I don't want to make a big deal out of this, but it's kinda a big deal.

(This will suffice.)

So! Zip back to earlier in 2018, when we were clearing production books from all the locations that were in JCG's name (instead of ADP). The interns mentioned that they were seeing my name on a lot of them, and wondered if I knew how many productions I had run for the Players. I joked that it was better to block out some of them, life went on, etc.

But my brain kept thinking about it. And so I made a list of times when I was lead SM.

First, it was every "show" (Mainstage or CT), but some of the Easters fit that definition, and if you include the Easters, then you might as well include the Spotlighters (heaven knows those headaches might as well count for something). Made a note of times that I covered productions or ASMed, but decided those shouldn't count to the final tally. I added up where I was, then looked ahead at when I'd hit the next big number.


Cut to about three weeks ago, when I was asked to cover the Bing Crosby Christmas concert. (There was concern that one of my many "Hannah's not stage managing a Christmas show, so let's do stuff" plans would interfere with, well, being asked to stage manage a Christmas show after all.) Even though it was described as an SM position, there were a number of things that made it sound like it might fall somewhere in-between instead. Basically, I wasn't sure if it should count on the list because there were going to be some key duties (most notably, calling light and audio cues) not part of the gig.

I run some rehearsals, send *all* the emails, negotiate some scheduling confusion, and eventually we're at the second (and final) performance. Because these are relatively new concerts, the main star is still recording them to listen back later. (In fact, he made edits between the first and second night, so way to be awesome, JB.) He had issues with the recording app on his phone, so he went onstage for A2 without a recording going ... so of course I pulled out my phone once he was set onstage and started recording on his behalf. He has one spot offstage during the act, and was talking to me in the wing while again fighting his phone. I let him know that he didn't need to worry - I was recording for him and would send the file to him after. Happy, he swapped over to the messenger app, so he could confirm that he had my number. I reminded him that I should already be in his phone (we texted a little before the first rehearsal), but it was just long enough to see I was listed as "Hannah Houston SM" in his phone.

I had already basically decided to count the concerts, but that firmed up my decision. If the star considers me the stage manager, who am I to quibble.

And so, after this [very lengthy - jeepers, Smith] to-do, be aware that this week marked my 60th production as lead SM for the Players. Ta-da.

pretend I posted earlier today, when I was re-writing cues in my call script

Currently existing in a world of...

DESIGNER: I need you to take the cue on the visual.
MY INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: If there weren't so many cues, I could actual watch the show to see where the visuals happen!


[Actually watched the show Wednesday night, for what feels like the first time since before we were off-book. Pretty sure I hit all the visuals, except for the one that I took at what I thought was "actors X DCL" and was not what the designer considered "actors X DCL." I am quite literally not going to lose any sleep over this, which is more than I can say for how I felt about the final dress.]

moments in time

I'm watching The Martian (happy sixth birthday, Curiousity rover!), eating a salad (more because the lettuce was about to go bad than for actually wanting to eat this salad), and debating if I should go back to working on WSS audition paperwork (not all my Excel sheets are alphabetical, I haven't organized headshots/resumes into what day people are coming) or if I should just call it for the day.

Probably gonna call it for the day; tomorrow wish I hadn't called it for the day. Y'know, the usual.

Twelve hours from now, my morning show will be basically done.

Oh man, I want to eat something, as I'm post-rehearsal starving, but I also want to fall asleep before midnight so I can grab the better part of eight hours before I have to be a functional stage manager again, so I probably shouldn't.


Dear Future Self, maybe we shouldn't agree to cover someone else's rehearsals while running a show of our own again. You never know when a director is trying to block the entire show in under four days, or a crew member's absence isn't going to be conveyed to the proper sources until two days before, or whatever else the universe wants to throw at us. Okay? Okay.

[eight minutes into movie]
"Is Brad already dead?"
[water gushes out of elevator]
"Oooh! Brad *is* already dead!"

I keep checking out books from the classics section of the library, hoping to finally finish off some items I never read in high school, college, etc. What media do I keep consuming instead? Disaster movies, comic books, and gossip about the Mean Girls Broadway bootleg that's being shared *everywhere*

three weeks in

So far thirty-four appears to be about realizing "I'm tired, I should just go to bed" and actually doing it instead of staying up another 2+ hours just because.

Two Lists

Things I Need to Do:
* rewrite blocking from today's rehearsal
* prep audition forms
* double-check audition emails

Things I Want to Do:
* Sleep?
* Yeah, probably just sleep

Sure, this feels like an adequate time of day to figure out such information.

So! If you *don't* include Easters and Spotlighters, my 50th ADP show as SM will be top of the 2018/2019 season.

If you *do* include them (because - oh my goodness - I had no idea how many specialty events I'd SM'd), #50 was at Smoke in 2016 (appropriate). I'll close this season at 57, and hit 60 at the end of next season, based on current assignment plans.

None of this includes ASMs, covering extensions, "PSM" for shows I'm not running but am the in-house head stage manager, etc. Egads. That's lots of life in 10+ seasons. Rep life is hard, y'all.


EDIT! (at a much more reasonable time of day)
Okay, so according to my [extremely large] quotes file, I missed another Easter show. That makes Hero Squad 3 my actual "if you include the extras" 50th, puts me at 58 by the end of this season, and 60 by halfway through next season.

In other news, do you have any idea how many separate word files I have for ADP quotes? Feels like about as many shows as I've stage managed....

Current mood: judging actors who wait until less than 24 hours before an audition to ask for a slot (and don't acknowledge the time frame)

"...joining the company of other movies that have shot in Houston, like Terms of Endearment and Pearl Harbor"

*brain stops* Did he say Pearl Harbor? What? Did an intern win a bet about sneaking in fake information? *checks IMDB* Oh, never mind then. Please shoot on any battleship you want, Michael Bay.

Other Things

* Aw...feel the 2003 flashbacks, right here in an "other things" section.

* Out 122 individual nominees, I've seen 93 of them. (I'm not counting up the individual movies themselves...at least, not right now. The statistics part of my brain will probably wanna know eventually.) Even compared to past years, that's a solid total.

* Dear all the things that were readily available on Netflix that I still haven't watched: Soon? Soon. Gonna finish some things so I don't have to do another month of Amazon.

* Anybody else interested in a "I'm sorry you didn't win any Oscars, I still love you best of all" screening of Lady Bird this week?

based on true events

One of the Canadian ice dance teams just skated to music from Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (specifically, the last dance sequence) ... and the fact that I could recognize that instantly took me clear back to my college years, all of us on a movie trip together.

SO convenient

I didn't feel well, so I took a nap. Woke up and felt worse. So nice of illness to wait for when I was done with work for the rest of the weekend.

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the new theater's grand opening. This post still isn't about that.

Okay, job seekers. Let's recap (as if this will make a difference):

* When submitting digital copies of your headshot and/or resume, always make sure you've included your full name in the title. I don't care what else you have there. Just make sure you aren't sending me "MT headshot 2" or "2018 resume new" or, heaven help you, "Image 1." You have no idea the frustration it brings to have to relabel your own files ... nor the joy it brings when I don't.

* Even if you already know I like you and would happily sing your praises to strangers, tell me in advance if you're including me as a reference. Don't let me find out because of that voicemail from the ignored call that I listen to three hours later. Give me time to prepare or risk me spouting forth whatever first comes to mind.

* And, because I like lists of three items or more, don't just not show up if your schedule changes. Life happens, it's okay - but send word (before, if you can; after, if you can't). Otherwise, I assume you're irresponsible and I will indeed hold that against future casting.