I dedicate this to be my last blog post...

I dedicate this to be my last blog post. The things that I have learned over the course of being production manager is that perfection isn't always important, but rather it's the imperfection that makes it great and that I really can do anything. This is because I thought that I wasn't cut out to be stage manager, and the thought of it scared the living daylights out of me. This was because if something went wrong, it was blamed on you. But I learned that that really isn't the case, because you have a team behind you to support you, and each other. A stage manager is really only as good as their crew. I was fortunate enough to have an AMAZING crew, production manager team, and film producers. If it wasn't for Allie, Delaney, and Regan, the show would have not run as smoothly as it did, or have the amazing sounds that it had. Also if it weren't for Darren and Kyle, the documentary would not have made us all tear up every time we watched it and the movie portion would not have remotely been as amazing as it was. You both have amazing talents; don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise.

I cannot wait to see how you all take this project and the tools that I have given you, and make it your own. I know that you'll make it even greater than it already is. As a closing word of advice, remember when things get difficult to remember who you are doing it for, leave any expectations of perfection at the door, and laugh, ALOT. Also do everything in love, because the kids can certainly tell when you aren't. I wish you all the best in the future, and thank you.

 

Love,

Jenn

 

Preview!--Just in case you missed it!

Hello Sports Fans!..wait..wrong fan base..I mean Blog Fans! Anyways if you all didn't catch the lastest episode of MBTV with the preview of Cinderella, here's the link! Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEVftnOZzXw
More to come soon!
-jenn

Rules for Rehearsal and Backstage

After doing Alice in Wonderland I have learned to lay out some rules for both practise and rehearsal. I try to make these rules the same as the rules that would be applied once we’re in the theatre. My mom had a bit of a giggle with some of them and I hope you do too! Enjoy! More to come soon!
Rules for Rehearsal and Backstage
1. No talking during rehearsal or backstage—exception production managers, Rod, Dave, and EAs
2. If it’s not your prop—DON’T TOUCH IT!!
3. Keep your props in one spot—not all over backstage
4. No talking over each other during group discussions
5. You are responsible for your prop—so put it back where you found it
6. When someone is having a “moment” step back and let their EA handle it
7. NO horsing around during practise or backstage
8. Stay on your side of the stage unless told to move—NO switching!!
9. When changing sides or costumes in the hallway, be quiet! People can hear you!
10. Only water is allowed backstage—NOTHING else! Please leave water bottle with your props. Also put your name on it
11. During practise—No ganging up on Jenn (she needs to concentrate)
12. No peaking behind the big red curtain—people can see you and it ruins the show

Yes I am still alive and no I haven’t forgotten about you

Hello Blog Fans! I'm back!!! Sorry about the late post, I have just recently surfaced from a pile of numerous papers (got to love university life). Anyway, on to the latest instalment of my..memoirs of being Bright Lites production manager.

A few weeks ago I was sitting in the hallway between the Stage Craft room and the Drama room, with Lynden sitting next to me, avoiding work. I had some music going, Rihanna's "Umbrella" to be exact, Robbie (dear sweet Robbie) came out and started dancing and doing his own version of the moon walk like it was nobody's business. Also did you know that there are such things a black light bubbles? I didn't either! Moving on, on Friday because it was the day before Halloween, Dave brought out the disaster make-up stuff. So the kids were putting various bits and pieces through their limbs, foreheads, faces, ect, as well as giving themselves bruises in different places. They even studied a few actual bruises to make sure that they got the colour right (I love disaster make-up day. I remember walking by our member of parliament with half a pencil coming out of my arm..I've never seen someone look so stern haha). Felicia and I opted for a different plan. She and I, with keys to the kingdom in hand, we went down to the cage (aka the prop-room. This is called the cage because the door is a set of bars) and looked through the props.. As soon as I turned on the light Felicia began picking out props that she recognized from her favourite shows.

Today Colin, my Hommie G, was so cute! Joel painted a blue bear complete with matching eyebrows, onto his face with the glow paint. Then we took the handheld black light and shone it on his face so that he could see his beard glow in the mirror. He needless to say thoroughly inspected his beard by making various faces.

Also the other day, we were adding some finishing touches to a rather large prop (not going to disclose what it was, you'll just have to see come show time hehe, yes I'm evil ) and Colin and Shawn (not my bro) were helping me-those guys are so cool! Randy was watching us as he was waiting for John to take the rest of the Community Living Crew back to the centre. He seemed like he was just itching to paint, so I asked him "do you want to help paint Randy?' He of course said yes as soon as I finished my sentence (Randy is so awesome!). So I handed him my paint brush and off he went.

