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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / RUNNING: Director Wants Excess Crew

« on: Feb 12, 2011, 03:48 pm »

The Director on a show I'm going to be Stage Managing later this year and I have been discussing the crew requirements, now that the set design is complete. Essentially, the set doesn't change throughout the show, there aren't any trucks or anything to be moved on and off during the show, and as far as I'm aware, the show is really rather light on props. However, the Director is requesting 6 crew backstage, plus myself who will be calling the show, in addition to two followspot ops. Now gathering these crew isn't a problem for me, but I can just see them sitting there for the entire run doing nothing! That would reflect badly on me, as I'm the one who's their direct superior and asking them to come in (on a voluntary basis), taking up their free time, and for them to not have any work to do during the show would be really rather awkward. Usually when I do shows with this company, we have myself, plus two crew members at either side of the stage, and two followspots. I've tried asking her what the crew are going to be used for but she never replies! There's plenty of time before the show, it's only just been cast, but what am I to do? There's not going to be anything for the crew to do during the show, and yet she's demanding that I bring them in!

Edited for formatting & subject-Rebbe