Author Topic: Should I be responsible for tellling an actor he's been demoted?  (Read 2536 times)

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lydiaelaine

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I've tried a few ways to search this, but can't find anything on it. I stepped in to SM a show for our college theatre club because they lost an actor and the SM at the time stepped in. Out of nowhere he said he would be gone a week earlier than expected (we have a week off, so at the time it wasn't a problem), and now he's saying he may not be back for when we start rehearsals in our performance space and once he IS back, won't be able to rehearsal on Fridays for fear of MAYBE missing work. My director and I agree that this isn't fair to the other actors. Unbeknownst to him, we have found a replacement who WANTS this. He's available for all rehearsals, and I've worked with him before, so I know we can trust him. My director wants me to contact him and tell him he'd be better suited as an understudy, since his schedule is so hectic, but I just don't know how to go about that. Any suggestions on how to tell him he's been basically been removed from the show?  :-X
Stage manager: Totally responsible for everything.

BayAreaSM

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Actually, I think how your director has phrased it sounds right. Due to his hectic schedule, he would be better suited for the understudy, that way he does not have to worry about missing out on work, and the show can go on.

If it helps, you can say, "Due to your hectic schedule, the Director feels it's best for you and the show, if you were to understudy the role of X. We still want you to be part of the production, but we understand that your schedule won't allow you to attend all of the rehearsals necessary for the performance."

loebtmc

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Actually, this is the director's job (or, in a professional production, the producer or artistic /assoc artistic director) - even in a school situation, we have no "hiring/firing" authority and it is a rotten thing to hand it off to you when it is not the SMs job. Let him/her do his own dirty work! You are absolutely there after, to help the actor deal/move on, but not to do the deed.

missliz

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I've been in similar situations twice, and both times it was handled in a meeting with the actor, director, and production manager.
I personally would like to bring a tortoise onto the stage, turn it into a racehorse, then into a hat, a song, a dragon and a fountain of water. One can dare anything in the theatre and it is the place where one dares the least. -Ionesco

 

riotous