The Cinderella show shirts came in last week and some posters are up, so look out for them. Sean, Chris, and Lynden are in the Step Sistas poster and Sean is the Kiss dude in the other.

And now for a mushy bit, because it's my blog and I can haha:

I have learned and I am continuing to learn so much from these awesome people. I know that I have so much to learn from them yet and I can't wait tackle those lessons. It's refreshing how they take great joy from the little things in life, dance like nobody's watching, and appreciate someone more than we can even possibly fathom, just because you treat them like they're a human being. I must say that it totally makes my day to get a hug from all my homeslices, and to have Chris put his arm around me and say "I missed you buddy", because he had been working at the centre for the past couple of weeks.

 

So that's all for today, I hope you enjoyed it. I also hope that this blog helps to let those who are putting together a similar project or simply work/live with someone who has a developmental disability, that you are not alone. We all get frustrated, but those who make us frustrated appreciate us more than we can ever begin to fathum. Also remember that we need them just as much as they need us. Until another day,
Jenn

 

p.s. please excuse any grammatical errors; I'm editing this rather fatigued. It will be cleaning it up better soon.

Show Poster!

Hello all, just a quick note, the show poster is my profile picture. So there are the dates you had asked for everything. Tickets are on sale now, so get them fast because they sold out rather quickly last year! Hope to see you all there!
-Jenn

JENN!!!!!!!!....What’s that??!!! Please don’t hurt me & Guys, you can hurt each other after the show!..I said AFTER the show!

Well, today, the all important words were said.." I need your cast bio" only to be followed by "what's that?" from the inexperienced cast members...mostly David. Now before I get into that, you're probably wondering "what the heck is up with the rather long title of this post." Ok, well the JENN!!!!!!! Part came from dear Mitchell, that's how he greets me EVERY time I see him, literally. I could have seen him five minutes before and I'm still greeted with JENN!! Although when I see him the first time, I get a rather warm hug (I like those). Today I was getting a lot of warm greetings because last week I wasn't really there at all (hence the lack of posts), but now I'm armed with material! Ok, back to the cast bios, it's that time of year again folks! The time when I get a lot of shrugging of shoulders and have to ask questions to steer them in the right direction. These questions usually consist of "what do you like about coming here every day? Or what do you play in the show? Or "are you excited for the show"? You get the idea. Unfortunately when it comes to the "what do you play in show question, I'm met a lot of the time with, "I don't know" because they literally don't know. This I have used to my advantage with the guys when they won't listen to me. I basically threaten to make them a flower if they won't listen. Crafty, yet evil, yet it works haha. But some of the more experienced cast members, like Robbie (bless his soul) know exactly what to tell me, and make sure that I get it down right. Robbie will literally watch me write and speak at the speed to which I'm writing, to make sure that I get everything down just so. It totally makes my day!

Ok, now to explain the rest of the title, well dear Jeremy, likes to end his sentences with "please don't hurt me" especially when he's being particularly cheeky, which he was today. I unfortunately can't remember what he said exactly. Speaking of hurting people, teenage boys are odd..and rather violent towards each other. Anyway back to my point, Lee decided to put Mitchell in a head lock and slam him into a few lockers to "toughen him up for football" well, me being the wonderful production manager, who is willing to look for a compromise in a situation said,"Guys! You can hurt each other after the show!" Lee of course replied, "this is the show" and slammed Mitchell into the lockers again (again..teenage boys are weird) and then I replied, "Guys, I said AFTER the show".

So that's all for today, I hope you enjoyed it. I also hope that this blog helps to let those who are putting together a similar project or simply work/live with someone who has a developmental disability, that you are not alone. We all get frustrated, but those who make us frustrated appreciate us more than we can ever begin to fathum. Also remember that we need them just as much as they need us. Until another day,
Jenn

On a different Note: To my Amazing Counter-Parts and 10th show baby!

Hello folks,

Seeing as this week wasn't particularly eventful, but it has been rather productive in the construction department. Things are coming along just nicely. We hope to start rehearsal about mid-November. So at the moment I'm accumulating cast-bios and creating a formal cast list. So nothing really exciting, just nit-picky theatre stuff.

But on a slightly different note, I was lying in bed one night, thinking about just exactly how many shows I had done (it came up in a conversation with my counter-parts last week) and holy moly, this will be my tenth show! What a way to celebrate my 10^th show, with amazing people, and working on an amazing project! I would like to say to my amazing counter-parts, Regan, Delaney, and Darren, Kyle, and Allie you guys are amazing! I commend you all for taking this on, and sticking with it! And Allie, I look forward to working with you and your amazing organization skills, without which I would be a disorganized mess, due to the fact that you pick up on stuff that wouldn't think of. We make an amazing team! We all do!

Keep on truckin' guys!