Working from home? Switch to the DIGITAL edition of Stage Directions. CLICK HERE to signup now!
It is a strange and trying time for all of us in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We certainly understand times are tough for you, as they are for us. We have been proud to bring Stage Directions for free all these many years and we will continue to provide you with complimentary subscriptions during the pandemic. However, we would like to ask in these difficult times that you consider a small donation to help support our efforts here at Stage Directions as we work to keep our industry up to date by providing you with a continuous stream of current and vital information when it is needed, today more than ever, to keep us all in the theater community connected.
A popular topic in stage management social media this week has been SM Kits: not necessarily the individual tools (see our very first blog post!), but the containers themselves.
First, there is an ongoing debate about whether producers should provide all equipment: why must the stage manager stock everyday items, particularly consumables? My take is that, unless I have willingly taken on an under-resourced production, the producer should either provide regular equipment – tape measures, first aid supplies, door stops, reams of paper, etc. – or pay me a fee for me to bring all the equipment. Personally, I don’t mind placing an order for spike/gaff/glow tape, particularly if it is a one-off project where I get to keep the unused consumables on the company dime. But this is a discussion to be had with the production manager or producer.
But even if the producer provides some equipment, I still will want to bring my personal tricks of the trade, and that means using a SM Kit. There is a joke that the SM Kit is like the shell of a hermit crab: you can tell how long a stage manager has worked based on the size of her/his kit. But I know plenty of veteran stage managers who downsized their kits when they entered a resident position, much like an older couple might downsize from a house to a condo. The size and type of kit is often based on three factors:
1. How often do you need to move it?
2. How far do you need to move it?
3. How equipped is the space?
Many stage managers start with a tackle box but soon lament having to haul it around every day. Some SMs who need to carry their kits on public transit switch to a backpack for mobility (and fewer questions about where they are going fishing). I have a smaller kit if I need to bring it with me every day and a larger kit if I can park it in the rehearsal hall or in a storage cabinet. Many SMs quickly upgrade to a wheeled kit, whether it be luggage or a rolling toolkit.
Also consider whether the kit itself can serve a secondary purpose. When ASMing, I bring a sturdy kit that I can use as a step if I need to reach up or even as a makeshift bench. As an ASM, I don’t sit while there are actors backstage: I want to be mobile and approachable. I will sit in the green room prior to the performance, but once backstage, I stand if there are actors present. So having a kit that doubles as a low bench gives me a nice break during full-company scenes.
One last consideration when selecting a kit is whether it can be locked. How secure is your space? How valuable are the contents of your kit? Or, simply, do you want to prevent a nosy cast member from scavenging through your kit? Find an option that can be quickly opened during an emergency but gives you confidence overnight.
Have a kit you like? Post about it in the comments.
