MUSICALS: Covering missing actors

[renatadelena]

I just began working with a  new theater and unfortunately my ASM will not be available until much later in the rehearsal process. This leaves me trying to juggle more than a few things, which is expected. My cast and director often ask me to sing along or for the cast during choreograph, blocking, or when an actor is missing. I understand an actor's lines must be covered but having me sing as they work is hardly efficient. Not to mention i'm not a singer. Our music director is at all rehearsals but is busy playing Sondheim not singing multiple parts.  How on earth do remain efficient while helping out the best I can with music?
-Thanks
Renata

Edited topic- Maribeth

[Maribeth]

I think the first step would be to ask for help. Have you talked with your music director or production manager? There's only so much one person can do. Is there an assistant director, intern, extra chorus member, understudy, or someone else who can take on this task when actors are absent? Your PM might be help you figure out who's available.

If you talk to your MD or director, see if you can pick out times when it's most important to have you "reading in" during songs. For instance, during choreography or blocking sessions, someone else could read in the missing part, but when running a number all the way through, you would read it?

For blocking/choreo when no one is missing, can you play a recording? Also, most of the music directors I've worked with can feed in the lines well enough when choreography is being taught- even if it's not every word, they can get enough in for the actors to follow along. Have you asked them if they are able to do that for choreography sections?

[ejsmith3130]

Working on a musical right now with a group of actors with weird schedules, I am running into the same situation. However, it has not really become an issue for stage management. The actors are all covering for each other nicely. We have an intern to fill in spaces for blocking purposes, but when it comes to singing and lines, other actors are more familiar (and can obviously sing- something I cannot!) with the parts so they just jump right in.