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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / RUNNING: How much control should the director have?
« on: Apr 04, 2018, 06:08 am »
I'm trying to figure out if this issue is even worth the battle, and thought some... not-emotionally-involved perspectives might help. Recently, I did a show with a director who would do things like open the house without my approval, go onstage for a pre-show speech (which, despite my telling him- repeatedly- needed to happen consistently or not at all, only occurred at about half the shows) without waiting for my go- or even for me to be in the booth after giving the actors places, so they'd go on in pre-show lighting, with pre-show music still going, go give the actors different calls than I would- I'd go give them a 5, they'd give them a 5 a few minutes later, etc.
I'm working with them again now, and we go into tech soon. I don't know if, especially in a small theatre company, this is even a big deal, but it felt like it shouldn't be happening, and I felt that it prevented me from doing my job properly- how could I, when any decision I made was being overridden, not to mention how it must have looked to the actors and ADs. However, I also know that I can be a little micromanaging, and I am just starting out in my career, so I'm not sure if it's something I need to just accept or have a sit-down discussion with them about. Help?
I'm working with them again now, and we go into tech soon. I don't know if, especially in a small theatre company, this is even a big deal, but it felt like it shouldn't be happening, and I felt that it prevented me from doing my job properly- how could I, when any decision I made was being overridden, not to mention how it must have looked to the actors and ADs. However, I also know that I can be a little micromanaging, and I am just starting out in my career, so I'm not sure if it's something I need to just accept or have a sit-down discussion with them about. Help?