Author Topic: PEOPLE: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!  (Read 22337 times)

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Celeste_SM

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Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« Reply #30 on: Jul 24, 2008, 12:01 am »
When I was in college a million years ago I worked in a psychiatric hospital to pay for school.  Part of the job training was conflict resolution, crisis management, and how to deal with people in altered mental states. 

Me too.  A six year career in mental health was great training for working with actors/directors and other theater folk.

I think this has been a great discussion.  We each have to find our own line on what is acceptable.

From what you said, gotracigo, I gather that your solution worked out just fine. Sometimes letting the steam go is all that is needed.

Amy877

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Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« Reply #31 on: Jul 26, 2008, 03:53 pm »
Common courtesy is the LEAST of what should be expected from everyone.  Remember, if the Ridiculous Beast were an Equity member, she would be violating several tenants of the Responsibilities of an Actor in our kits:  to be on time, to notify the SM before half hour about lateness and absence, to cooperate with the Stage Manager, and it asks that actors "maintain a professional attitude at all times".  Gotracigo would have grounds to press charges on several fronts. 

When the Ridiculous Beast chased Gotracigo, it indicated the actress is unstable.  Gotracigo is not a catalyst or an accessory to the crazy person acting crazy, she is a victim.  It's not her job to be a victim, that's not the reason she's paid more than everyone else in the room (that has to do with hours), and she cannot be responsible for another adult's outrageous behavior.  She did apologize that the actor felt she was being condescending, but it didn't diffuse the situation, although it was the best way to handle it.  To simply say "it's my fault" when an actor is being unreasonable is a very poor choice.  Would the SM look like she had command of the situation?  Would the artistic staff believe the SM could maintain the integrity of the show? 

yes, and we work in ridiculous business.  i know directors, top tier, huge name directors, who can only yell a note during tech. 

what am i going to do, say no to working with them.

hardly.

AGAIN . . . all bringing it back to style . . . you either put up with it or walk away from it.  It's your choice.

The industry is changing the way it handles out-of-control artists.  I know of an opera director and a theatre director who were both put on hiatus from certain houses after displays of unprofessionalism.  In opera, there have been two or three high profile firings of misbehaving singers in as many years.  If even management has been converted to seeing tantrums as unacceptable, surely WE should see that too.

And, there is something that can be done.  If a director is being abusive, and management will not handle it, call the union.  My friend has 20 years experience, 8 years at a hugely prestigious house, and was in that very situation.  The union's lawyers sent a letter to management compelling them to act on her behalf.  The director was sanctioned by management, and the SM still works for the company.
« Last Edit: Jul 26, 2008, 07:01 pm by Amy877 »

MatthewShiner

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Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« Reply #32 on: Jul 26, 2008, 05:40 pm »
I think the general tone about not putting up with abuse is good about this - finding your line, what acceptable level of "bad behavior" you will put is part of your style.  And it's great that this business is changing what is acceptable behavior, but until everyone learns new rules, there will always be a place for stage managers who have the thickest skin and can put up with the worse of the worse form actors and stage managers.  (There will always be difficult, demanding actors, directors and designers - and a place for SMs who can work with them.) 

Again, I don't think the actress is unstable, nor insane - and I think that perhaps very few people are taking a moment to see it from the actor's point of view.  The SM is a replacement stage manager (she probably is the one who knows the show the least, other then the new actors they are putting into the show).  The evening of the event the composer/musical director/possible producer did sort keep going over rehearsal time, and then sort of slammed the non-equity actors by asking them to stay late (not the best atmosphere - and how many thing this was the first time).  We also assume the SM was not at the fault of this - the SM may be coming across as speaking down to them (I see this all the time).  At the end of the day, this is sort of a SM Said/Actor Said situation.  I would love to get the actress side of the story, especially before we call her insane.

And you can apologize, with out telling someone it is your fault.  "I am sorry you feel this way." "I am sorry this situation has gotten out of control."  "I am sorry, I never saw the situation from the point of view."  "I am sorry that this has gotten you so angry.  Can we discuss this tomorrow?  Later tonight?  Over drinks?"  You have to learn how to diffuse these tense situations - with yelling or without yelling.  I have dealt with a lot of actors talking them down form quitting a show because they don't like A, B or C.

The SM in question handled it well, although I think walking away is often NOT the best thing to do - it sends off all the wrong non-verbal communication.  (And if indeed she is unstable or insane, who wants to turn their back on the insane ;-) )

Again, I think there is perhaps an age and gender angle to this situation - where I feel like as a middle aged man, I can take childish people yelling at me and sort of shrug it off - it's amazing how often I get complimented on how I don't let it get to me and how I don't get sucked up into it - and how I actually I seem more in control of a situation by just letting it bounce off me. 

But again, that is my personal style.

I am getting worked up because it seems like no one is stopping to see it form RB's point of view - which I think is important.

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Jessie_K

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Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« Reply #33 on: Jul 27, 2008, 02:15 pm »

Again, I think there is perhaps an age and gender angle to this situation - where I feel like as a middle aged man, I can take childish people yelling at me and sort of shrug it off - it's amazing how often I get complimented on how I don't let it get to me and how I don't get sucked up into it - and how I actually I seem more in control of a situation by just letting it bounce off me. 

But again, that is my personal style.



You probably also gained a lot of patience being a father. . .

MatthewShiner

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Re: Help! Beastly show and actor!!!
« Reply #34 on: Jul 27, 2008, 07:03 pm »
True - I have mentioned that before - being a father was the single best thing I could do to become a better stage manager.
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