should probably come up with more creative titles...
Anyway, day 3. Last night (day 2) I shadowed another SM on the rover track, then tried running the track with her shadowing. It went alright. I was a little confused as to which set of stairs I should go up when, but other than that there's any other major bloopers... in my opinion.
I did the same thing this evening with another SM, and then the GSM (General Stage Manager) shadowing me. Again, not major bloopers for the most part. There is a part of the show when a guest is taken backstage and dressed up (sorry if this is a spoiler!) and then they get sent back onstage, and it's the Rover's job to dress and place that person in time for the next entrance. I'm slow on this right now, but I'm hoping that with practice I'll get it right. Everyone's been really great about having my backstage. I feel comfortable enough in this track that if I HAD to do it by myself (which I won't b/ I'm an intern and it's liability) I feel that I could. I was left alone for a moment when there was an injury backstage and the GSM went to take care of it. Don't worry--this person is fine. So, after 3 days, and shadowing 4 shows, I've learned the Mystère Rover track. Yay.
Tomorrow is office work and projects. I'll again run the rover track and have another SM shadow me. We're dark for three days this week instead of two (part of their vacation rotation), so it's a long weekend. This Friday; however, I'll be going backstage of Zumanity. FABULOUS. From what I know, I'll be attending trainings, and then watching the show with the calling SM and then possibly roving in the back. We'll see!
Anyway, day 3. Last night (day 2) I shadowed another SM on the rover track, then tried running the track with her shadowing. It went alright. I was a little confused as to which set of stairs I should go up when, but other than that there's any other major bloopers... in my opinion.
I did the same thing this evening with another SM, and then the GSM (General Stage Manager) shadowing me. Again, not major bloopers for the most part. There is a part of the show when a guest is taken backstage and dressed up (sorry if this is a spoiler!) and then they get sent back onstage, and it's the Rover's job to dress and place that person in time for the next entrance. I'm slow on this right now, but I'm hoping that with practice I'll get it right. Everyone's been really great about having my backstage. I feel comfortable enough in this track that if I HAD to do it by myself (which I won't b/ I'm an intern and it's liability) I feel that I could. I was left alone for a moment when there was an injury backstage and the GSM went to take care of it. Don't worry--this person is fine. So, after 3 days, and shadowing 4 shows, I've learned the Mystère Rover track. Yay.
Tomorrow is office work and projects. I'll again run the rover track and have another SM shadow me. We're dark for three days this week instead of two (part of their vacation rotation), so it's a long weekend. This Friday; however, I'll be going backstage of Zumanity. FABULOUS. From what I know, I'll be attending trainings, and then watching the show with the calling SM and then possibly roving in the back. We'll see!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
First Day - Official
So, today was my 'official' first day.
I arrived in the afternoon and observed trainings. Trainings are when the artists rehearse their acts onstage during the day--these events are just called trainings rather than rehearsals because of their acrobatic origin (and this was a GREAT opportunity to play the name game... not only are there over 70 people in the cast, but there are multitudes of technicians and other creative personnel. I'm not saying I got very far today, but it's a start). Today we worked 'Planche' which is the 10 minute section in the show that involved the teeter board, the fast track and the trampolines. After Planche was time for the high bar and then time to clean the poles. This act in the show is called 'Chinese Poles' and at the beginning of each week the upstage set of 15 gets cleaned with denatured alcohol, whereas the downstage set gets cleaned before every performance. At 5:10, the stage gets handed over to technicians for pre-show... this is when I went upstairs to the office.
I don't have any official projects yet, so I occupied myself before the show by updating some out-dated paperwork that was in the office. It's been explained to me that as I go through the logs, paper and standards of operation, I should check to see if they're still accurate as well as understandable. These documents are so if the SM team were to 'be hit by a bus,' 'crash on a plane' or 'get stranded in Du Bias' that another person could come in and run the show if needed. Interesting how all us SM's have different scenarios in which we couldn't make it to a show... almost all of them involving death or extreme unfathomable distance.
