Author Topic: HEALTH: Injured actor  (Read 5642 times)

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Tigerrr

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HEALTH: Injured actor
« on: Apr 28, 2010, 02:57 am »
Unfortunately I'm going to have to deal with this before the insightful SMs have a chance to post their perspectives, but I could still really use some advice. Here's the deal....

On tour with a show. We had a week off after having performed in Vancouver (which was beautiful, by the way!). 4 of the actors decided to spend a few days skiing in Whistler during that week off. One other went mountain biking in Squamish, one went home, and I went to visit my family in Edmonton. We are NOT under Equity contracts, but rather UDA (Union des Artists) which does not have the same restrictions on traveling while under contract that Equity does (in fact, the one who went mountain biking is a long-time performer at Stratford). Their last day of skiing, one of the actors got into an accident and cracked a few vertebrae & a bit of his skull & got a severe concussion. This was 5 days ago. We are scheduled to do a relatively rigorous tour of Ontario right now.

The actor in question is in quite a bit of pain and, due to the concussion, is having short-term memory problems (which are getting better with each day). After some reflection & discussion, he has decided that he is well enough to continue with the tour, but many are questioning this decision. The largest question hanging over us is that we were told that the choice of continuing on with the tour rested entirely with him, but during the car ride, he let slip that the AD sent him a vibe that it would be very difficult to cancel shows at this late period, and so he felt pressured to say 'yes'.

According to the schedule, we're supposed to arrive in a small Northern Ontario town tomorrow afternoon & do the set up of the set (which is far more complicated than a touring set should be, but that's another post), take the evening off, set up the lights & sound the next morning, followed by a school matinee & and evening show with a strike afterwards. This is going to be the first time the actors have ever helped with the set-up & strike and I expect it to take quite a while. It has already been decided that the injured actor will not participate in the set-up or strike.

I have made a few decisions already. There are some things that I need to see him complete in the near future before I even begin to be comfortable with him performing. They are: a) do a line run in the car during the 3 hour drive tomorrow. I'm not looking to see whether or not he flubs his lines, but whether or not he becomes confused and frustrated. This will help to tell me how he is recovering from the concussion; b) have a conversation with the cast & the reps of the company who are going to be there - all of this needs to get out in the open; c) have a one-on-one conversation with him to see how he's really feeling.

A couple of things. I truly believe that the "pressure" he felt from the AD was more than likely an audible reaction to having to cancel a few shows and NOT a reaction to the actor feeling he needed to. I think that the actor may have taken that personally and suddenly changed his mind. It's like when you give someone bad news and they respond strongly to the news, sometimes it's simply their immediate physical response and not truly the way they respond to the situation (subtle, I know). I also feel very strongly that the actor more than likely needs to rest right now. Doing 2 shows less than a week after a severe concussion is too much (particularly since it's such a physical show), and I believe we should cancel them, for the sake of the actor's long term health. I just don't know if that's something I can argue as the SM.

I appreciate any advice anyone can offer. It's a complicated situation, and I'm not sure if I've left enough details for people. I will certainly answer any questions that may arise. Thanks again!

Edit added tag to subject line-Rebbe
« Last Edit: Apr 28, 2010, 09:54 am by Rebbe »

planetmike

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Re: Injured actor
« Reply #1 on: Apr 28, 2010, 08:37 am »
What did the actor's doctors say about the actor's ability to work? Brain injuries are funny, sometimes you won't see results of a brain injury immediately. Have you talked with the AD about what his intentions were? Is the actor in pain from the cracked vertebrae? Can he still physically do the the physical stunts in the show?

Tigerrr

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Re: Injured actor
« Reply #2 on: Apr 28, 2010, 09:33 am »
Obviously the doctors told him to rest, but beyond that, since I haven't had a chance to talk to the actor, I'm not sure about the details. They did say it was okay for him to fly only a couple of days after the incident though, although he had to be wheeled in a wheelchair on and off the flight. He's still not allowed to read, talk on the phone or be on the computer.

I haven't had the chance to talk to either the AD or the actor. The actor is in pain, but I can't tell how much, but he's stopped taking his Tylenol-3s.

A very important point I forgot to mention in my previous post: the question is not whether we cancel the tour - everyone involved and the injured actor in particular are okay with that. The question is whether or not to cancel one of the two shows on the first day of the tour. He feels fine to do one show (with some modifications, such as eliminating some of the more strenuous movements) but is a little worried about doing 2 in one day. So am I.

Rebbe

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Re: Injured actor
« Reply #3 on: Apr 28, 2010, 09:51 am »
Are there understudies for your cast?  Even if there are none now, is it possible for the producer to find someone to cover a few shows (are there other actors how have done this show and might be available), so you don’t need to cancel, and the actor can get some rest?  Also, maybe there is a way to cancel the first few shows, but tack some time onto the end of the tour to return to those venues, if the producer is concerned about loosing the money there.

It seems like a letter from the from the doctor to the producer  (by email or fax with the actors permission) laying out the specifics of what to expect and their recommendations for the actor’s recovery could inform your next step.  I tend to feel that since actors are grown-ups, and we SMs are not doctors, it is appropriate for each person to decide for themselves whether they are healthy enough to perform or not.  The big exception to that would be if, in rehearsal or a performance, they demonstrate that they physically can’t do it (drop lines, loose blocking, pass-out). 

