The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada- Lauren Weisberger

So if I ever meet Miranda Priestly (not as if I would recognize her on the streets), but I would seriously bitch slap her across the face. A of all there is no reason why that woman deserves all the praise and bowing and B of all- what would you do in Andy's (4" Jimmy Choo) shoes?

This book kept me going. I missed my subway stop a couple of times, because I didn't want to stop reading. I read over my lunch break- forgetting to eat lunch because I kept wanting to read the enduring pain and torture that Miranda Priestly put her indentured servants Andy & Emily through.

I felt every character's pain: Andy's life long pain every time the phone rang, or that scolding bark of "Ahn-dre-ah", Andy's pain in hoping that somehow this will make a difference in her life. Lily's pain of the whole college thing- but not wanting to do the college thing, so she goes drinking and gets herself into a little trouble (I can relate to that). Alex's pain of loosing the person you love to their own work and standing aside watching them grow different and there is nothing you can do about it. Emily's pain of being at Runway longer than Andy, but not having enough courage to quit a job that you hate only because there is some sort of tiny tiny tiny silver lining at the end.

In Andy's shoes- would you stop and give Starbuck's to the homeless that you pass every day on the streets- on Runway's credit card? (I would like to think I would.)

- would you stay in a job that you hate for as long as she did? (I do.)

- would you leave your family and best friend and boyfriend aside because work comes first? (I do that sometimes....- oops.)

- would you have the balls to tell your boss off to her face in the middle of a very important fashion show? (I dont think I would- not to her face.)

- would you be someone fake- just so you fit in with everyone else? (sometimes I do. sometimes I dont.)

- would you read this book again because it makes whatever misery in your life disappear, because nothing compares to having to work at Runway like that every day? (I would.)

Composure of a Sphinx

So just finished reading the JFK book. The author, Robert Dallek, stated that JFK had the "composure of a sphinx"- not really sure what that means- but as I kept reading, it all made sense.

Similar to a sphinx, JFK holds his head high and remains a strong figure to those around him. He was always confident and calm and had an army of followers who believe in him and help him get to where he needs to be. JFK once said, “A reporter is reporting what happens. He is not making it happen. He isn’t participating.” JFK did everything he could to be an instigator of change and participated in that change.

By analyzing the government and noticing ways to change the way things were run, JFK stood on the shoulders of greatness and single-handedly improved the way the US government was running. Sphinxes (not sure if that is the plural- sphinxi??) usually depict the head of a royal family member on a lion. The lion itself is a symbol of greatness and royalty- strength and power. Using that as a structure to depict a member of a royal family is literally putting them on the shoulders of greatness.“The men who create power make an indispensable contribution to the nation’s greatness, but the men who question power make a contribution just as indispensable, especially when that questioning is disinterested, for they determining whether we use the power or power uses us” (203).

JFK is one of those people who see where he would like to be in the future and powers through until he gets there. “At the age of twenty-three, Jack understood that he needed a life-work, just as important, he had considerable confidence that he would succeed. His background and experience had created a belief in himself as someone special, as standing apart from the many other talented, promising young men he had met at home and abroad. His privileged life had opened the way for success, but it was hardly the full measure of what would make for an uncommon life” (68)

JFK's life ended prematurely- he had not finished with what he started. So as a sphinx guards the dead, I leave you with this- “How can there be any possibility in…death?” (154)

-

finished

I just finished reading My Life in France. I was really wonderful, and once again I want to quit my job and cook all day and write cookbooks. And move to France. The book was very vivid and interesting, though it gets a bit choppy at the end, you go from 1973 to 1994 in like 1 chapter, I don't even think they touch on the 80's. But the whole story of the 1960's and writing the first book was amazing, I was enthralled. (a wonderful post from my darling friend in NY. She is the one who inspires me to cook.)

The College Administrator’s Survival Guide

Gunsalus, C. K. The College Administrator’s Survival Guide. Harvard UP, Massachusetts: 2006.

Chapter 1: “Embrace Your Fate”

- “Force yourself to express your goals in a few simple declarative sentences” (13).

- “You’ve raised some good points. I need some time to think about them. Ill get back to you next week” (16).

- “Before assuming, ask” (20).

- “One of the biggest administrative mistakes you can make is to act on only one version of a story that involves multiple players” (26).

- “For you to be able to achieve your other goals, you need them to see you as fair and objective in your treatment of problem situation; you need their trust and respect” (30).

- “May the god of boundaries bless your leadership” (32).

