1. Lucy Pratt 12u 26/02/18
BTEC- Job description
As AssistantStage Manager(ASM) I,James,
EmilyandEmily had to use the setlistthat the
DeputyStage Managers (DSMs) (Emilyand
Emily) created fromthe scriptof ‘Beautyand
the Beast’and researchedeachsetpiece,trying
to findsomewherethatsellsorsellsforhire the
setpieceswe need. Iusedwebsitessuchas
amazonUK, S2 eventsandvarioussetandprop
store websites.Ilookedatprices,deliverytimes
and workingwiththe DSMs,the Director (Mr
Hawkins) andthe Producer(Mrs DLG) to make
sure the thingsI researchedlookedthe way
theywantedandwere the dimensionsneeded
to fitthe stage.I alsoemailedS2events toask
for pricesanddimensionsforsome of the
tablesandchairs to see whetherwe could
possibly use them.We didn’tuse theminthe end.Ialsowasa part of meetingswhere the stage
managementteamandMr Hawkins,Mrs DLG and ,Hellen(the choreographer)wentthroughthe big
sheetof paperall the possible set,props,make upandcostume designsthatwere beinglookedand
thendecisionsfinalisedandordered/begantobe made. Before all of thisIhad to go throughmy
copy of the script and highlightanyconcernsandlabelledthe departmentjobs(likeeverypropand
potential lightingcue).Thisled me tocreatingaproductionanalysischartwhichinclude everyprop,
setpiece,character,costume andpossible lightingandsoundcue perscene/song.Inaddition,Idid
researchintoBeautyand the Beastat differenttheatresandthe original creativeteamsothatI had
a big understandingof the full showandthe differentadaptationsof the original screenplay.I
memorisedthe orderof the songssothat it couldlearnthe orderof the show by heartmakingmy
jobduringproductionweekeasier.
I attendedrehearsalsduringthe rehearsal stage of productiontogetanideaof the waythe show
has beenblockandmake sure I knowwhichactors are playingwhichcharacterswhichwill allow me
to knowwhoto talkto for differentreasons.Ialsotookdownanynotesthat I neededtoduring
these rehearsals(especiallywhenIattendedarehearsal inthe place of the DSMs). We had a main
productionmeetingwhere the fullproductionteamsatdownandwentthroughkeythingsthathad
developed/changedandwhattodo next.Forinstance,the stagingchangeswere explained.Iwrote
detailednotesandaddedthemtomywork.
The get inconsistedof the stage managementteam, lightingdepartmentaswell assound.During
thisI helpedunloadthe vansandbringinall into the hall.(Before thiswe hadworkedasthe doubles
classto clear outunderthe stage andthrow away
unneededthinglike the yellowcoatsandtrousersfromour
productionof ‘Singinginthe rain’.The stage management
teamalsohad a tripto the RMDS to findpropswe coulduse
and some extrastagingblocksaswe didn’thave enough.I
alsohelpedunloadthe vanhere) Duringthe Getoutday I
wentoff to the art classroomand paintedwhatneededan
extracoat for the ‘Be Our Guest’headdressesasIknew that
Mrs Busutil wasgoingtodo themand therefore helped
move alongthe process.To make sure she didn’tdowhat I hadalreadydone I wrote outa note so
that she couldcheckthemoff her list- stayingorganisedandkeepingthe productionprocessgoing.
2. Lucy Pratt 12u 26/02/18
BTEC- Job description
I then,alongwithJames,hadto finda wayof getting
the bedfor the Belle’sbedroomscenestobe ready
for the show.However,the benchdidn’tworksowe
turnedto woodwitha headboardat the endto give
the illusionof abed.Itmay have beenthe width of
the bedbut the illusionwouldn’tworkasthe flat
sittingaudience weretooclose andthe tieredwould
have seenthe full thingfromabove.Thismeantthat
I needtostop mypreviousresearchintobeddingof
the 1700s and endedupusingone of the chairs from
anotherscene.
Thenwe move on to the dressrehearsals.Duringthe
dressrehearsalsIwasin the wingsmakingsure that
the cast were quite aswell asmakingsure the set
that wasneededwasreadyandhad room to getout
of the wingsandontothe stage.I stayedinthe rightwing.I alsoinformingthe propsteamasto
where toput the pre-setpropssothat the cast couldeasilygetto themandthat theywere outof
the way.For example,duringthe firstdressrehearsal (Sunday) some of the propswere pre-set/left
by the cast on the table inthe wingswhichcausedproblemsaswhenthe table wasneededitwasall
put onthe floorandcouldhave beendamaged. Imade sure that duringthe ‘Mob song’that the
propsteam memberinmywing,Katy,wasout of the wayof the cast by gettinghertostand slightly
inthe storage room.I was alsohelpingwiththe torcheskeepingthemawayfromthe cast and
holdingthemforMr Davis tolight.I alsosweptthe stage duringthe interval andtalkedwiththe
propsteam to make sure all the propsthat neededtobe pre-setwere ready.
Duringthe shows,I dideverythingasIdidduringthe dressruns.However,there were some more
jobs.For instance,the bowl of waterthatwas beingusedtodowse the torcheswason the floorand
was knockedandspilledalittleduringtwoof the shows.Thismade itmy jobto standin frontof
overthe bowl to preventthe castfrom knockingit.Italsomeantthat whenitwas spiltIhad to get
some tissue toclearit up before the full castcame off the stage or intothe wings. Ialsohad to do
whatit couldto helppull the cart off of the stage helpingthe castandMr Davis.Mr Davisand I also
movedthe librarysetpiecesaroundinthe wingsandgave themto the cast membersinthe right
positionreadytogo ontothe stage.We were thenreadytotake themfromthe cast as theycame
off.Dylan,whowasone of the actors, askedme to holdGaston’sgun anda gunfor himself out
readyso that he couldgrab themfor the ‘Mob song’howeverIdidn’trealise thatIwouldbe already
holdingthe torchesatthispintso I instructedKatyof where to standand whotheywere for.For the
torchesI had to holdthemreadyto be litby Mr Davisand thencarefullypastedthemtothe cast
members,watchingcloselyincase theygotto close toa tab or anotherperson.Ialsohad to move
the waterbowl ina positionreadyforthe torchesas Mr Davis dowsedthemandEmilyandI hadto
put theminthe waterready forMr Davisto take into the gym. At one pointduringsome of the
earliershowsIhelpoutthe costume departmentwithcostume changesastheydidn’thave enough
helpor experience doingthemandneededhelpasinzippingupdressesandholdingthe lightsothat
theycouldsee.One jobI didnotanticipate wasthat I neededtotake all the headdressesfromthe
cast and take the back intothe gymbefore the finale asthe costume departmentwere ineitherthe
cast or doingquickcostume changesinthe wingswiththe sillygirls.
Afterthe shows,we hadthe get out.Thismeantthat we neededtoclearup everythingandreturn
the school hall and gymback to the way itwas before the productionprocess.We clearedand
3. Lucy Pratt 12u 26/02/18
BTEC- Job description
sortedeverythinginthe gymasto where theyneededtogo.I took some thingsoutto the van forSir
to take themback to RMDS. I also helptake thingsbackto differentlocationsaroundthe school
includingthe dramastudio.Icoiledwiresandhelpedmove flightcasesintothe CBSvans.
[Inthissame folderisthe evidence videosIhadKatytake duringa performance (theyare notvery
clear).]
