Author Topic: Notes After Half Hour-Dance Captain Impunity?  (Read 3261 times)

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RuthNY

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Notes After Half Hour-Dance Captain Impunity?
« on: Jul 31, 2014, 12:19 pm »
I've wanted to put this query out for discussion for a while, and am just getting around to it.  This is not a situation that needs immediate solving, it is a philosophical/"cultural" question, on which I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts.

On AEA contracts that have the stipulation, "No notes shall be given after half hour call" (and not all of our contracts have this clause, most notably the LORT contract...) why does does it seem professionally acceptable for the Dance Captain to go in and out of Dressing Rooms during half hour, to give notes? When the Director, Producer, and Stage Manager etc. are banned from doing this (except when safety is at stake, or in another kind of emergency) it seems almost universally, yes even "culturally" acceptable,  for the Dance Captain to have impunity from following this rule.

I'd love to hear any and all thoughts on how this came to be, if you also find this to be true, if anyone has ever approached a Dance Captain to discuss it, and what came out of the discussion.
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MatthewShiner

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Re: Notes After Half Hour-Dance Captain Impunity?
« Reply #1 on: Jul 31, 2014, 07:29 pm »
A quick look of all the contracts I have worked on it – only the SPT disallows it.  (Some say specifically musical director, dance captain, fight captain and stage manager only can give notes).

So, apparently, the less you are paid, the more protection you get for half-hour.

I have always given notes during half-hour, but not for arty stuff - but, maybe things like a new prop in the show, a lighting instrument that is out, a wheelchair in the house which may effect an entrance . . . etc.

I think the cultural issue is AEA on AEA notes are somehow okay – weather it be a fight captain, dance captain or Stage Manager – as long as it is maintenance and not NEW material (the SPT contract has very specific rules about rehearsal that is for maintenance versus NEW material).

One of the reasons I love doing musicals is that there is so much more support – dance captain, music director, etc, etc . . . and during musicals, often, a dance captain may give notes or even rehearse DURING the show – especially for new split tracks, etc.

I think culturally, we are set up for that.  If someone had a problem with these notes after half-hour, I would look at the specifics of the contract and figure o the kosher way to get these notes out.

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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

 

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