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Messages - maddog17

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But what if you're not able to be backstage? I am having a similar problem right now. I yelled last night and kinda scared the actors because in the past two days we have given multiple "nice" warnings about talking backstage. I can't be backstage because I'm in the booth and my director would view the signs as passive-aggressive. I've only ever yelled like I did last night 3 times during almost 4 years and over a dozen shows. I don't like getting that angry, but I have hit a limit.

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Hello!

So I am working on Chicago for a community theatre. I love stage managing and I love my job, but I'm at a breaking point. Last night, there was a ton of talking backstage. I mean, entrances were missed, director/dance/music had to keep repeating themselves, etc. So, I sat them at the end of the stage to have a little talk. I told them that there should be no talking when backstage and why. I was very calm and polite. I also put it in the rehearsal report for the people that couldn't attend last night's rehearsal.

Fast forward to today. Within a 15 minute time span, the ASM, director, and myself had to tell everyone backstage to be quiet. I have had a stressful day and so I did snap at them that we needed to talk and it wasn't good. I do this and then act calm during the talk because I want people to understand that this behavior is not okay. Like with children, because this is exactly how they're acting. The director looks shocked so I go over to enlighten him (even though he told them to be quiet). But, once I said what my intentions were, he tried to downplay everything and tell me that the talking wasn't important. Here's the thing: We open in 6 days. Most of the people still don't have their lines, entrances, songs, etc down. I had to remind him that we open in 6 days and that this is unacceptable.

It doesn't help that my ASM is telling me to calm down when I'm fine because I snapped. Now, he keeps saying he'll make announcements and argues with me if I say I can do it. I was very calm and relaxed the rest of the time that I talked to them, but I'm still being treated like a loose cannon by my ASM.

MY ASM and director have this belief that we should ask nicely a million times because it might actually stick this time. We are in a place where that's obviously not working. When I asked, some trusted actors that I am friends with and are willing to be honest with me told me that I was in the right because nobody was listening and it needed to be done. But, my ASM and director are making me feel like I overreacted and that I'm not allowed to have a bad day. I don't know what to do. I want to forget about it, but it's keeping me up.

Please let me know what I could have done, what other ways I could have handled it, if, in your opinion, I was in the right, and if you have had similar issues and what you did. I don't want to be treated differently for a one time thing (I never raise my voice. Ever. I hate yelling and being the bad guy, so I only do it when absolutely needed), but I don't know how to handle it when the actors have had over 10 warnings and they still aren't listening.

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