Trash, missing tools and other dilemmas

[Calie.Davis]

Our high school has a great theatre. We in fact have the biggest stage in our little town.
It was once the domain of the techie and actor to move about freely. Now it is in the hands of the band, orchestra and flag line to practice their instruments and flag dancing...thingy,because they had construction in the band room.I do not mind sharing the theatre because it is not mine to decide and lend. However the problem is...they leave everything around! Their trash, shoes, clothing, instrument cases, make up, dirty socks and unmentionables about the stage for us to clean it up. On top of that we cannot have our  after school weekly work calls because we interrupt the drum line in their practice and  they touch the tools and lose them! I somehow have been able to take all this.
I found out this week that one of the flags was wrapped around our fire curtain line. Of course this is dangerous and idiotic for many many reasons. Even if it didn't cause the fire curtain to hit the deck it is still troublesome and costs money that comes out of our program.
When I talk to my technical director and the band director( I'll be honest I was not calm, but it was in private not in public), my technical director gets yelled at instead of the flag line being scolded because it is rude to act like their parent ? I agree I shouldn't have had a fit but why is our technical director the one who is talked to? Why not the flag line?
Is this unjust?Am I overreacting?

Please tell me the Band Director is not biased...

[stgmngr]

While I can see that this situation is frustrating, and how you may want to take action on it, I feel that you may need to work in a different way. Instead of directly speaking with the band director, I would have first spoken (calmly) my concerns to my theatre teacher ( in this case, your tech director). Then he or she can decide what to do, if anything. It may be that your two departments aren't getting along administratively, and the situation is beyond your control. Overall, I would say, just work with what you have, and keep your cool--getting angry just makes the situation all the more stressful, and doesn't get the problem solved. It may be that your tech director is doing all she can behind the scenes with the administration.

[planetmike]

And make a point that you and your cast and crew members should not leave anything out when you are not in the theater. If it's not out, it can't be damaged or borrowed by your visitors. I've stage managed at facilities where we've had to strike everything, including the set between rehearsals. And I had to note all damage or problems before rehearsal. If I started rehearsal and then noticed a problem, I was out of luck. So while clearing everything four times a week was a major headache, it did protect our stuff for the most part.

[Calie.Davis]

Ah..I see! I should have used a different route when talking to the Band Director and I never thought that the TD might've had that much trouble.Hm.Well thank ever so much for the input ^_^.After all we must make the most of it as well!

[Jonas_A]

We have similar issues in my school theatre when the bands/orchestra use the space and move everything with reckless abandon. After damaging a few set pieces and making for some very tense moments pre-show, I ended up meeting with our TD and she took it up with the Head of Music. End outcome: Band conductor suitable chastised, but by his boss - not anyone from Tech.

stgmngr is right; getting angry doesn't get much done (although does feel good!) Certainly taking it a level above the Band Director might be worth a try.

Hope it works out for you

PS: Have you had someone from your crew/your TD sit in on the band rehearsals? Knowing they're being watched often helps make people a little more responsible around equipment.