Your ideas about holding a line-through, talking privately to the AD and actor, and exploring the idea of modifying the performance and schedule are all really good ones.  Let us know how it turns out. 
"...allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster."  (Philip Henslowe, Shakespeare In Love)

maximillionx

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Re: HEALTH: Injured actor
« Reply #4 on: Apr 28, 2010, 10:48 am »
Let me preface by stating I am not a medical professional in any sense...but as soon as I read "severe concussion" I immediately thought letting this actor continue was a bad idea.  Although I have no training, I know concussions of severe nature are not to be taken lightly or something that should be left up to the afflicted individual.  A doctor's recommendation should always be the deciding factor.  Just look at some of the information you can find on the web about concussions.

Please let us know how it all turns out!

GalFriday

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Re: HEALTH: Injured actor
« Reply #5 on: Apr 28, 2010, 12:22 pm »
I am not a medical professional and this only my two cents after having gone through this. The first few weeks of his recovery are the most important. Treating this correctly now will seriously shorten his recovery time. He is being told to limit his reading/computer time to allow his brain time to start recovery. I thought I could do shows too and quickly discovered that was impossible. He may not be the best judge, at this exact moment, of what is best for him. He is very likely to be very sensitive to his emotions and feelings right now and "taking things personally" and overreactions are par for the course. That is part of the injury. Concussions are difficult to deal with from inside and out. I think your instincts are good and I would strongly suggest talking to the AD. Many doctors do not fully understand what we do so they do not think to restrict it. That does not mean it is a good idea. If he has not been cleared by a doctor to read a book, be on a computer or talk on the phone than I am pretty certain performing a show would not be in his best interest.
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nmno

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Re: HEALTH: Injured actor
« Reply #6 on: Apr 28, 2010, 02:52 pm »
Many doctors do not fully understand what we do so they do not think to restrict it.

Can you get him to see a doctor who does better understand what we do and is required of him?  Perhaps one of the theatre or dance companies you are near could recommend someone.  (In the past, when we've had people with serious enough injuries, we've *required* the doctor's note that the person was able to come back and perform.  It sounds like you just have the actor's word - and considering he just suffered a brain injury, maybe he didn't understand.)

You've talked about speaking with the AD (which in this case I assume means Artistic Director).  Any chance you could speak with someone on the other side: General Manager, Managing Director, ie. the person who would deal with the show's insurance...  The person who would deal with the lawsuit if he comes further injures and argues that he felt pressured to come back to work... 

I guess I too don't understand how "cracked skull" and "restricted phone, computer, reading" adds up to "ok to perform in a physical show."  I'd want a second opinion.

On_Headset

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Re: HEALTH: Injured actor
« Reply #7 on: Apr 30, 2010, 04:58 am »
I'm in agreement with nmno: if I was running this show, I'd much rather have an understudy or a local jobber do the heavy lifting than risk this actor collapsing on stage in front of half of a school.
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a) do a line run in the car during the 3 hour drive tomorrow. I'm not looking to see whether or not he flubs his lines, but whether or not he becomes confused and frustrated.
Is the company in the practice of doing line runs while in transit? While it's true that it would show how able he is to concentrate and focus, it might piss off the rest of the cast, particularly if there was a pre-tour party and people were planning to rest on the bus.

Tigerrr

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Re: HEALTH: Injured actor
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2010, 11:07 pm »
UPDATE: The actor is fine. He did have a severe concussion, but it wasn't as severe as I thought it was and his biggest concern was his short-term memory, which wasn't that bad and is coming back in spurts. We did only one show that first day (which the producers were totally fine with) and it helped the actor to gain confidence. After two shows, he decided that he no longer needed a prompter in the house. He's still not doing any heavy lifting, but is taking a lot of responsibility in setting up the dressing rooms. He feels like he's at least doing something to help, and I'm comfortable with the physical activity he's taking on.

I tend to feel that since actors are grown-ups, and we SMs are not doctors, it is appropriate for each person to decide for themselves whether they are healthy enough to perform or not.

I'm in total agreement and that's a large part of the reason why I wanted to have a one-on-one with the actor. He's the best person to really be able to tell me how he feels.

I know concussions of severe nature are not to be taken lightly or something that should be left up to the afflicted individual.

I agree with this too. Yes, it's a bit contradictory, but that's why I wanted to be able to talk to the actor; to be able to make my own assessment. Yeah, I'm not a doc, but I'm also an experienced manager. I have a decision to make myself.

He may not be the best judge, at this exact moment, of what is best for him. He is very likely to be very sensitive to his emotions and feelings right now and "taking things personally" and overreactions are par for the course.

I was worried about this too, but he's a very balanced individual and I realized after speaking with him that he's not going to push it too hard. He understands that kind of balance. Again, another important thing I learned from talking to him.

On the whole, things have worked out very well. I was worried that the actor would try to push himself, but that has not been the case. He's been very careful and prudent. He understands that his body and his brain are tools of his trade and he's treating them accordingly. The company has not even once asked him to work beyond his threshold, and is frankly letting him set his own boundaries. I could not have asked for a better outcome. Everyone's happy, everyone's healthy, and the company is not in the least concerned that we've lost a little bit of money out of the deal. They also feel that the actor's health is paramount.

Thank you all for your advice and opinions. Sorry for the stupid-long post!!