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Topics - callumsmith1234

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / CANCELLED...?
« on: Feb 27, 2007, 02:08 pm »
Hey guys. Following on from my questions about chicago at my High school I was dealt a crushing blow yesterday. They think that theres too much to do in the time weve got (14 WEEKS!!!) and so have decided to abandon chicago and do a "Show with snippets of Chicago and any other performances people want to do" - Basically a glorified Talent show.

Obviously me and my friends (The cast) were really disapointed as they've all put a lot of work in. One of the worst parts was that they asked me to organise a meeting about "attendance" and then I turned up to hear them cancel the show, so the directors had basically lied to my face.

So in a peaceful act of protest, the lead girl (Roxie) made a list of dances done and still to do and showed it to the Musical Director. The MD said to make copies for the directors, so we did. And we also made a big poster "10 REASONS YOU SHOULD DO CHICAGO" and some people wrote on the directors whiteboard reasons why to continue. Nothing was imature, offensive or out of line, simply a protest as to how we feel. We had talked with one of the directors and the MD after the meeting (The other was out) and they were very apologetic and said that they would see what they could do.

So...This morining i went into my Drama class to start as normal, absolutely gutted. After a few minutes the director/teacher asked who was responisble for the "Unacceptable and disgusting poster and list". No one answered despite a lot of them being in the class. So I said, "well it was all of us". He then said "That is totally out of line and will never happen again, putting a poster on our door. Im not getting into an argument about it"

after class he called me over and i said that i was the one who instigated it. He said he didnt want to fall out but that i had to respect his expertise and explained to me what the new show was going to be (Crap). I provided all of my lines of argument and he basically said im not getting into an argument. Close to tears i left the class.

I know i probably shouldnt be getting so emotionally involved. But this show is the one reason that i am still in school (I was accepted for university and could have left). For them to cancel it without consulation, lie to me, tell me i was out of line for expressing my views and standing up for others makes me feel so angry and above all disapointed that it seems that this show wont continue.


Is there any advice you have for trying to get the show back on, to change their minds, or any opinions on what i did right/wrong/should do.


NB that another reason for the cancellation is the lack of a professional choreographer despite the fact we have £2000 to spend on the show :S

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Chicago
« on: Feb 09, 2007, 08:23 pm »
Hey,
I am a high school student hoping to do theatre at University here in Glasgow, Scotland (UK).
This year, my final year, we are doing Chicago which I am SM'ing and we have been discussing props etc. over the past few weeks of rehearsal. The show opens on the 20th of June so i will keep this post as a running list of problems ive come up against which will be a good chance for you guys to "Flex your stage managing muscles" i guess.


First few issues -

Request for chains to run between a raised part of the stage and the lower part for the "cells" in the jail scenes. I suggested plastic/styrofoam but the directors (Thats right director X 2! :P) would like metal ones so the light can reflect off them. This is a good idea but looks to be expensive (around £1.70 per Metre - thats around $2.50) and we have a limited budget.

Second - We are going to have a truck for Billy Flynns office which will roll on now and again. This is something i have not done beofre - what are your tips for trucks?

Third - Newspaper. The script calls for Roxie to be holding a newspaper that reads "ROXIE ROCKS CHICAGO!". Any ideas on how to make a realistic one? I did come up with the brainwave of getting our local newspaper to sponsor the printing of the programmes in a newspaper format. That way we could have the audience with a programme in the style of a newspaper with the cast lists etc. and Roxie could use that on stage too.


I will keep this list updated to keep us entertained!

Callum

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