During this coming week I will be learning the 'Rover SM' track during performances. Today I shadowed the Rover track and began to learn what this is about... whatever else this job may be, this track is cool. It begins in the house with a clown, checks on girls that fly in from the ceiling, catches a snail that's being thrown into a giant pit, opens secret doors for entrances, cues entrances and exits and assists with the movement of on-stage scenery during the show... just to name a few of the tasks to accomplish. The track travels everywhere backstage, from the very bottom of the theater to all the way in the catwalks, and yes--even onstage. I thought this was pretty cool, as I had never noticed a technician onstage before (and I've now seen this show a few times). But yes--there are technicians onstage--Cirque just has you looking in another direction.
So for the next week it's my responsibility to learn this track as best I can (as well as complete my assigned projects and learn other Management responsibilities. By the end of the week I should be able to do this track on my own with one of the SM team shadowing me to make sure I get everything right. FABULOUS.
I arrived in the afternoon and observed trainings. Trainings are when the artists rehearse their acts onstage during the day--these events are just called trainings rather than rehearsals because of their acrobatic origin (and this was a GREAT opportunity to play the name game... not only are there over 70 people in the cast, but there are multitudes of technicians and other creative personnel. I'm not saying I got very far today, but it's a start). Today we worked 'Planche' which is the 10 minute section in the show that involved the teeter board, the fast track and the trampolines. After Planche was time for the high bar and then time to clean the poles. This act in the show is called 'Chinese Poles' and at the beginning of each week the upstage set of 15 gets cleaned with denatured alcohol, whereas the downstage set gets cleaned before every performance. At 5:10, the stage gets handed over to technicians for pre-show... this is when I went upstairs to the office.
I don't have any official projects yet, so I occupied myself before the show by updating some out-dated paperwork that was in the office. It's been explained to me that as I go through the logs, paper and standards of operation, I should check to see if they're still accurate as well as understandable. These documents are so if the SM team were to 'be hit by a bus,' 'crash on a plane' or 'get stranded in Du Bias' that another person could come in and run the show if needed. Interesting how all us SM's have different scenarios in which we couldn't make it to a show... almost all of them involving death or extreme unfathomable distance.
During this coming week I will be learning the 'Rover SM' track during performances. Today I shadowed the Rover track and began to learn what this is about... whatever else this job may be, this track is cool. It begins in the house with a clown, checks on girls that fly in from the ceiling, catches a snail that's being thrown into a giant pit, opens secret doors for entrances, cues entrances and exits and assists with the movement of on-stage scenery during the show... just to name a few of the tasks to accomplish. The track travels everywhere backstage, from the very bottom of the theater to all the way in the catwalks, and yes--even onstage. I thought this was pretty cool, as I had never noticed a technician onstage before (and I've now seen this show a few times). But yes--there are technicians onstage--Cirque just has you looking in another direction.
So for the next week it's my responsibility to learn this track as best I can (as well as complete my assigned projects and learn other Management responsibilities. By the end of the week I should be able to do this track on my own with one of the SM team shadowing me to make sure I get everything right. FABULOUS.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
First Day
So, I'm just going to jump into this as much as I can with the little amount of energy left.
Though my contract begins this Saturday, March 6, I began 'work' today. Last night I contacted my SM to let her know I had gotten my paperwork done and that I was available to do anything if she needed me to. Less than 20 minutes after I sent this e-mail I got a phone call asking if I would be willing to come in today for a tour and to watch the show. OF COURSE, I said yes.
I arrived at 1:45 to get my tour of the facility. My show has 5 levels to it, including the trap room and the grid. There are currently 80 performers in the show right now, with over 60 technicians running the show any day--but this number doesn't include carpenters or costume crew that work during the day but don't run shows. The team I'm working with comes from a variety of backgrounds, though 2 of them have been part of the creation teams for some of Cirque's more recent releases. The daily schedule has training in the afternoons, and then performances at night. There are 4 lifts installed in the stage, and a tun table.
I got to watch my first show from the sound-booth seats in the house. These seats are located directly in the center of the house in-front of the sound booth and next to one of the trap doors for the show. It was great. I was also treated by the sound operator who provided me chocolate for the show (very kind of him) and as several of the dancers danced by my seat during the run they would whisper, "Hey Stu!" or "What's up Stuie?!"
