Author Topic: PEOPLE: Diva Musical Directors  (Read 4502 times)

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smalltimeSM

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PEOPLE: Diva Musical Directors
« on: Oct 06, 2006, 04:59 pm »
Have any of you experienced extreme Diva Musical Directors.  I mean to the point of them quitting just to hurt the show?

Here's why I ask.

About 4 yrs. ago at a summer stock I was volunteering at we had a musical director that was pissed off at the artistic director for personal reasons.  So the day of the season opening, (when we have the opening Galla W/ the people who contribute large amounts of money) he left w/ out saying a word.  He also took the musical tracks off the computer.  He wanted for us to call him and be like "we need you, we can't do a show w/out you.  What do you want for comming back".   Instead our Sound Designer knew the computer save everything 3 times automaticly.  So he rebuted the show and we had the LD run the tracks computer for that night.  The show went really well considering.  When we didn't call him asking him to come back, he called us asking for his job back!  Upper management basicly told him where to put it.

So has anyone else come across this problem?
« Last Edit: Jun 08, 2009, 11:50 pm by PSMKay »

smejs

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Re: Diva Musical Directors
« Reply #1 on: Oct 06, 2006, 08:32 pm »
Wow, I've never worked with anything that extreme.

However, in college, we had a musical director who many people found difficult and demanding.  He happened to like me, but I think part of that was that I did my best to keep him absolutely informed and find out his needs.  When I SM a musical, I also create a document that lists everything possible about songs for quick reference so that at any given point you can give the Song Number (used by the orchestra usually), the script page (director), score page (music director), libretto (performer), as well as which singers are in it.  And because I read music, I can often give the measure number too if I know it.  Doesn't take an incredibly long time to compile the sheet, but boy does it save time and confusion during rehearsal.

A little off topic, but one way to reassure/calm some of the slightly diva musical directors.

Erin

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Re: Diva Musical Directors
« Reply #2 on: Oct 13, 2006, 08:58 am »
Yes, I've seen silly stuff like this. I've also seen the real opera diva lock herself in her dressing room at intermission and it took the Maestro, the artistic director of the company, and her agent (pulled from the audience) to convince her to come back onstage and finish the opera. At this point, it's really just silly. The opening-night diva sabotage is really childish. There is an SM who works with some of the theatres I have worked with who walks of nearly every show a few weeks into rehearsal. Sometimes she gets to tech and walks then. I've taken over at least three shows that she's started, but I've never met her. She takes the book and won't return phone calls for weeks at a time. One theatre was seriously worried that she had been harmed or something. But she was just pitching a fit. And this from a stage manager! I also work with a sound stagehand (IATSE!) who walks off every show. Every last one. He'll skip a day of work and then be back. He just can't handle a day when he doesn't get his way. The first few shows I worked with him as PM, it made me frustrated. Now I just expect it, and once he's "quit" once, I know we can move on.

Everyone likes to be appreciated and feel that they are essential to a show. It's unfortunate that when some people don't feel enough love, they'll huff and puff and then leave the team high and dry. It's absoultely the most immature way to get the affection and attention they seek. But it does leave us survivors with good stories...

MarcieA

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Re: Diva Musical Directors
« Reply #3 on: Oct 13, 2006, 11:29 am »
I also create a document that lists everything possible about songs for quick reference so that at any given point you can give the Song Number (used by the orchestra usually), the script page (director), score page (music director), libretto (performer), as well as which singers are in it. 

Erin- Do you have a copy of that sheet anywhere? I start pre-pro for Big River next week and would love to take a look at it.

Thanks!
Marcie
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smejs

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Re: Diva Musical Directors
« Reply #4 on: Oct 13, 2006, 07:32 pm »
Quote
Erin- Do you have a copy of that sheet anywhere? I start pre-pro for Big River next week and would love to take a look at it.

I just uploaded in the forms forum.  Enjoy!
Erin

 

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