- “It’s a truism that everyone in universities feels powerless: undergraduates are at the mercy of everyone, their teaching assistants…. Feel they are at the bottom of the power curve, assistant professors feel disenfranchised and powerless, associate professors worry about those who can vote on their promotion, full professors must jockey for positions and perks, and department heads know they have very little real power” (22).

- “Academia is filled with insecure overachievers who-no matter how high their obective level of achievement or recognition- fear that they’re not worthy of their success and that at any moment they may be exposed as frauds” (36).

- “Who are the stakeholders, the people who may be affected by any decisions you make? What policies apply to each of his requests? What precedents exist or may be set by your decisions? And how quickly do you have to decide?” (37).

- “Whatever it takes, avoid making any commitment on the spot” (42).

Chapter 2: “Know Your Colleagues”

- “A large majority of the most difficult problems are caused by a small fraction of the people in any environment; you’ll spend far more time dealing with them than you ever imagined or wanted” (45).

- “Collegiality does not mean tolerating any and all conduct in a professional setting” (52).

- “All too often in academia, department heads think they are sending discouraging signals when, in fact, they are sending mixed or even reinforcing signals for behavior that is detrimental” (61).

Chapter 3: “Negotiation”

- “Think about it: you cannot force others to change; in a highly charged situation, the only facto you truly control is your own behavior. And changing your behavior….can have powerful effect on the outcome” (70).

- “Try saying less and negotiating more, and watch what happens” (70)

- “The catch is that you must be comfortable being the authority figure- or at least e able to act as if you’re thoroughly comfortable in the role” (71).

- “The single most powerful way to increase your influence on others in your daily negotiations is to learn to listen more effectively, more intensely, and more genuinely” (72).

- “….becoming more aware of body language- your own and that of others” (74).

- “Because being heard, being understood, is a surprisingly strong and basic human need that is all too rarely met, and shaping your own verbal and nonverbal communication to match another person’s sends a signal that you do hear and understand her” (75).

- “A prepared negotiator is a more effective negotiator” (77).

- “The same is true when a person wants something from you: if you have not thought about that person’s interests, you are not prepared” (78).

- “….’win-win’ situations, in which both parties feel they have gained something from a negotiation and the relationship is preserved” (80).

- “Establishing a human connection at the beginning is very important to positive outcomes” (83).

- “Cultivate likeability. Civility and cordiality are often undervalued in this world, where too many people think the most effective way to achieve their goals is through aggressive conduct” (83).

- “….find out what the other party wants, and most important, to discover the whys” (84).

- “To repeat: identify interests-the other party’s and your own- and note differences between the two that may provide opportunities to create value for both of you” (85).

- “…frame what you say in terms of the interests she has expressed, while being honest about your own interests. Remember that arguments expressed in terms of her interests will be more persuasive to her than ones expressed in terms of your own” (87).

- “Because negotiations tend to anchor on irrelevant information, you must be vigilant” (87).

- “….people are much more satisfied with outcomes when they feel that they have influenced the results- that they have achieved something by negotiating” (88).

- “Do not forget, at the end of your negotiation, to restate, aloud, the deal you believe you’ve made” (90).

- “Whatever you do, don’t gloat as you close the negotiation, even if you feel you’ve won an overwhelming victory” (91).

- “To thrive as a person whose professional role is to work with others, you need strong insights into your own preferences and styles for dealing with conflict” (93).

- “Don’t ask the impossible of yourself… just preserve possibilities” (93).

- “…Don’t let it be about you. Focus on the principles, the problems, and the goals” (94).

- “Think about whether, in winning the battle, you might lose the war” (94).

Chapter 4: “Complaints”

- “Many people will seek your guidance about problems that you didn’t cause and may not be able to fix” (98).

- “Cultivate a reputation for trustworthiness by keeping confidences” (100).

- “Now that I’ve listened carefully to you, I need to find out what the other people involved have to say. I’ll get back to you after I do that” (101).

- “If you find yourself tempted to say ‘That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard,’ bite your tongue, and don’t speak until you’ve translated your response into something softer and more appropriate to your role: ‘I’m not sure I understand this; will you please explain it again?” (103).

- “When in doubt, leave it out” (104).

- “In the absence of facts, people make them up” (106).

- “Contemporaneous notes are much more useful that subsequent re-creations” (106)

- thank them for coming in to talk to you, remind them that you will get back to them

- “Trust your instincts if you are fearful” (107).

