Author Topic: Need Help: We open soon and nothing is ready!  (Read 4149 times)

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cbksm

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Need Help: We open soon and nothing is ready!
« on: Feb 17, 2009, 01:42 pm »
My school is putting on the play Noises Off and we open on this Wednesday. The set is not built and the actors do not know their lines. Is there anything I can do to help?
« Last Edit: Feb 17, 2009, 05:04 pm by zayit shachor »

KMC

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Re: Need Help
« Reply #1 on: Feb 17, 2009, 01:56 pm »
If by "this Wednesday" you mean tomorrow, then as SM, I don't think there is much to be done.  Noises Off is a farce with loads of physical comedy.  It's the type of show where you must have significant rehearsal time on the set so that the comedy reads to the audience and is safe for the actors (falling down the stairs takes a while to work).  In my opinion the best thing you can do to help is to do your best to make sure everyone stays safe.  Sounds like you're going to be at a frantic pace over the next 24 hours and safety can easily be compromised and overlooked in the interest of throwing things together as quickly as possible.
Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action. -T. Roosevelt

avkid

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Re: Need Help
« Reply #2 on: Feb 17, 2009, 03:17 pm »
Holy cow!
As Kevin already said, safety is going to be the most important consideration at this point.
Hang in there, and do your best to keep it together.
Philip LaDue
IATSE Local #21 Newark, NJ

planetmike

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Re: Need Help
« Reply #3 on: Feb 17, 2009, 04:06 pm »
The show doesn't have to go on. If you can't keep the cast and audience safe, recommend to whoever is in charge (principal? drama teacher? director?) that you cancel the performance, or even the entire run.

Trevor7

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Re: Need Help: We open soon and nothing is ready!
« Reply #4 on: Feb 17, 2009, 07:21 pm »
When I was in high school, my drama director canceled a show for the similar reasons (it was West Side Story and 1 week before opening we still couldn't find a choreographer).  If the actors aren't safe, I would cancel.

loebtmc

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Re: Need Help: We open soon and nothing is ready!
« Reply #5 on: Feb 21, 2009, 02:39 pm »
Might I suggest a staged reading with only the essential sound effects? (Tho those need rehearsal as well, they will be safer and easier to load into Noises Off than staging!)

pat

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Re: Need Help: We open soon and nothing is ready!
« Reply #6 on: Feb 21, 2009, 09:33 pm »
Just wondering, I think you said it opened on Wednesday of last week...if it did...how did it go??? did you learn anything that you think we might like to know in advance in case this happens to us???
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