The second show I watched from the booth with the calling SM--this was also pretty cool. The SM calls automation cues, which are similar to lighting cues but instead of calling light changes, these cue any movement onstage. This calling script also notates entrances for some characters and 'clear checks' to make sure things are properly set... the SM also cues camera changes for the dvd recording that is created each evening as well as recording times for each section of the show and filling out show paper work. All of this information is an excel file on the computer in the booth. Each cue is color-coded accordingly. This script is so accurate that there's even a point where the roving SM comes in to give the calling SM a bathroom break. Fabulous.
After work I went out for drinks with the SM team. It was a lot of fun. Today was their "Friday" as this show is dark for the next two days. Each of us had something to drink as we chatted and then went on our merry ways.
Wish I could go on, but alas--it's time for bed. Starting a day earlier was exciting though. I'll start learning one of the Stage Manager's track this Saturday, but until then--it's "the weekend."
Though my contract begins this Saturday, March 6, I began 'work' today. Last night I contacted my SM to let her know I had gotten my paperwork done and that I was available to do anything if she needed me to. Less than 20 minutes after I sent this e-mail I got a phone call asking if I would be willing to come in today for a tour and to watch the show. OF COURSE, I said yes.
I arrived at 1:45 to get my tour of the facility. My show has 5 levels to it, including the trap room and the grid. There are currently 80 performers in the show right now, with over 60 technicians running the show any day--but this number doesn't include carpenters or costume crew that work during the day but don't run shows. The team I'm working with comes from a variety of backgrounds, though 2 of them have been part of the creation teams for some of Cirque's more recent releases. The daily schedule has training in the afternoons, and then performances at night. There are 4 lifts installed in the stage, and a tun table.
I got to watch my first show from the sound-booth seats in the house. These seats are located directly in the center of the house in-front of the sound booth and next to one of the trap doors for the show. It was great. I was also treated by the sound operator who provided me chocolate for the show (very kind of him) and as several of the dancers danced by my seat during the run they would whisper, "Hey Stu!" or "What's up Stuie?!"
The second show I watched from the booth with the calling SM--this was also pretty cool. The SM calls automation cues, which are similar to lighting cues but instead of calling light changes, these cue any movement onstage. This calling script also notates entrances for some characters and 'clear checks' to make sure things are properly set... the SM also cues camera changes for the dvd recording that is created each evening as well as recording times for each section of the show and filling out show paper work. All of this information is an excel file on the computer in the booth. Each cue is color-coded accordingly. This script is so accurate that there's even a point where the roving SM comes in to give the calling SM a bathroom break. Fabulous.
After work I went out for drinks with the SM team. It was a lot of fun. Today was their "Friday" as this show is dark for the next two days. Each of us had something to drink as we chatted and then went on our merry ways.
Wish I could go on, but alas--it's time for bed. Starting a day earlier was exciting though. I'll start learning one of the Stage Manager's track this Saturday, but until then--it's "the weekend."
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Sign On
Went to RSD today, which stand for Resident Show Division. It's the headquarters for the Las Vegas Cirque shows, but everyone called it RSD because they don't like to use the word 'headquarters.' :)
While at RSD I filled out my paperwork--W-4, contact sheet, confidentiality waiver, etc., etc.. The office looked like it would belong to the Cirque world. The floor was made of carpet circles of red, green and yellow, and the ceiling was white with corresponding yellow circles to match the floor. The furniture was white, black and silver patterned in geometric shapes. Interesting enough, none of this clashed. I may be biased, however.
After sign-on I worked on getting some errands done around the town--grocery shopping, etc. Not too much exciting there. Came back to the house and had a lovely dinner with the roommates. Before I start on Saturday, I am determined to walk the strip in both daylight and nighttime. I also intend to explore the casinos as much as I can. I'll report on these adventures once completed.
