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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / PEOPLE: Actor better when he's high
« on: Jul 17, 2012, 11:35 am »
ok I have a situation and am just looking for other opinions and ideas on how to handle it.
We just opened a show that will be running for 6 weeks. We had a relatively short audition-rehearsal-show process (2 months). There was an actor that blew us all away at auditions due to his incredible voice. He was very soft-spoken and played the role unlike any other actor audtioning. He informed us he was an opera singer by nature and needs to do more musical theatre to help with his acting. He read well and we cast him on the spot. During rehearsals we were very disappointed in his portrayal of the role, it seemed he never grew in character when everyone else did. He was immediately picked out as the weakest link in an unbelievably strong cast of 30. During tech week one evening we sat him down and tried to get him to go back to what he did during auditions. Preview came and he was everything we remembered and more! Afterwards, I headed backstage to congratulate the cast and was informed by some cast members that he reaked of Marijuana. Some of the adults were concerned since we also have a cast of 8 minors. I pulled him aside and asked him straight up if he was high to which he said yes. I reminded him the contract he signed strictly forbids him to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while at the theatre. He told me that it helped him relax and get over the nerves of performing in front of an audience for the 1st time and he only does it before the 1st performances.
The next night for opening night he was awful again! Dropping lines, speaking so fast you couldn't understand him. His character came across a pompous jerk and not a well-educated love interest for one of the leads. Our Producer wanted to know what the problem is with him since she has some really important people coming to see the show this week and wants him to play it the way he was on Preview night.
I informed her he was high at preview and unfortunately it seems the only way to get him to perform is to allow him to play it high?
Not what we want at all. We have a male swing but if I put him into the role than I lose my best dancer for the 3 big dance numbers.
Anyone have any other ideas of getting him to recreate the feeling of being high without allowing him to light up?
Edit to subject line-Rebbe
We just opened a show that will be running for 6 weeks. We had a relatively short audition-rehearsal-show process (2 months). There was an actor that blew us all away at auditions due to his incredible voice. He was very soft-spoken and played the role unlike any other actor audtioning. He informed us he was an opera singer by nature and needs to do more musical theatre to help with his acting. He read well and we cast him on the spot. During rehearsals we were very disappointed in his portrayal of the role, it seemed he never grew in character when everyone else did. He was immediately picked out as the weakest link in an unbelievably strong cast of 30. During tech week one evening we sat him down and tried to get him to go back to what he did during auditions. Preview came and he was everything we remembered and more! Afterwards, I headed backstage to congratulate the cast and was informed by some cast members that he reaked of Marijuana. Some of the adults were concerned since we also have a cast of 8 minors. I pulled him aside and asked him straight up if he was high to which he said yes. I reminded him the contract he signed strictly forbids him to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while at the theatre. He told me that it helped him relax and get over the nerves of performing in front of an audience for the 1st time and he only does it before the 1st performances.
The next night for opening night he was awful again! Dropping lines, speaking so fast you couldn't understand him. His character came across a pompous jerk and not a well-educated love interest for one of the leads. Our Producer wanted to know what the problem is with him since she has some really important people coming to see the show this week and wants him to play it the way he was on Preview night.
I informed her he was high at preview and unfortunately it seems the only way to get him to perform is to allow him to play it high?
Not what we want at all. We have a male swing but if I put him into the role than I lose my best dancer for the 3 big dance numbers.
Anyone have any other ideas of getting him to recreate the feeling of being high without allowing him to light up?
Edit to subject line-Rebbe