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« on: Dec 07, 2006, 12:47 pm »
I'm fairly new to this forum -- in fact I think this is my very first post, but I'm at my wits end when it comes to this show and I'm looking for help where ever I can. I have separated my long rant into categories so if you want you can skip to end.
*Background of Me:*
I am 24 years old, a recent college graduate, in Technical Theatre, and have Stage Managed 3 shows. Still a novice but up until this show I thought I was doing well.
I am working at a small theatre in San Francisco with actors with very big egos. I have no running crew. I have no ASM. It has been me, the director, and the cast.
*Background of the Show:*
The director was like no director I had ever met before.
During rehearsal he insisted that it was alright for cast members to show up late and as a result they would call him instead of me because they knew he would be alright with it. I spent a good amount of time convincing actors to call me and talk to me about there conflicts and when they would be late. – Some of them were actually startled that I called them when they were late (tell me that I am not the only SM that calls actors that are not on time?)
The director spent a large amount of the rehearsal time talking about design elements and other things that the actors really didn't need to know. Thinking that this might be part of his “process” I never questioned him in front of the cast but it resulted in things never starting on time. I know that some directors need to take a few moments to ease into directing but this man took over 15 minutes every rehearsal.
The show has also been changed so many time that I erased though the other side of my script replacing some parts of my script twice in less than 2 weeks. – Some of the biggest changes for both Cast and Tech was during Tech/Opening week when 5 things were cut or reworked completely in the span of 3 days.
We never had a read through of the script in rehearsal. It wasn’t until a week before Tech that we even got though the script beginning to end.
When I would ask the director about my concerns he would say something like “honey, this is how I do shows – the actors are professionals—they will have no problem.”
I was constantly shushed and dismissed during the rehearsal process as being a child.
*Now we get into my problems:*
The tardiness bugged me. I talked to many of my actors about it. I only got guff back. Many of them said “HE never starts on time anyway” or “I just can’t listen to him anymore then I have to” or “I have an hour and half long commute – EXCUSE me if I am 5 minutes late”
As tech got nearer I tried again to pull in the reigns.
I started sending out e-mails, CC them to people as a paper trail of the conflict, telling people that the call time would be the start time of things happening and that they should strive to be on time or early.
This didn’t seem to change anything.
The Sunday after opening the Artistic Director wanted to talk to the cast right at call time. Less then half of them were there. I was told to give to the missing actors a call and I did.
When the actors arrived I was chewed out (behind me back – I was in the booth and they didn’t see me) then chewed out again when I went to apologies if I came across as being disrespectful. Then chewed out again by way of one of them trying to apologies (I think I heard a “sorry” somewhere in there).
Though it all I have not lost my temper and though my face has been bright red I have not broken down in front of them.
Because of this show I have lost my day job. I work my ass off and then last night was the kicker...
*Last night*
-The leading man was 20min late to call (10min before house opens he waltzes in)! Then gets in a huff because I still want to start on time.
-I was informed by two of my actors that people talk trash about me in the dressing room. -One of the actors yelled at me because I took one of the lighting cues before she exited – and was convinced that I wouldn’t do anything because it was her and not someone else.
-Strangely enough the actor that chewed me out on Sunday was rather nice to me … and that concerns me too.
*The Heart of the matter*
What is the best way to get a cast to realize that the SM is working as hard as she can can for them but they need to pull there weight too? (aka not be late to call time)
Anyone have any kick ass speech I can pull from?
Also has anyone ever put a suggestion box out for the cast? If I am doing something wrong I would rather have them tell me then just complain.
Thank you for your time and insight.
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