While at RSD I filled out my paperwork--W-4, contact sheet, confidentiality waiver, etc., etc.. The office looked like it would belong to the Cirque world. The floor was made of carpet circles of red, green and yellow, and the ceiling was white with corresponding yellow circles to match the floor. The furniture was white, black and silver patterned in geometric shapes. Interesting enough, none of this clashed. I may be biased, however.
After sign-on I worked on getting some errands done around the town--grocery shopping, etc. Not too much exciting there. Came back to the house and had a lovely dinner with the roommates. Before I start on Saturday, I am determined to walk the strip in both daylight and nighttime. I also intend to explore the casinos as much as I can. I'll report on these adventures once completed.
Figuring it out
Alright, so my first official day in the city. Not working yet, but just *in* the city.
First, let me back-track to last night when I arrived...
I left New Mexico around 8:00a and started the drive to Nevada. Because I had some time to kill, I stopped in the Arizona National State Park for the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert. It was gorgeous. I could have spend an entire day there. Looking out over the Painted Desert you could see for miles. In one direction, you could see the mountain range of San Francisco--which was a whopping 120 miles away from the point I was standing. Also, the painted desert changes colors depending on the time of day, and the weather. The rocks can range from light peach colors, to dark purple to vibrant red according to the current conditions in the desert. The Petrified Forest didn't offer as much as far as view-points over the desert, but has lots of great sites to stop and investigate and explore. In addition to waking through forests of petrified wood, I got to see dozens of unique rock formation, arizona wildlife, newspaper rock with petroglyphs, and a section of the original route 66 path. Pictures of this adventure will be posted to facebook soon.
After leaving the park, I got back onto the road and drove... and drove... and drove. Really this trip wasn't longer than my previous adventures, but I was driving after sun-down, so it felt long. Driving is easier in the daylight.
I passed over the Hoover Dam, which even at night was extraordinary. On a day off I plan to go back and visit the dam. 40 miles after the dam, I come to Las Vegas. Everyone kept saying that, 'there wasn't much outside the strip,' but I still didn't expect to see what I did.
Vegas is located in a Valley, and as almost as far as I could see in either direction there were glittering glimmering lights. Off just slightly to my right I could see 'The Strip.' This site truly was incredible.
...after a few short turns off of highway 15, I found myself at my new home for the next 8 weeks. It's a great house with fabulous people and two very friendly dogs. The place is located on the edge of the desert on the southern edge of the city in a lovely safe neighborhood. The commute to TI won't be bad once I start.
Today--to try to catch up on current events--was just a small introduction to the city. We went to breakfast as 'The Hash House' (apparently a famous Vegas staple featured by Rachel Ray and the Today Show) and then did a short drive through the strip. We stopped at Fashion Show Mall, which is located directly across from TI. This mall is 4 stories high, and features a love fashion show every 1/2 hour Friday-Sunday evenings. After this stop, we drove down the strip and went into Aria.
Aria, I learned, is the newest casino to open on the strip. It is a multi-billion dollar building that MGM just opened this past December. Viva Elvis--the Cirque show in Aria--just opened about a week ago. Aria is gorgeous, and I could tell that every detail was carefully chosen and exactitude. The floors are elegant designs made out of several different types of marbles, and every room, wall chair and decoration was expertly selected. The enameled wood for the proscenium arch in the Viva theater costs $100 per square foot. Wow. I also found out that within each casino you have not only the casino floor, but restaurants, bars, your hotel rooms and shopping areas (almost mall-sized areas in which to walk and shop). Aria had 2 floors of shopping with over 20 different stores--including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Coach and many others. I knew about the casinos and hotels being together, but I was unaware of the shopping situation. I also knew that there would be bars in the casinos, but I don't think I ever pictured them to be as a luxurious as this place. I was spoiled; however, and still need to inspect the other casinos on the strip. Aria is the cream of the crop and one the highest ranked casinos in the world at this moment.
I plan on walking and exploring the trip later this week--I'll report on my findings at that time.
Among the other helpful/interesting things I've learned about Vegas are:
-Don't jog at night. The area isn't dangerous because of crime, but there are coyotes.
-Be careful of your first alcoholic drink in Las Vegas. The elevation is 5,000 ft above sea-level, so one drink may effect you more than you think.
