Author Topic: Funny, I didn't think we were doing 'The Tempest'  (Read 9761 times)

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PSMKay

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Funny, I didn't think we were doing 'The Tempest'
« on: Sep 25, 2007, 08:59 am »
(Submitted by
Mollie)


I was a freshman in college, and my first assignment in the theatre
department was to stage manage "The Importance of being Earnest" 
I had SMd in HS many times, and had just done this same show the previous year. 
Things were going alright for the most part.  The only difficulty up to
opening had been the set was not being completed on schedule.  And that is
how the horror of my worst opening night began.  I arrived shortly before
call, to get things set up.  When I walked in the door, I was met by one of
my crew members, telling me NOT to go near the theatre.  I was explained to
me that the set was not finished, still very wet in fact, and the director, and
TD had had an "altercation" moments before I arrived.  That
"altercation" was in fact the Director attacking the TD on the stage,
in front of random students.  The police were called and both were sent to
their offices.  It was then that I found out the details of the
altercation, which included beard pulling, slapping, keyboard stealing, and
words I care not to repeat.  All the while I had to get my actors into
costume, get the house open and all the usual SM stuff.  The police
insisted everyone gather on stage so the two faculty could apologize to
everyone.  The TD was escorted out of the building, and the Director
sequestered to her office for the night.  So the show was quite literally
in my hands alone.  Now I would have thought that once  the whole
scene had calmed down, things could get back to normal, right?  Wrong!! 
I had just called one minute and places, when I was informed, via an usher
making an announcement on stage to a packed house, that we would be evacuating
everyone to the basement due to a tornado in the area.  (why didn't anyone
tell me before the audience?) So needless to say, we did not start on time. 
While everyone was hiding in the basement, the building manager and I stood in
the lobby, which is nothing more than lots of glass, to direct late comers to
the basement.  In reality, as we talked, we actually hoped for a tornado to
hit us, it would have been the perfect end to our wonderful day. 
Well, the show did go on, and it was actually the best show of the run. 
And I, well, I did graduate with my theatre major, and after that experience,
very little scares me off of a show.



wtcsrstaph4life

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Re: Funny, I didn't think we were doing 'The Tempest'
« Reply #1 on: Sep 25, 2007, 07:24 pm »
OK... since I'm about to start rehearsing that show, I hope that doesn't happen to me... especially since I can see all but the tornado part happening...

LCSM

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Re: Funny, I didn't think we were doing 'The Tempest'
« Reply #2 on: Jan 03, 2008, 06:28 pm »
oh, that sounds like th opening night from hell...i'm glad i diden't read that before i finnished my production of Ernest!  ;)