More responses to Dr Katie's Forum class Part Dos...

Whitney Thayne: There are no set hours. End of story. I do have a 10am clock in time for the box office, and I work in there until things slow down in the afternoon, usually between 4 and 6. When I got off work at the box office I would go to work finishing props or set dressing for my current show. Now that the show is running, I fix anything that needs mending props-wise after I work in the box office. There have been a few graveyards and some very early mornings. I have call for the show 2 hours before go time. We run the show weds-sun. I basically have Mondays and some mornings off. When the Props Manager job goes into effect next season it will be much more 9 to 5, I’ll work five days a week and some nights and weekends when my show is in tech. All in all it’s not that bad. It’s really no different than going to school full time, working part time and doing a show. In fact, I think its less- no term papers lol. Also, I could earn equity points if I was doing stage management or acting here, but because I am doing props I can’t, Equity’s only for SMs and actors. In fact, the girl who used to be the Asst Props Mistress here is now our Equity Company Stage Manager. This is a great theatre to lie low at and get what you want anyways.

Jennifer Kortier: Some things I miss about college: the teachers, more specifically my theatre teachers. They are so understanding and helpful. Take advantage of the fact that you can essentially go to their office and ask for help or clarity about anything. I have to email Dr Katie now instead of just stalking her at her office. Take advantage of the student discounts you get. Buy adobe programs and computers and anything that will help you in the long run because it costs a lot without that discount. Take advantage of the friends you could be and hopefully are making in college. Go to parties, just don’t get wasted and/ or make bad decisions. Have fun and know your limits. Be a college kid now so you can be a college graduate later. Yes, I work a lot, but it is soooooooooo worth it. Like the saying goes, “work hard, play hard”.

Murphy Mayer: first of all, I love your name, second, I think my Chico education is doing me quite well. Certainly, I didn’t learn everything I needed, nor did I expect to. But I got a great foundation, in fact, in the shop, I’ve brought up ways we did it at Chico and it turned out the TD (Technical Director) used my suggestion because it worked better anyways! I think that Chico is a great place to start your higher learning, but like you said, you never stop learning, and I myself hope to someday get an MFA in Technical Design and a Doctorate in Theatre History, I hope to some day be a college professor. I hope I never stop learning!!!

Dominique O’Neal: please see my response to Murphy Mayer above as to how Chico has prepared me and to what my final goal is. Also, how could I expect to get every little detail from my professors? They did a great job of preparing me for the big picture but I have to figure out the small stuff on my own. However, one of the best bits of encouragement I ever got at Chico State was from Sandy Barton in the Costume Shop. She told me “listen kid, if you don’t know what you’re doing it’s our fault. You’re the student and we’re the teachers, if you don’t know how to handle it, we clearly didn’t teach you and that’s our bad.” It was great encouragement from an unexpected person and it’s true. If you don’t know something ask Dan or Dr. Katie or Bill or whoever your teacher is, that’s what they’re there for. I don’t how I feel about a year off. I didn’t take a year off because, frankly, I couldn’t afford it. I think that’s one of those choices you have to make for yourself. If I took a year off I’d get very lazy and even fatter very fast ha ha ha. And then I would go crazy without the constant frenzy of theatre in my life.

Erin Duffey: you said you have “a lot of specific plans after college that will lead me to having a solid first year out until I go back to get my masters degree.” Make sure those specific plans are flexible. I was going to graduate from Chico State and go straight to graduate school but fate had other plans for me. I’d say have goals but have realistic backup plans too.