Trying to explain LORT scheduling rules to actors

[MatthewShiner]

I have never received as many questions regarding rehearsal hours as I do with this cast. 

Below is something I have typed out.  (I attached as a word document as well).

Any LORT SMs want to look over and see if it makes sense, or I am making some stupid, stupid mistake?

- - - -

I have been getting a lot of questions regarding rehearsal hours and scheduling and want to just sort of explain the whole process.  Please ask to take a look at the LORT rule book, or you can download it online from the AEA Web Site.  All of these are rules for LORT; if you are working on a different contract, there are different rules.


Equity gives us a block of hours per week for rehearsal:
•   During Non-Performance Weeks, small cast shows (14 or less) the work-week is 48 hours long, with no more then 45 hours allotted for rehearsal.
•   During Non-Performance Weeks, large cast shows (15 or more) the work-week is 50 hours long, with no more then 47 hours allotted for rehearsal.
•   During the seven days leads up to the first-public performance (preview), the work-week is 52 hours long, with all 52 hours available for rehearsal.
•   During a week that is both rehearsal and performance, the work-week is 50 hours long, with all 50 hours available for rehearsal or performance.  (This applys to previews, as well as rollover situations.)

(The extra hours for the work-week, that are not for rehearsal use are for photo calls and/or costume fittings)

We are allowed to schedule up to 6 hours (outside of rehearsal hours) for costume fittings or photo calls per production.  (We can schedule more, we just have to pay overtime.)  Note costume fittings that fall with in rehearsal hours, do not count against this 6 hours.

These photo calls/costume fittings must be scheduled consecutive to the rehearsal block.  (So no fair calling you in for a costume fitting at 8:00a, and then rehearsing you from 1:00p to 11:00p.)

The Span of the Day cannot exceed 12-hours without going into overtime.  You must be given 12-hour notice of the span of the next day.  (Although there is no rule about when the schedule needs to be broken down.) 

There is the terminology of rehearsal days where we call something an 8 out of 10, a 7 out of 9 or the infamous, 10 out of 12.  This is reference to the rehearsal block.  Basically this means once rehearsal begins, for the typical 8 out 10, I have ten hours to schedule 8 hours of rehearsal.  If I start rehearsal at noon, I need to be done with rehearsal 10 hours later, and can only rehearse 8 out of those 10 hours.  (An 8 out of 10 assumes a 2 hour break . . . )

But remember when I said the span of day could be up to 12 hours long, that give us 2 hours to schedule photo calls or costume fittings, so given the example of rehearsing 12:00n to 10:00p, I could do costume fittings from 10:00a to 12:00n, or 10:00p to 12:00m.

Everyone knows the breaks are 5 minutes after 55 minutes or 10 minutes after an hour-and-20 minutes.  You get a meal break 5 hours into rehearsal – most of the time.

If a costume fitting is attached to the rehearsal, the rules allow you to go six hours from your first call to your meal break.  (That can be a 1-hour fitting and 5-hour rehearsal, or a 5 hour fitting and 1-hour rehearsal.)

In the case of a straight six, the rules basically state a 20-minute break needs to be scheduled during the day.  If you are doing an occasional straight-six day (that is, not an entire week of straight sixes), the six hours is your total workday.  Nothing else can be scheduled without overtime.  (If you are doing a week of straight sixes, there are 2-hours outside of rehearsal that can be scheduled for fittings or photo calls.  The actor is given an option to have a meal break between rehearsal and other calls.)

Interesting bit of trivia, if a straight-six is scheduled, it counts as 8-hours against your total rehearsal week.  (Don’t ask why, it’s very complicated)

Also, note, all these rules apply individually to the actor or stage manager.  So, one actor could have a span of day from 10:00a to 10:00p, and another could be from 12:00n – 12:00m.  As long as the rules are all followed for each individual actor.  (So one actor could have a straight six, another one could have a 10 out of 12.)

And, remember, anything can be scheduled, as long as overtime is paid.


 
Now . . .

If you are in performance / rehearsal situation – such as preview week or in a rollover situation, the following rules are in place.

•   You have a 50-hour work-week.
•   On one performance days, you can rehearse 5 hours per days, as long as you show call (half-hour until the end of curtain) is 3.5 hours or less.  (If your show call is 3.5 to 4 hours, you can only rehearse 4.5 hours, and so on . . . )
•   If you elect NOT to rehearse on a two-show day, then on one-show days, you can rehearse an extra 30-minutes.  (so 5.5 hours as long as your show is only 3.5 hours.)

So . . . a typical one-show day for rollover/preview period would be, for a cast that has elected NOT to rehearse on a two-show day, and wants 2-hour break.

11:30a   Costume Fitting
12:00n    Rehearsal
5:30p      End of Rehearsal

7:30p      Half-hour
8:00p      Performance
11:30p   End of the Day

   

[Scott (formerly Digga)]

I will say that explains it a hell of a lot better than the Rule Book.  I've never gotten so many questions as to try and explain it that way but it makes sense to me.  Then again, as an SM, I'm used to the rules and quirks of AEA.  You might be better served handing it off to an actor or 2 first to see that they understand it, than you will by asking Stage Managers.

