#2020yearofthestagemanager

[maxwellsmaart]

Day 10 out of the 10-day Stage Manager Challenge. This is The Escape or Leap for Freedom. My top 3 favorite shows to call. As a SM it was one of my strongest works. I loved my cast, crew, and creative team. To boot, it was my first opportunity to work with an all black cast which was an important milestone as a POC SM. I will always be grateful for this experience. I’m nominating Lanie Liu, and Lola Bao for being awesome ASMs, but also Dennis Ho for being the next supreme. #2020yearofthestagemanager #theescape #ysm2020 #teammark #kacusm #theisland (at Lenfest Center for the Arts at Universty Columbia Manhattanville Campus) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6IpQPmp9Ks/?igshid=1vmi12jcx2c9n

[maxwellsmaart]

Day 9 out of the 10-day Stage Manager Challenge. This is The Ride one of my most unusual jobs to date. Being the puppet master for a sentient bus was a unique growing experience. Every show was a different experience which taught me how to embrace chaos and roll with the punches. It also taught me a lot about comedic timing and enjoying the magic that is NYC. It made me a better show caller and I’ve met some of the most amazing artist in the city. That’s legally all I am allowed to say about my former employer. 🤣 😉 You’re welcome. I’m nominating Casey Gallagher, Kyrie Alaisa, Kelsey Mills and Becky Abramowitz for kicking ass. #2020yearofthestagemanager #ridelife #ysm2020 #idowhatiwant #cmax (at The Ride NYC) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6HdkucJKNj/?igshid=1n9d0fi8jq9x5

[maxwellsmaart]

Day 8 out of the 10-day Stage Manager Challenge. Short Happy Memory I promise One of my favorite SM experiences in NYC, hands down was seeing Revelations (Thank you Ayvaunn). As a QPOC and dance minor seeing that performance rang a bell deep in my soul. I could feel my ancestors calling me from the stage. After the show I wrote the PSM and asked about a possible internships, but never heard back. Little did I know that MJP had arranged for us to have a class at Alvin Ailey. This was one of my best classes. As an SM it opened my eyes to yet another facet of what we do. It also made my work on musicals much stronger. It’s a beautiful part of my history. I’m nominating Alaric Hahn, Taeuk Kang, and Aimee-Marie Holland for having moves like jagger. #2020yearofthestagemanager #smlife #co2019 #ysm2020 #imnotcrying #alvinailey #plié #tendu (at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6D8UI1pH4c/?igshid=10g52j2vad2p

[maxwellsmaart]

Day 7 out of the 10-day Stage Manager Challenge. Leading up to 2020: the Year of the Stage Manager. Every day, select an image from a day in the life of a Stage Manager - a photo from a day you felt fierce or a memorable moment you've had during a performance/show, and post it. Raising Awareness of Stage Managers!!! This is Collaboration, the true story of 55 strangers picked to make some MF Art to find out what happens when people stopped being polite and start getting real. I forged some amazing bonds in this process, but I really fucking hated this class. No lie it can die in a trash fire. It was not my classmates but the structure of the class. CU SMs were used to prop up the whims and fancies of our classmates at the expense of our own personal and financial pursuits. We little guidance were the fun police, time clocks, safety patrol, producers, designers, electricians, deck crew, and scapegoats instead of student collaborators. I still shudder at the C-word. I bring this painful memory up though, because it taught me how to tell a great story with extremely limited resources. It taught me how to share the work load with a team of badass SMs. It taught me how much really goes into producing a new works festival. It taught me how to learn and grow from bad situations. It taught me new methods of crisis management that don’t involve booze or cigarettes. It taught me how to use my voice for more than just calling hold. It taught me that SMs are in fact artists who see the micro and the macro all at the same time. I’m nominating Morgan Leigh Beach , Patty Garvey and Caitlyn Annelise Dominguez who all showed bravery in the face of adversity. #2020yearofthestagemanager #smlife #co2019 #ysm2020 #endrant #thinkhappythots #breathegoddamnit (at Schapiro Theatre) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6BHN7ZpQqz/?igshid=rslcvsfwhhwm

[maxwellsmaart]

