First to answer Sam: I now think that the cast might have been coming late to avoid the director! They heard Wednesday that the director wouldn't be there on that day or the next and last night many of them came on time!
Thank you to everyone on the forum for your support the other day. I was touched by the quick aid and support.
The stress of this show had been immense. Between Sunday and Wednesday's performances I really thought I was going to loss it.
It was wonderful to hear that this situation is ridiculous -- from people that know the profession. Your comments also gave me a good mind set to start from (aka "I could always quit" "I'm not getting paid enough to deal with this" "setting the theatre on fire --though not an option-- is tempting"). It also great to hear that the situation was not except able, I would hate to think this is the norm.
Here is how I handled it last night.
I went in god awful early (almost a standard for this show) and reworked the call board.
Placing on it a SM Suggestion "Box" (large envelope) with a note that read:
SM Suggestion “Box”
Have a suggestion?
Can’t find a time or place to make it?
Feel you can’t say it?
Don’t get frustrated.
Write it up and drop it in.
In hopes to constantly improve my performance as Stage Manager,
I leave this large envelope. Please feel free to drop a note in.
No need to sign. Anonymous is fine.
The important thing is that the information gets to me.
And I’ll see what I can do.
Thank you for your time and consideration.Then I got things ready for the show.
When the actors arrived I was already to work on some sound cues from the lead (big Drama Queen and also the leader of the whiners) and with joy in my heart I added two new sound cues almost a week after Opening (when things are suppose to stay the same from there on out). Then I worked on a number with the cast --ignoring what the director had said-- and changed the time I hit 2 of my cues. (I know I should try to keep with the directors vision but really I think the "vision" was slightly blurry).
I also didn't care about time so much (since I was straight up told not to)-- I just told the cast what time it was (they know that the show starts at 8pm) and would say things like "so its looking like we got 10min until I have to start the show -- you going to be there?
"
The biggest whiners didn't say a bad word about me (that I could hear). It didn't hurt that the show was fantastic last night and the director was no where to be seen.
The cast seemed happy. The overall feel of the show was good. And at the end of the night no notes in the suggestion box.
The trick: I could say a lot of deep things but to put it bluntly -- "I don't have to care".
Its a new realization for me, but it was the caring about what actors thought, the caring about the quality of the show, the caring about how the process had been difficult that was really getting to me and in the end backfiring.
Some amount of caring is of course necessary -- but I don't have to.
Thanks again everyone. One day soon, I hope I will be able to add something more helpful then a horror story. Who knows maybe some other SM on the board will learn from this too!
Cheers,
LJO