Meal break and scheduling

[jNehlich]

Is there a policy or understanding regarding whether or not meal breaks are pre-scheduled and listed on a rough monthly rehearsal calendar?

Thanks for the help

[MatthewShiner]

I don't make the call until the night before, and meal breaks are always flexible based on the needs of the next day.

Planning a month in advance would be impossible in my world.

[RuthNY]

Meal breaks are generally scheduled on a day-to-day basis, based on the rehearsal needs of the day. However, I have done shows, mostly in NYC, where the Director WILL announce a standard/regular lunch hour so that actors can go to auditions or take care of other business, and schedule all this in advance.

But in my usual work world, the meal break is at a different time every day!

Is there a policy or understanding regarding whether or not meal breaks are pre-scheduled and listed on a rough monthly rehearsal calendar?

Thanks for the help

[RuthNY]

Matt, in your world, does the Director tell you what s/he wishes to rehearse the next day, and YOU do the scheduling based on that, or do you and the Director actually create the schedule together?

I don't make the call until the night before, and meal breaks are always flexible based on the needs of the next day.

Planning a month in advance would be impossible in my world.

[MarcieA]

Matt, in your world, does the Director tell you what s/he wishes to rehearse the next day, and YOU do the scheduling based on that, or do you and the Director actually create the schedule together?

I don't make the call until the night before, and meal breaks are always flexible based on the needs of the next day.

Planning a month in advance would be impossible in my world.

Oooh...I like this question, and I'm interested to hear answers from both Matt and Ruth!

Regarding the scheduling, I agree that the lunch breaks are scheduled daily/weekly based on the needs of rehearsal. I see a monthly schedule as an overview of when there is rehearsal vs. when there isn't, which is still subject to change (and probably will!).

[RuthNY]

In the world(s) I occupy, for the most part, either the Director and I create the schedule together, or the Director creates it on their own, gives it to me, and  I fill in costume fittings and other "extracurriculars." 

Matt, in your world, does the Director tell you what s/he wishes to rehearse the next day, and YOU do the scheduling based on that, or do you and the Director actually create the schedule together?

Oooh...I like this question, and I'm interested to hear answers from both Matt and Ruth!

Regarding the scheduling, I agree that the lunch breaks are scheduled daily/weekly based on the needs of rehearsal. I see a monthly schedule as an overview of when there is rehearsal vs. when there isn't, which is still subject to change (and probably will!).

[jspeaker]

I cant say if I have ever had a standard meal break.  Most directors I have worked with try to do the same thing but sometimes you need an extra half hour on something so you bump the meal break.  I am with Ruth... in my world Day to Day is typical.

My monthly schedules are just span of day with "subject to change" ALL OVER IT!!

[MatthewShiner]

Depending on the director, more and more I find myself coming up with a scheduling and handing it to the director for them to look over.  (One director I work with I tell him what time to show up the next day, and what scenes he is rehearsing, and that's about that.)  I will tell my director, often, that costume fittings have been requested for a certain day, and that I am having trouble getting them all scheduled . . . can I pull someone from a scene they just stand around in, or something like that.  But, the schedule is usually what I am working on during the day.

My current director works on a schedule a week in advance, but changes it daily.  I have to tweak it a bit to get costume fittings in.  (right now, I have about 65 hours of costume/wig fittings requests to get in by Friday . . . and still get some work done.)

[Rebbe]

My monthly schedules are just span of day with "subject to change" ALL OVER IT!!

Same here.   Tech week and Previews might be the exception, where the end of day is set and you can easily back time for half hour, etc, or if set construction needs to be firmly scheduled in advance for the meal breaks on long rehearsal days.  Other than that, the meal break is info I'd include only on the next-day's schedule.