- “In American society, rehabilitation requires taking responsibility, feeling remorse, vowing to reform, and , where possible, offering recompense” (113).

- “think about what a university is trying to achieve from the perspective of its multiple constituencies” (114). Undergraduate students want something different out of the university than graduate students, professors, alumni, parents of students, stakeholders, the community etc.

- “Prepare in advance for your talk… because you will want to keep this first conversation focused on your agenda and not let it be deflected onto other topics

Chapter 5: “Bullies”

- “If you have a firm understanding of what academic freedom is and what it is not, you’ll be better prepared to cope with those who try to distort the concept for their own ends” (124).

- “First, try to identify and describe a pattern in what you observing….Second, sketch out a general strategy…..Finally, it is tremendously helpful to outline the points you wish to communicate and practice how you’ll say them” (127).

- “Some people’s eyes work better than their ears, and you want to be sure [he/she] gets your message” (128).

- “But the key point to hold in mind is that significant positive change can be achieved, given the right mindset, some patience, and persistence” (130).

- “The corrective changes involve moving the boundaries closer to the acceptable range incrementally and gradually. So don’t try to change everything at once: focus on what really matters” (132).

- “Life is pretty short to buy trouble…” (133).

- “It takes more than one person to change an environment” (134).

- “Genuine responses to nastiness are powerful” (134).

- “As a result, staying positive, calm, and clear is central to succeeding in these situations” (135).

- “Be persistant, positive and above all, calm” (140).

- “Everyone in the department will be reassured if you are fair and firm and focused on the issues- and if they see that you will not permit personal attacks” (140)

Chapter 6: “When Not to Improvise”

- “Process and procedure are your friends….Perceptions of power matter…..Focus on conduct, not motive….Less is more in a dispute…Don’t over explain” (147-149).

Chapter 7: “Violations”

- “Graduate students perceive an enormous amount of exploitation or abuse of themselves and their colleagues” (176).

- “…you are not being asked to become the bedroom police” (194).

- “…remember that your job is to keep the greater good of your department and your institution in mind” (196).

- “Not only can policies and procedures be your friend when you are in charge of the process, they can be your friend when you’re the target, too” (202).

- “Prepare well; think through what needs to happen, and in what order” (202).

- “NO stain will attach to your reputation the way it will if you ignore the problem and it mushrooms or your nonresponse is seen as quiet collusion” (209).

- “the idea is for you to stay centered and balanced so you can help everyone navigate a difficult situation in the most constructive way possible. Keep the big picture in mind, and understand that there will probably be some painful moments. Even if you extend yourself to the maximum degree to respect the dignity (and the presumed innocence) of all concerned, there are going to be aspects of these situations that are just plain uncomfortable. Try to see them in context. Persevere. And then, go home and take care of yourself” (211).

Chapter 8: “Centering”

- “When was the last time you heard someone respond to being called stupid by saying ‘Oh, you’re right, thanks?’” (214).

- “… you can be friendly, but not friends” (215).

- “…let actions have their logical (but nonpunitive) consequences” (223).

- “People are more likely to cooperate when they feel they and their work are recognized and valued” (224).

- “The praise has to be plausible, it has to be related to the job… and you have to mean it…..needn’t always be public….Don’t praise what people are… but what they do, or even what they could do if they saw in themselves the potential that you see. Focus on the efforts they make that contribute...” (225).

- “By giving praise and encouragement, you give something rare and valuable, and sometimes even memorable” (225).

- “It’s your job, as an administrator, to provide and environment that beings out the best in people” (225).

Leadership in the Arts

Thomas, Marilyn Taft. Leadership in the Arts. Arthur House, Indiana: 2008.

So here are some memorable quotes from this book:

(ps. I HIGHLYHIGHLYHIGHLYHIGHLY recommend this book for those in this business)

Chapter 1: Working With People in the Arts:

- “Effective leadership begins with a deep understanding and appreciation of the people you must lead” (1)

- “Even some artists in the middle of brilliant careers may need periodic fixes in their self- esteem- perhaps continual reassurance- because deep down, they may not be sure they re good enough” (4)

- “It is the leader’s job to reinforce these strengths, to remind them of their value to the institution they serve, and to make certain the insecurities that hover, overhead, those vultures of self esteem, do not swoop down and smother the creative environment” (5)

- “Working together is a concept every performer should be able to handle” (6)

- “An inability to see themselves as people separate from their roles as artists and master teachers can cause artists to over-personalize absolutely everything” (7)