-Vegas population right now is about 2 million people.
And... that's it for today. Sign-on tomorrow morning. Again, thanks for reading!
NV time: 1:40a
NC time: 4:40a -- please forgive me if this post isn't as clear and concise as the others. :)
First, let me back-track to last night when I arrived...
I left New Mexico around 8:00a and started the drive to Nevada. Because I had some time to kill, I stopped in the Arizona National State Park for the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert. It was gorgeous. I could have spend an entire day there. Looking out over the Painted Desert you could see for miles. In one direction, you could see the mountain range of San Francisco--which was a whopping 120 miles away from the point I was standing. Also, the painted desert changes colors depending on the time of day, and the weather. The rocks can range from light peach colors, to dark purple to vibrant red according to the current conditions in the desert. The Petrified Forest didn't offer as much as far as view-points over the desert, but has lots of great sites to stop and investigate and explore. In addition to waking through forests of petrified wood, I got to see dozens of unique rock formation, arizona wildlife, newspaper rock with petroglyphs, and a section of the original route 66 path. Pictures of this adventure will be posted to facebook soon.
After leaving the park, I got back onto the road and drove... and drove... and drove. Really this trip wasn't longer than my previous adventures, but I was driving after sun-down, so it felt long. Driving is easier in the daylight.
I passed over the Hoover Dam, which even at night was extraordinary. On a day off I plan to go back and visit the dam. 40 miles after the dam, I come to Las Vegas. Everyone kept saying that, 'there wasn't much outside the strip,' but I still didn't expect to see what I did.
Vegas is located in a Valley, and as almost as far as I could see in either direction there were glittering glimmering lights. Off just slightly to my right I could see 'The Strip.' This site truly was incredible.
...after a few short turns off of highway 15, I found myself at my new home for the next 8 weeks. It's a great house with fabulous people and two very friendly dogs. The place is located on the edge of the desert on the southern edge of the city in a lovely safe neighborhood. The commute to TI won't be bad once I start.
Today--to try to catch up on current events--was just a small introduction to the city. We went to breakfast as 'The Hash House' (apparently a famous Vegas staple featured by Rachel Ray and the Today Show) and then did a short drive through the strip. We stopped at Fashion Show Mall, which is located directly across from TI. This mall is 4 stories high, and features a love fashion show every 1/2 hour Friday-Sunday evenings. After this stop, we drove down the strip and went into Aria.
Aria, I learned, is the newest casino to open on the strip. It is a multi-billion dollar building that MGM just opened this past December. Viva Elvis--the Cirque show in Aria--just opened about a week ago. Aria is gorgeous, and I could tell that every detail was carefully chosen and exactitude. The floors are elegant designs made out of several different types of marbles, and every room, wall chair and decoration was expertly selected. The enameled wood for the proscenium arch in the Viva theater costs $100 per square foot. Wow. I also found out that within each casino you have not only the casino floor, but restaurants, bars, your hotel rooms and shopping areas (almost mall-sized areas in which to walk and shop). Aria had 2 floors of shopping with over 20 different stores--including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Coach and many others. I knew about the casinos and hotels being together, but I was unaware of the shopping situation. I also knew that there would be bars in the casinos, but I don't think I ever pictured them to be as a luxurious as this place. I was spoiled; however, and still need to inspect the other casinos on the strip. Aria is the cream of the crop and one the highest ranked casinos in the world at this moment.
I plan on walking and exploring the trip later this week--I'll report on my findings at that time.
Among the other helpful/interesting things I've learned about Vegas are:
-Don't jog at night. The area isn't dangerous because of crime, but there are coyotes.
-Be careful of your first alcoholic drink in Las Vegas. The elevation is 5,000 ft above sea-level, so one drink may effect you more than you think.
-Vegas population right now is about 2 million people.
And... that's it for today. Sign-on tomorrow morning. Again, thanks for reading!
NV time: 1:40a
NC time: 4:40a -- please forgive me if this post isn't as clear and concise as the others. :)
Monday, March 1, 2010
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