[MatthewShiner]

yeah, that is happening as well . . . handing it two actors who understand the rules and two who don't and see what happens.

[RuthNY]

Matt, I think you may need either to define or remove the term "rollover."  A far as I know it is not a term referred to in the LORT book, and, quite frankly, I have no idea what you mean by it myself.

<snip>

If you are in performance / rehearsal situation – such as preview week or in a rollover situation, the following rules are in place.

<snip

[Rebbe]

You must be given 12-hour notice of the span of the next day.  (Although there is no rule about when the schedule needs to be broken down.)

You may want to spell out here that rehearsal hours are not set in stone, and can change or be set with as little as 12 hours notice.   Some of the scheduling questions may stem from actors trying to fit in other commitments, so it could be helpful for them to know that unless they have a pre-approved conflict, they need to be fully available for the show every day except the Designated Day Off.  Also, you might want to make "broken down" a little clearer.  I know what you mean, I'm not sure how it reads to actors. 
 
Plenty of theaters have rehearsal spaces and even stages that are in such high demand,  we have a firm rehearsal schedule from the beginning, with few adjustments made day to day, even though the AEA contract would allow them.  If your actors come from these types of situations, and haven’t read the rule books, they may simply not realize how fluid the schedule is allowed to be, so your cheat sheet will be an eye-opener for them.

[RuthNY]

I'm not quite sure I understand the example below.

The "performance length" (7:30-11:30pm) is four hours and thereby only eligible for 4.5 hours plus a half hour (under the given scenario) for a total of five (rather than five-and-a-half) hours rehearsal in the afternoon.

OR is the "performance length" actually shorter, and have you included that pesky one hour note session (after no more than 4 previews, and is subtracted from the next day's rehearsal) at the end of your sample day?

No wonder actors don't grok this.  It's full of pitfalls and seeming contradictions, even for me, and I claim to know the LORT book in my sleep...

<snip>
•   On one performance days, you can rehearse 5 hours per days, as long as you show call (half-hour until the end of curtain) is 3.5 hours or less.  (If your show call is 3.5 to 4 hours, you can only rehearse 4.5 hours, and so on . . . )
•   If you elect NOT to rehearse on a two-show day, then on one-show days, you can rehearse an extra 30-minutes.  (so 5.5 hours as long as your show is only 3.5 hours.)

So . . . a typical one-show day for rollover/preview period would be, for a cast that has elected NOT to rehearse on a two-show day, and wants 2-hour break.

11:30a   Costume Fitting
12:00n    Rehearsal
5:30p      End of Rehearsal

7:30p      Half-hour
8:00p      Performance
11:30p   End of the Day

[LCSM]

Excuse my ignorance but could someone define the term "straight six"?

[loebtmc]

excuse my ignorance but I thought a straight six counted as 7 hrs - in other words, the actor is paid for a 7 hr day as tho they had a lunch hour in an 8 hr day - rather than counting as 8 hrs

yes?

otherwise, good work! (I agree w RuthNY - I think I know what you mean but I may not, so I would rather you spell it out and be specific just to make sure there are no misunderstanding)

[RuthNY]

A straight six (in contracts where it is allowed) counts as whatever the full day is allowed to be under the particular contract,  In a contract that calls for a 8 out of 9 1/2 (or 9)  it is credited as 8.  In a contract where the usual day is a 7 out of 8 1/2 (or  8 )  it is credited as 7.

You are both right.

excuse my ignorance but I thought a straight six counted as 7 hrs - in other words, the actor is paid for a 7 hr day as tho they had a lunch hour in an 8 hr day - rather than counting as 8 hrs

yes?

otherwise, good work! (I agree w RuthNY - I think I know what you mean but I may not, so I would rather you spell it out and be specific just to make sure there are no misunderstanding)

[MatthewShiner]

Ah ....

Rollover is a STC term.  Performing in one show, rehearsing the next.

[MatthewShiner]

Thanks Ruth for the Math catch.

Yes, the example I want should show an 11:00a ending, and then adjust the 12 hour turn around.

11:00a   Costume Fitting
12:00n    Rehearsal
5:30p   End of Rehearsal

7:30p   Half-hour
8:00p   Performance
11:00p   End of the Day

[MatthewShiner]

You may want to spell out here that rehearsal hours are not set in stone, and can change or be set with as little as 12 hours notice.   Some of the scheduling questions may stem from actors trying to fit in other commitments, so it could be helpful for them to know that unless they have a pre-approved conflict, they need to be fully available for the show every day except the Designated Day Off.  Also, you might want to make "broken down" a little clearer.  I know what you mean, I'm not sure how it reads to actors. 

Let me figure out who to word that.  The current batch of actors are more concern about # of hours and overtime, then  scheduling the day - and we do beat the mantra of them being available for all rehearsals - but let me thing about it.

[MatthewShiner]

ps

should be getting feedback from some actors today -I will try to post their comments