I'm about to start rehearsals on a show where 4/7 of the cast are non-Equity, and 3 are performing on... well, I don't actually know what contract it is, I haven't seen that sort of paperwork yet. I joined 6 days before first rehearsal... it's been hectic. But the bottom line is, the AEA actors are allowed 30 hours a week. So we have 6 five-hour days scheduled each week.
First rehearsal is this coming Tuesday. But the director wants to meet with each actor for an hour on Monday, and on Sunday apparently the MD wants to meet with the entire cast for 60-90 minutes and introduce them to the musical world of the play and maybe jam out a bit, but not really work music from the show.
Am I correct in my understanding that, since these meetings are required, we will have to cut 2.5 hours of rehearsal later in the week for the AEA actors? I get the impression that the director feels that it's not ~Rehearsal Time~ per se, therefore it isn't ruled by the contracted hours... but I feel like, if we are telling the actors that they must be on site for these meetings, then that counts toward their 30hrs?
Also, these meetings are on Sunday and Monday before a 6 day work week, which means (if this actually counts as working hours) actors will be working for 8 days before a day off...