- “When we step back and consider the reality of the artist, we have yet to realize that in the organizational setting, the administration is the conductor or the director, who really controls the artists ability to gain applause- the person capable of making or breaking their careers.” (7-8)

- “A complex organizational structure is like a bowl of Jell-O; you can’t touch any part of it without setting the whole substance into reactive motion” (8)

- “If you really want people to buy into the mission of the institution, there has to be a sense of fulfillment in helping to make things happen” (15)

- “The goal is to minimize job satisfaction, not to squeeze every ounce of life out of the people on your staff” (16)

- “If you can possibly avoid it, don’t hire staff with serious training in the arts area you lead” (19)

- Work is just like war: “…territorial disputes, battles over essential resources, major cultural differences, power struggles, and just downright aggressiveness.” (21)

- “Bottom line: make it clear to everyone involved that people don’t have to live each other; but they do have to work together- peacefully and productively” (22)

- “The trick is to find the wizard who is willing to work for nothing. Good luck!” (23)

- “One of life’s greatest joys is knowing you have left someone better than you found them” (26)

Chapter 2: Becoming a Leader

- “The effective leader is a master of motivation. (S)he understands to the core how people feel, why they feel as they do, and what it would take to move them beyond their personal needs towards the greater good of the group or the organization. (S)he cares deeply about these individuals, yet understands clearly the relationships of the various parts to the whole” (29)

- “Doing things right is essential.” (30)

- “It is not too soon to start taking notes on problems, issues, and new ideas as they surface in these individual meetings, to be folded in to the organizational strategic plan” (35)

- “When you set out to fix an environment, you need to know what is broken.” (40)

- “Your most important first task is to give them the assurance that you are capable, with their help, of doing that and much more.” (42)

- “You are not the other guy, so don’t try to be” (43).

- “morale suffers most when such cutbacks are handled with callous disregard for the people involved.” (46)

- “morale is a symptom, not a disease; so you need to diagnose the root problem or problems and go to work on them.” (47)

- “Sometimes, the small gestures have enormous significance” (51)

- “You are who you are.” (57)

- “building a new network of personal support is critical to you emotional health.” (59)

- “….after all, everybody judges the leader, even when they have very little data with which to make such a judgment. “ (64)

- “…. the greatest importance is not what data, you share, but how you share it” (65).

Chapter 3: Taking Charge

- “Simply by finding yourself in a number of situations in which your leadership is essential to the very survival of the organization you run” (74).

- “One of the greatest importance is developing a system that shows you respect each individual’s time and self worth.” (81)

- “One rule of thumb is to make sure you spend at least part of every day working on issues requiring strong leadership; don’t let the administrative details of the job completely consume you.” (85)

- “As a leader, you need to develop a highly sensitive antenna for change; you need to be able to see it coming, to smell it, hear it, taste it and feel it.” (95)

- “The toughest things about success is that you’ve got to keep on being a success” – Irving Berlin quoted in Theatre Arts (100)

- “You know , the bigger the risk, the more likely you are to succeed, because huge risks have enormous consequences, you cant afford to fail” (103)

- “Artists’ work is noisy, messy and wonderful. It is the nature of the beast called the arts school to be chaotic. The temptation for the highly organized manager may be to try to keep things under control- to not take one anything more until you get this stuff done” (105).

- “When you have delegated everything there is to delegate, and you still cant keep up with the job, you know there is a problem” (110)

Chapter 4: Handling the Finances

- “As the leader of this arts organization, you cannot let it all come down to a battle between aesthetics and money” (123)

- “Determining the greatest current needs for the long-range health of your arts organization should be the core of your strategic planning process” (126)

Chapter 5: Making Decisions & Implementing Them

- “Doing the right thing is easy. Its determining the right thing to do that is so tough” – Lyndon B. Johnson (rpt 157)

- “Under no circumstances, should you start doing other people’s jobs. Yours is already plenty big enough” (161).

- “Thinking out loud and testing some new ideas on a safe partner may just what you need before running off and doing something really dumb” (167).

- “The needs of your organization are more important that your ego” (172)

- “The ability to say ‘No’, when necessary, is absolutely critical to good-decision making.” (173).

Chapter 6: Communicating

- “If you don’t need [communication and teamwork] to accomplish a goal, don’t waste peoples time. Do it some other way” (195).

- “When you are in charge, it is your responsibility to make sure the meeting is effective, and the people who attend go away feeling good about the time they spent there” (204).

