Expression of the Day: "If you don't have anything..."

"If you don't have anything nice to say, sit next to me during break"--regarding the average stagehand's love of gossip.

Stagehands I Have Known #3: Le Miza Bob

 Le Miza Bob--a miserable stagehand named Bob, always complaining and sucking the life out of those he works with. A takeoff on the title of the never-ending musical “Le Miz.” In Local #1, we have a Le Miza Bob working Legit and one at "The Tonight Showcwith Jimmy Fallon."

Overheard Stagehand Line #52: "...it's like he works at Baskin Robbins, but only knows how to scoop vanilla."

I was trying to explain the new PSM to my wife. I said, "He's limited...it's like he works at Baskin Robbins, but only knows how to scoop vanilla. And only one scoop in a cup."

Term of the Day: string-puller

string-puller--in some theaters or TV studios, the weak department head may not be the power. The string-puller may be an extra man who does the hiring or makes the policy decisions.

Overheard Stagehand Line #64: "I don't trust that guy..."

 Famous Tough Head: "I don't trust that guy... he's always smiling."

Term of the Night: production meeting karma

production meeting karma--when difficult production people get flayed alive at post-preview production meetings. "The famously backstabby production stage manager was called out by name at the post-show production meeting and reamed out by an angry director. She experienced some production meeting karma." 

Term of the Day: the fix was in

the fix was in--Things were determined a long time ago. “Even though the heads' jobs for the new Hudson Theatre were listed in the union newsletter, the fix was in months ago.”