Help with DDR

[Sarah]

Our theatre will be pursing a new rep situation (new for this particular theatre, that is) next season and I was wondering about identifying the DDR in the absence of "mutal agreement." (50-E-8-c)This is a LORT contract.

We'll have one cast performing two shows; the six week mark lands on the Tuesday of final dress for the first show. It seems to me that it is permissible to stagger the DDR scheduling per actor, during the rehearsal process; is this true?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[MatthewShiner]

Yes, it is my understanding that the DDR can be scheduled per actor, but remember the SMs need the DDR as well - they just need to be told about in advance.  (No fair just telling an actor, hey, you aren't called until 7:00p this day . . .ergo, that will be you DDR.)

Although the violation payment for DDR, according to my conversations with the business reps is just straight overtime.

[Sarah]

Thanks, Matthew. And, also, just to clarify, the only time the DDR has to follow a day off is after opening of the actor's final production (Which for guest actors is their only production), barring emergencies and student matinees.

There are only two of us here, so scheduling the DDR for the SMs will be tricky.

Thanks also for the violation payment info; it states nowhere in the book the compensation for DDR violation. I've always assumed that's the case, but never ventured to ask a rep.

[RuthNY]

Matt, can you explain "mutual agreement" in reference to the DDR? 

Also, how much notice is required for the official DDR?

[MatthewShiner]

Day Light Day of Rest is probably the most mis-understood rule in the rule book.

The Lort rule is 

( In addition to the regular day off, there shall be a daylight day of rest for each
member of the company subject to the following:

(a) This shall be made available for each production but not in the seven-day
period up to and including the official opening.

(b) There shall be at least one daylight day of rest within each six-week period of
the Actor’s employment.

** These first two rules is important to note if you don't hit opening night by the end of the 6th Week of the contract.  (For example, at my theatre, we rehearse 4 weeks + 1 week of tech + 1 week of preview).  So . . . somewhere in there, I need to take a daylight day of rest somewhere in there.  AND . . . it can not be the in the week before opening (which in my case is preview week).  So somewhere during rehearsal and the tech week, you need to choose one day where you don't start rehearsal until 6:00p. 

(c) The day selected shall be by mutual agreement, but should there be no such
mutual agreement, the assignment of that day shall be made by the Theatre no
later than three weeks prior to the day of rest.

The mutual agreement issue I never have dealt with, as I pick the date before rehearsal starts - I usually find a date the director has a conflict.  And it's almost always during the 4th week.  But my understand is that cast would pick the date, and it would be approved by management, or management would give a list of days, and the actors would choose from it.  (For example, it would be a bad idea to do a DDR on a costume shop wok day, since you would loose costume fitting time.)   Now, if you need to take the DDR before the third week, then you would need to discuss with the cast, and get their approval on the date you have chosen - I have never had a cast NOT approve my recomendation.

(d) The Actor shall not be called on a daylight day of rest before 6:00 PM.

(e) The designated day of rest may be changed upon one week’s notice.

(f) During the Actor’s final production, after the official opening or two weeks
following the first paid public performance, whichever comes first, the day following
the day off shall be a daylight day of rest except when there is a matinee
performance or emergency rehearsal but at least once in every three-week period
or part thereof .

So then the day after the day off is automatically a daylight day of rest (unless there is matinee) - you need to schedule one every three weeks.  (I make it a habit to schedule one every week.)

(9) If an Actor is engaged under a single contract for more than one production, there
shall be at least one day within each six-week period during which the Actor shall not
be called before 1:00 PM.

Now, if an actor is on a linked contract, then their daylight day of rest can end at 1:00p.  (Which for me is nice, since we have one day we can't start rehearsal until 1:00p anyway.)

INTERESTING NOTE:

Here in Washington DC, we have talked to our business rep and have been approved to "FLIP" the day light day of rest.  So, instead of rehearsing 6:00p to Midnight, we will rehearse on Sunday from 10:00a - 4:00p.  (I have the cast vote on this on the first day.)  This allows actors to leave early on Sunday to go home to New York or see theatre in town.  Otherwise, the DDR rest make sense to do on a Tuesday, so you have the day off on Monday, and then most of Tuesday off.  But . . . since Tuesday is a big costume fitting day, we avoid that as much as possible.

[RuthNY]

Thanks for taking the time to create a response to the confusion about DDR.  What a complicated concept!  You certainly have come up with some creative ways to deal with it!

[Sarah]

Thanks again, Matthew.

That's a good idea about "flipping" the DDR. Also, we're attached to a university; if we have company members in a show, we can't begin rehearsal until 1:00 T-SA anyway, so that's taken care of automatically.

[MatthewShiner]

Just remember, the 1:00p rule only applies to people in multiple show single-contracts, as long as it's not your last show.

[Sarah]

In thinking about the overtime compensation for violation of the rule, there's no actual determined hourly length of the DDR. I've always assumed it was at least an 8 hour period, so that if you're scheduling the DDR after a day off, you get your 12 (or 11) hours for rest period plus 24 for a day off, and then 8 for a DDR. Or, is it the 12(11) hour rest period tagged onto the end of the day off...ay ay yi!

I'm just trying to figure out how best to schedule problematic DDRs for the SMs, during our rep rehearsal period.

[MatthewShiner]

When scheduling turn arounds, just ignore the day off . . . it doesn't reset the clock.

Let's say you finish rehearsal at 11:00p on Sunday, off on Monday, you can't start rehearsal until 11:00a on Tuesday.  If you make Tuesday your DDR, then it means you can't start rehearsal until 6:00p.  There is no hour length for the DDR, it just states you can't start until 6:00p that day.

Now, you could be a real bastard and schedule 6:00p - 3:00a, and do a full day - but really, should anyone be rehearsing from 12:00m - 3:00a - although I have done it.  Just remember, your turn around afterwards means you can't start until 3:00p the next day. 

I think the history of the DDR was to give people time to get things done during the day (like banking, Dr's appointments, etc . .  .)

[Sarah]

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing, about the history. Thanks again, Matthew. I think I've got a plan.