- “Don’t think its OK to use it, if you define it; if you have to define something, you shouldn’t be using it. Speak English” (213).

Chapter 7: Handling Personnel Issues

- “Your goal is to try to look between the lines of their resumes to determine who would go beyond the written job description and really excel in this position” (240).

- “We deal in very subjective definitions of excellence, and the reputation of our institution depends solely on the quality of the art we create- that of our alumni, our artist/faculty, and our students” (250).

- “One of the most difficult aspects of managing people is the personal element involved” (255).

- “You are a target, because you are in charge of a large and complex organization; you potentially bear responsibility for much of what happens within this organization and you can be sued for many of the things that people say or do to others, while working in the environment” (262-263).

Chapter 8: Working within the System & Beyond

- “Anyone can go to work and just get through the day. The real leader is not satisfied with that; (s)he has at least one eye on the future of the arts unit at all time” (271).

Epilogue: Making a Difference in the Future of the Arts

- “Leadership is all about moving past the gate, pushing boundaries out of the way, forging ahead in spite of perceived road blocks- and, oh yes, carrying an organization full of skeptics, hopeful followers, and a few die-hard opponents right along with you” (308)

- “Leadership requires action when you don’t really have to act, speaking up when no one has asked for your opinion” (308).

- “As the leader of an arts unit, you may be expected to know about anything and everything that is going on in the world, pertaining to the arts; since nobody has time to meet this standard, you will just have to do the best you can to stay informed” (313).

- “Even your finest effort is going to feel like a failure, if you don’t accept the impossibility of the task at hand” (319).

- “Learn to live with loose ends; you will have a zillion of these all the time. Some days, you will feel as though you accomplished nothing. Yet, you know you worked your butt off” (320).

An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy

A Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy 1917-1963

by: Robert Dallek

I am completely NOT finished with this book yet, as school gets in the way; but I figured I would tell you about Jack vs. Joe.

I cried a little when Joe Kennedy died. This relationship between Joe Jr and his younger brother Jack (JFK) was something that both Jack and Joe Sr struggled with. Joe Sr loved Joe Jr more than any of his other children and it was obvious to the world, as they were very wealthy and well known; Joe sent his son to the best schools and European tours. Jack constantly lived in the shadow of his older brother, always in competition with him. Although Jack was never as good as Joe academically or socially, Jack beat Joe in the rebelliousness and the girls. Even though they spent their childhood and young adult life competing with each other, they often wrote each other- keeping the other up to date and jealous.

Joe (left) & Jack (right)

Jack suffered throughout his childhood with incurable diseases that the doctors could never diagnose. He was sent from hospital to hospital throughout his seventeen years undergoing tests, surgeries and medical jargon. Joe Jr and Sr. made sure that he went to the best hospitals, had the best doctors and often went to Arizona to "relax and recover". The older Joes in Jack's life, one would say sheltered him from living his own life, they even paid off one of Jack's girlfriends to break up with him. (This one particular girlfriend of Jack's, the US government thought she was a Scandinavian spy and it wouldn't look good on the family affairs if a KENNEDY was mixed up in the drama of spies on the brink of WW2.)

Jack was drafted. Joe followed in competition. Jack's ship was severed and he spent seven days on a stranded island saving the rest of his crew. Jack received a lot of publicity overseas and in the US- "Kennedy's Son Saves Lives!" Joe was jealous and in his competitive nature, signed up for a highly dangerous military task, some would argue that this mission was suicidal from the get-go. Joe wouldn't have it, he was going to succeed and he was going to be a hero. Well, needless to say, the mission failed and Joe died.

Lt. Joe Kennedy

His death was devastating for Jack and Joe Sr. About a week later, the Kennedy family suffered another loss when Jack's brother in law was also killed in the war. These deaths hit Jack really hard and it was actually his widowed sister, Kathleen who brought him back on his feet when she stated "Luckily, I am a Kennedy.. I have a very strong feeling that makes a big difference about how to take things....There are lots of years ahead and lots of happiness left in the world though sometimes nowadays that's hard to believe." Jack promised himself that he would make a visible mark on the world.

This is where I end for the night... I say goodnight to Jack and his dreams to make a difference in the world and not let tragedy get him down.

Stage Management Blues

So I am prepping for my class in the spring and deciding on the textbooks. I have 10 stage management books in front of me and none of them are the ones they used last semester for this class. I can't say that I have read every word in all of these books, but here it goes (in the order that they are on my desk):

Thomas A. Kelly- The Backstage Guide to Stage Management (1991):

- the organizational chart is not your typical hierarchy of who reports to who chart, but puts Stage Management in the middle of everything.

