SMA is the Stage Managers’ Association. It is an organization based in the USA. However, its International Cohort is growing as well since it began in early 2019. A “UN of Stage Manager” with currently over 25 ambassadors from 15 countries on 6 continents. On July 5, 2021, SMA Director-at-Large David J. McGraw and Editor in Chief/International Cohort Chair Hope Rose Kelly from the USA met for an online discussion with SMA International Cohort Ambassador Anna Robb in Hong Kong. Together, they compared the work conditions of Stage Managers working in both regions and around the world. Drawing on their own experiences as stage manager as well as looking at a 2019 survey, their findings are profound and of imminent importance. We are sharing the highlights of their discussion in an article series of 4 parts. This is part 4.
SMA is the Stage Managers’ Association. It is an organization based in the USA. However, its International Cohort is growing as well since it began in early 2019. A “UN of Stage Manager” with currently over 25 ambassadors from 15 countries on 6 continents. On July 5, 2021, SMA Director-at-Large David J. McGraw and Editor in Chief/International Cohort Chair Hope Rose Kelly from the USA met for an online discussion with SMA International Cohort Ambassador Anna Robb in Hong Kong. Together, they compared the work conditions of Stage Managers working in both regions and around the world. Drawing on their own experiences as stage manager as well as looking at a 2019 survey, their findings are profound and of imminent importance. We are sharing the highlights of their discussion in an article series of 4 parts. This is part 3.
At the end of 2018, Cris and I were living in Hangzhou China, working on a project for Cirque Du Soleil. Due to some unforeseen immigration issues, and the impending holidays we found ourselves with quite a bit of time off. When you are on tour or relocated for a project, the holidays tend to be about traveling rather than spending time with your family, for us this meant 4 days in Beijing prior to New Year’s.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the world of theatre completely in a new way. Regardless of the recovery of live performance industry in the western world, more and more people, especially commercial workers, start to realize that theatre cannot and will not go back to the old days. Facing numerous challenges in domestic markets, show makers may need a vision shift — the life-saving straw may lie on the other side of the globe. From various points of view, China is the most promising market for commercial musical companies to recover from the pandemic shock.
Before discos, clubs and video rentals arrived in China, which they inevitably did, there was very little in the way of entertainment, and it was especially sparse for foreign residents. As in most homes across the world, television was the most popular medium and as such was used, in the 1980’s at least, as a means of conveying the ‘Party Line’.
In 1981 our family relocated from Scotland to Beijing, a place we knew virtually nothing about. We soon discovered that leisure activities were mostly those organised by the expat community, including film shows at Embassies, and local television.
In order to answer this question, let’s think the same thing in another way. Why can’t Mulan be played by a white/black actor? Why does “Captain America” have to be a white guy? Why does “Black Panther” have to be a “physically” black actor? People will have an assumption of what visual pictures they should get based on the story setting or the source material.
Main concerns about bringing Hamilton to China lie in two parts: language barrier and the irrelevance of its story to the Chinese culture. Following are analysis about why these two concerns might not be hindrances.
I first met Billy Kong in 2018 when we both worked backstage for a vehicle stunt show in Macau. Even back then it was clear that Billy was a gifted entertainer. He had a quiet dignity and charisma about him and he persisted in finding the time to do magic tricks no matter how busy we got. Billy’s dream was to one day work full-time as a magician. Now, two years later, his persistence and hard work have led him on stage…
At the end of 2018, Cris and I were sitting in a bar in Bejing (full Beijing post coming soon) called the Red Dog, and the lovely bar owner told us about her hometown Harbin. From the moment we heard about it we knew we had to go! She described a city that transforms into an ice and snow wonderland 500 km (300 miles) from the China-Russia border. Since 1963, Harbin has been the home to the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival 哈尔滨国际冰雪节.
Just like apps and social networks, online sites are a revolution in work methods particularly in the field of stage accessories, props and research for elements, complements, objects, tools, and materials. In Asia, where I have practiced my trade as a Prop master – designer/decorator and set designer for almost 10 years, a particular online shopping site has attracted particular attention.
The morning after Typhoon Hato was intense. The state of Macau reminded me of those times you wake up from a massive night out, when you’ve thrown off all your clothes knocking everything in your room over and you end up in bed with no duvet, one shoe (but mysteriously no sock), your underwear, and maybe a half removed shirt. All of this but in addition, you had also decided to drag in all of your garden, smash all your windows and ran a bath but then forgot about it. Massive chaos.
Three years ago, while touring Australia with a rather sparkle-filled show, I got a call. This call could not have had better timing as we were just informed the very morning the next leg of the tour had to be canceled for whatever reasons. ‘Tis life on the road.
When we arrived at what would be our new home we were in awe, to say the least. The scale of the Han Show Theatre is something that really needs to be seen to be believed.
Lateral Versus Literal We relocated back to Wuhan when the theatre was, well almost complete. The operations team either moved into the dormitory accommodation provided or we searched for apartments so we could set up our lives here. Now, this is a vast city, there is construction everywhere and deciding where to establish myself was […]
Throughout one’s career, one can find themselves making decisions that have the potential of taking one’s life into a variety of different directions, should I take this job or that one?
The Artistic Director and I interviewed the already hired team members for the wardrobe department. We found the majority of the team were from fashion schools, new to the workforce and quite green to theatre, and all had great ambition to own their own fashion design shops within the next 5 years.
I like to think of myself as a fairly decent researcher. Anytime I take on a new adventure I conduct due diligence to make sure I’m best prepared for anything the upcoming situation could possibly throw my way. Let me tell you, nothing can properly prepare you for everything you will encounter whilst living abroad and perhaps this applies even more so when speaking on Asia.
