Rehearsal Reports

[bex]

How about flipping the question around?  Instead of asking for an ETA, I often will present a specific time line request (ei: Is it possible to have the show-swords in the rehearsal hall by Wed, when we will be holding our next session with the fight choreographer?).

I agree with Beatr79- providing a reason for why you need something by X date is always more helpful than what could appear to be an arbitrary due date. It's a perfectly reasonable request to ask for the swords for rehearsal with the fight choreographer, while just asking for a "timeline" on the swords without really explaining why you want to know could be misconstrued as micromanaging.

[jaceezekiel]

How about flipping the question around?  Instead of asking for an ETA, I often will present a specific time line request (ei: Is it possible to have the show-swords in the rehearsal hall by Wed, when we will be holding our next session with the fight choreographer?).

I agree with Beatr79- providing a reason for why you need something by X date is always more helpful than what could appear to be an arbitrary due date. It's a perfectly reasonable request to ask for the swords for rehearsal with the fight choreographer, while just asking for a "timeline" on the swords without really explaining why you want to know could be misconstrued as micromanaging.

That makes a lot of sense, thank you both!

[loebtmc]

exactly. A first pass reading "we need x by (date)" usually works very well - but if you keep asking with no response, you can also say something along the lines of "we are waiting for x to finalize blocking of scene 3. Can you tell us when to expect it?"

[MatthewShiner]

I totally agree with the we need X item by Y date for Z reason - to fill people in and help them prioritize your needs. 

PM me your email address, and I can send a sample report.

I am the opposite of you - I always get gently chided for VERBOSE reports, with too much details - in fact there are times I need to edit out information so it's not so overwhelming.

Pictures are great - if not included in the main body of the email, sent to the department directly.  We broke the chair again, but this time we cracked the center support beam (picture to be sent directly to props).  Costume shop doesn't need that picture.

[Brandywine]

How about flipping the question around?  Instead of asking for an ETA, I often will present a specific time line request (ei: Is it possible to have the show-swords in the rehearsal hall by Wed, when we will be holding our next session with the fight choreographer?).

Along with that suggestion (Which yes... how you phrase things can make ALL the difference), in the email I send with the report attached, I'll typically paste any questions in the body of the email itself. Something I learned from my corporate life - don't assume folks will open the attached report and read it. Not because they don't want to, but likely because they're swamped or viewing the email on a device that makes it hard to open attachments - etc. By having the 3 or 4 questions that came up in rehearsal in the body of the email (listed by department), it makes it easy for them to hit reply and provide an answer.

[EustaceSM]

I could send you examples of my past rehearsal reports, if interested.

[sarcasticstagemanager]

This is sort of tangential, but what do people do report wise for auditions? I work at a community theatre where usually no rehearsal reports are sent, although I'm working on introducing them, but I'm not sure if I need to/should send anything out for auditions. Obviously most of the department notes wouldn't be relevant. My producer will send the cast list once there is one.

[PSMKay]

Depends, are the auditioners filling out forms with their basic info? (Age, vocal range, gender, etc?) If so, then I'd think only the management team would need a record. Time spent, number of rooms needed, which staffers were present, and any major snafus/meltdowns/security issues.

I'm of two minds about documenting rudeness in the lobby. Part of me thinks that this is better done via soft-communication to the casting team. However, I did have an occasion where the only record of behavioral problems with an actress were in my reports until the day she was found with her hand in the box office drawer.

[Plabebob]

How about flipping the question around?  Instead of asking for an ETA, I often will present a specific time line request (ei: Is it possible to have the show-swords in the rehearsal hall by Wed, when we will be holding our next session with the fight choreographer?).

Along with that suggestion (Which yes... how you phrase things can make ALL the difference), in the email I send with the report attached, I'll typically paste any questions in the body of the email itself. Something I learned from my corporate life - don't assume folks will open the attached report and read it. Not because they don't want to, but likely because they're swamped or viewing the email on a device that makes it hard to open attachments - etc. By having the 3 or 4 questions that came up in rehearsal in the body of the email (listed by department), it makes it easy for them to hit reply and provide an answer.

I'm not sure about this one, it feels like that would give them a get out of reading the report. They need to read all their notes, and just having questions in the email may make them even less likely to actually open the document. Either the information in the report is necessary or it's not - if it's not then there's no point in including it, and if it is then they need to see it. If you're going to post half of their notes in to the email you might as well just write the whole report in the email as well!