- some simple stories with problem solving lessons

- ground plan example very difficult to read

- the examples of paperwork are handwritten or by a typewriter. Dear Mr. Kelly, no one uses a type writer anymore. I think you should update your book.

Daniel A. Ionazzi- The Stage Management Handbook (1992):

- very simply written with lots of terminology defined within the text and not in a back of the book glossary

- large text kinda seems as if the book is mocking me for not knowing what it is telling me

- goes into detail about Equity rules

- very good blocking example, not necessarily good on explanning the blocking for a beginner stage manager

Gail Pallin- Stage Management: The Essential Handbook (2005):

- book is speckled with cartoons that are not particularly funny

- defines every single management role in the theatre

- better organizational chart (wheel of communication is what Gail calls it) than Kelly's

- incorporates group dynamics and positive listening techniques

Lawrence Stern: Stage Management (2006):

- says pretty much the same as his 1974 edition but he adds technology in this edition

- uses some of the same paperwork examples as the 1974 edition, adds a few new examples and pictures

- stories are interesting because most of the people he mentions are well known in their career

Lawrence Stern: Stage Management (1995):

- ten years earlier and the new technology he references here are cellular telephones

- I dont recognize some words in the glossary, which means either I dont know these words, or these words are no longer used in the business

-the same headshots are reprinted from the 1974 version, which look like they are from 1974

Lawrence Stern: Stage Managment (1974):

- the binding is falling off and pages are cracking, I feel like it is an ancient artifact when I open it

- very interesting to read how they did Stage Managing in the mid seventies. He comments on the new technology, including microwaves. Hard to imagine how to do this job without any computers, cell phones and hand writing everything

- the headshot examples look like something from an old scrapbook. There is a headshot of a woman licking an ice cream cone!

-the one thing that is not in his other versions, which should be is the chronological approach and priorities which is printed on the inside back cover of this book. A very important tool in the last possible place in the book.

Monona Rossol: The Health and Safety Guide for Film, TV & Theatre (2000):

- A must read for anyone in this business, goes through EVERYTHING including duration and type of exposure, personal protection equipment, there is even a special chapter on defective children.

-Not especially a stage management book, but stage managers must be aware of the potential dangers in their surroundings

James L. Moody ASLD: The Business of Theatrical Design (2002):

- A good book written by a Lighting Designer about how to survive in this field, including living, contracting, marketing yourself, insurance, starting a business, etc.

- Very good material on teamwork and group dynamics

- His appendix includes a very complete list of every possible association and theatrical business organization that I have ever hear of

Larry Fazio: Stage Manager: The Professional Experience (2000):

- very large complete over view book, highly recommended

- contains substantial story telling about how he got where he is now, or failure/learning experience stories

- Paperwork samples, not complete forms that you can scan in and "steal and implement", but this way Mr. Fazio shows you a variety of paperwork styles

- Defines the word "professional" which many books assume you know. "The professional makes a business or trade of something that othes might do for pleasure....A professional is a person who belongs to a recognized and organized profession....A professional does a job to a high degree and quality... For stage managers and people in the theatre, I would add this to the definition: Being professional means following an honorable code of ethics, practices and standards, being responsible to give the best to yourself, to fellow workers, the employer, to the production, and ultimately, to the people who come to see the show" (3).

Doris Schneider: The Art and Craft of Stage Management (1997):

- written over ten years ago but still very relevant and useable today

- half of the book is devoted to paperwork examples

- I have fallen in love with the Schneider blocking, once you understand it- you can write it as fast as the actors moving around on stage. (really, Anne- you have fallen in love with blocking?- you're strange!)

- Her blocking covers fights and dance blocking as well

Peter Maccoy: Essentials of Stage Management (2004):

- my favorite stage management book thus far

- devotes a third of the book to group dynamics and working with other people- which is what stage management is all about

- describes both the x,y axis and triangulation method of taping the stage- which many books only offer the x,y method

- has a whole big chapter on analyzing the text, which is not necessary to go that deep in analyization as a stage manager- but sure helped me as a dramaturg

- the end of the book discusses stage management as a props artisan as well

- goes through how to talk to other members of the team including designers, production manager, company manager, directors etc.

The winners for my textbooks- are the last two: Schneider and Maccoy.

Thanks for listening! Enjoy reading!