Breaching the Fourth Wall

Searching through the social networking site delicious is like playing six degrees of separation. One search word can lead to a full chain of practical and even entertaining connections.

I began my hunt with “theatre production management” in the search field, which resulted in an advertisement assault peddling everything from speakers to pyro effects. The first diamond in the rough was eProduction, a site that helps to manage many of the paper heavy tasks of production management including contact list and rehearsal schedule distribution, notes for actors and designers, and reminders for deadlines and meetings. This site would be a valuable tool for stage and production managers alike and may also single handedly slow the deforestation of the planet with their intensive love for paperwork….

Through the user who tagged eProduction, I also found the SMNetwork. A social forum for stage managers of all levels of experience, it is a place for members of a very specialized profession to ask questions, establish friendships, and find professional opportunities. Forum topics include everything from what type of flashlights people prefer to use, different types of blocking notation for dance, and how to handle that finicky director that just doesn’t want to cooperate with the rest of the production team.

And for those of us who are interested in sheer entertainment rather than networking or productivity, Broadway Abridged is a fantastic find. A sure love for anyone who is interested procrasting a la YouTube or Facebook, the site contains parodied scripts of shows that are currently on the Great White Way. My personal favorite was the parody of the revival of A Chorus Line, harsh but hilarious look at the show much like an online version of Forbidden Broadway. After all, everyone needs a good chuckle when trying to avoid getting work done…