Day 6 out of the 10-day Stage Manager Challenge. Leading up to 2020: the Year of the Stage Manager. Every day, select an image from a day in the life of a Stage Manager - a photo from a day you felt fierce or a memorable moment you've had during a performance/show, and post it. Raising Awareness of Stage Managers!!! This is Caged Dames one of my top 5 favorite shows with Hell in a Handbag Productions. This was a lot of firsts for me. My first “big” SM paycheck, first time leading a musical in professional theatre space, first experience with live mics, first time having “automation” on deck, first time having an ASM (Garth), and first time realizing that I am a valued professional. I learned so much about what it means to lead here and I cherish the experience. Did you know that most Storefront Stage Managers and Actors in Chicago don’t even make minimum wage? The stipends we received barely cover the cost of living let alone the supplies required to run a show so it was imperative to have other jobs to make ends meet. This means working an 8 hour day and then rehearsal for another 5 hours. We do it because we love it, and I loved this show with all my heart. However, this struggle is why I moved and am now a big union advocate. To fuck with your brain, I now make in a single week (LORT-B) what I made for the entire rehearsal/run of this show. I want to make muggles aware of the unsung and underpaid artists in the NonEquity world, but also express how valuable having a stage manager is. We come early and stay late because we love it. For us theatre is our chosen family, but as they say love doesn’t pay the bills. I’m nominating Vicky Rector and Ally Wetz who we’re both shining examples of leadership and dedication. I’m cc’ing the creative team who helped me push through and made me a better SM. AJ Wright, Stevie Love, Zachary Eugene Gipson , Erik S Barry , Kate Setzer Kamphausen , Mikey Moran, Lolly Extract, Amber Marsh, and David Cerda #2020yearofthestagemanager #smlife #cageddames #hiah #hellinahandbagproductions (at Theater Wit) https://www.instagram.com/p/B58PkfqpER6/?igshid=48k3u83h8iw4

[maxwellsmaart]

Day 5 out of the 10-day Stage Manager Challenge. Leading up to 2020: the Year of the Stage Manager. Every day, select an image from a day in the life of a Stage Manager - a photo from a day you felt fierce or a memorable moment you've had during a performance/show, and post it. Then nominate somebody to take the challenge. That’s 10 days, 10 Performance photos, 10 nominations. Be active, be positive, be passionate... Raise Awareness of the Stage Managers!!! This is the Kick Ass CU SMs at The View as part of our TV/Dance class. We had the rare opportunity to experience the TV side of Stage Management which still blows my mind. I still hope to one day work behind the camera, but it’s not time for that yet. Because today is her Birthday and she’s awesome I’m nominating Ms Zhangqiyu Ada Zhang and because they are so hawt also Alexis Nalbandian and Alison Simone . BOLO C/O 2019/2020 I have plans for you all!!! 😈✌🏽 #2020yearofthestagemanager #smlife #theview #kacusm #whoopigoldberg #stagemanager (at The View) https://www.instagram.com/p/B55w8xcp8H7/?igshid=zm79dnpxnahe

[maxwellsmaart]

Day 4 out of the 10-day Stage Manager Challenge. Leading up to 2020: the Year of the Stage Manager. Every day, select an image from a day in the life of a Stage Manager - a photo from a day you felt fierce or a memorable moment you've had during a performance/show, and post it. Then nominate somebody to take the challenge. That’s 10 days, 10 Performance photos, 10 nominations. Be active, be positive, be passionate... Raise Awareness of the Stage Managers!!! This is Winter Wonder Town hands down one of my favorite seasonal gigs. Everyday was a different adventure filled joy and the laughter of tiny humans. Making magical memories was all part of the job. I’m nominating Dylan Francis Hankey . and Jake Wiener for being awesome coworkers. Cc: Crystal Summers , Shane Goldbaum-Unger, Sue Kessler #2020yearofthestagemanager #winterwonderfest #navypier #smlife (at Navy Pier) https://www.instagram.com/p/B54lj4BJ6pe/?igshid=syzrafkseebf

[maxwellsmaart]

Day 3 out of the 10-day Stage Manager Challenge. Leading up to 2020: the Year of the Stage Manager. Every day, select an image from a day in the life of a Stage Manager - a photo from a day you felt fierce or a memorable moment you've had during a performance/show, and post it. Then nominate somebody to take the challenge. That’s 10 days, 10 Performance photos, 10 nominations. Be active, be positive, be passionate... Raise Awareness of the Stage Managers!!! This is the Cher Show Lab, my very first Broadway bound show. Cher told us, “You’re here because you want to be, so just be good.” The rest as they say is Broadway history. I take that reminder everywhere. I’m breaking the rules and nominating Michelle Bosch, Megan Webb, and Brandon Rosenfeld #2020yearofthestagemanager #thechershow #aea #smlife #mjp #broadway (at New 42nd Street Studios) https://www.instagram.com/p/B54D1i0p1zh/?igshid=nmi3qkfgk437