Author Topic: Rehearsal Room 101  (Read 2788 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

iamchristuffin

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 270
    • View Profile
    • www.christuffin.co.uk
  • Affiliations: UK SMA, UK Equity
  • Experience: Professional
Rehearsal Room 101
« on: Jun 27, 2014, 07:21 pm »
My current gig has quite a lot of students and visitors in the rehearsal room. We've just finished week 2, and I've had maybe 10 people watching - not including those with an active production role. Some of them haven't been in a rehearsal room before, and my director and I have been chatting about giving them a brief introduction into the ways of the room. Basic stuff, but things that people (including myself, probably, a few years ago) might not think of.

My list so far includes stuff for new/aspiring SMs, visitors, and new/inexperienced company members:

1- Quiet shoes! Rubber soles are the bomb, and walk on the balls of your feet!
2- NEVER walk in between the director/conductor and the cast while a scene is in motion.
3- Don't talk loudly - it just encourages others to do the same.
4- Don't set a precedent by agreeing to any unreasonable requests - it will become the norm, and you won't be able to do your job properly.
5- It is far to early in the process to alienate anyone - don't be rude or upset someone!
6- Be nice to the creatives! If you're making a tea or coffee, offer one to them too! But, as with 4, make sure it doesn't become an expectation.
7- And, last but not least - electronics on silent!

It's most definitely not a complete list, so what are your tips/rules?

Cx

loebtmc

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 1574
    • View Profile
  • Affiliations: AEA, SAG, AFTRA, SMA
  • Current Gig: Caroling, caroling now we go — and looking for my next gig!
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Rehearsal Room 101
« Reply #1 on: Jun 27, 2014, 07:40 pm »
Bring something quiet, like a video game (w sound off) or a book for when you're not being used on stage. Better yet, use the time to learn your lines/music. 

Always tell the SM or ASM if you need to you leave the room for any reason. Always.

You will get breaks. Please stay present until then, and please use the breaks when they are called. They will vary in length, but please honor the time allotted, whether it's 5 minutes, 10 minutes or an hour.

Be on time. In theater, that means at least 5 minutes before your call. And expect to stay til the end of your called time.

Do not bring cameras into the room. You will also not be allowed to use your phone's camera function. If, on a break (and only on a break), you get give specific permissions from people whose photos you wish, you may take their picture, but if they say no or are not asked, photos are not allowed.

Bring a sense of humor and patience to this process. Things take time, lots of time, to put together. Think of it like a theme park ride, that long wait in line rewards you with a few moments of sheer delight.

Notes only come from the director, musical director or stage manager. No one else should tell anyone what to do. If you have an idea or a concern, take it to your stage manager or director and let them deal with it. And when you are given a note, don't argue, just say thank you. Just that - thank you. And nothing else. If you need clarifying or to understand how to accomplish it, grab the director after notes or tell the SM, and they will help you.

DO NOT move/touch/play with props or costumes or set pieces. Especially if they are not yours. You will be responsible for replacing any broken/torn props or costumes if that happens when they are not in play.

(I am sure there's more - this is just off the top of my head)

 
« Last Edit: Jun 29, 2014, 02:02 pm by loebtmc »

kiwitechgirl

  • Permanent Resident
  • *****
  • Posts: 200
  • Gender: Female
    • View Profile
  • Experience: Professional
Re: Rehearsal Room 101
« Reply #2 on: Jun 30, 2014, 02:32 am »
If a member of the SM team asks you to do something, please just do it.  You may not know or understand the reason, but trust us, there is a reason and it's probably a good one.  A request from the SM is not a starting point for negotiation.

KMC

  • Forum Moderators
  • *****
  • Posts: 963
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Current Gig: Project Manager, Systems Integration
  • Experience: Former SM
Re: Rehearsal Room 101
« Reply #3 on: Jun 30, 2014, 08:44 am »
If the visitors are new to the rehearsal process in general it may be helpful to include a short blurb about why the below rules are important, explaining that the rehearsal room is the sanctuary for the creative process, and in order to foster that environment we must ask the following.

Also, you mention students and younger visitors.  May be worth moving cell phones to silent to the top of the list, and even including it twice...
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

 

riotous