(submitted by Alvin)
I was the stage manager for a musical this past December. Among the various set pieces was a 3 unit platform that rolled
together to make one big platform. The way it was constructed allowed it to only come together in one way. During the run
of a show, my trusty ASM suddenly blurts out that the two ends pieces have been mixed up stage left and stage right. So I
miss three sounds cues as they tell me this during a warn. I quickly tell them to bring the units on as they would because
they remain separate during that scene, and just exit upstage left and upstage right to swap the two...no problem, ample
clearance up left and up right. I proceed to call the show and then watch the crew on stage right swing up stage with
their platform, then come back down left, crashing into a throne, rubbing against the other platform and noisily exit
DOWNstage left. Thinking that was bad enough, I try and tell myself the stage left crew won't try that, they just saw it
doesn't work...wrong again. They mirror the same horrendous movement they just observed and manage to knock over a fire extinguish hidden
on the set. The night wasn't over there, as later when the SR platform came on
stage (motivated by actors this time), they
hook the curtain legs, and instead of unhooking it, push harder, rip the curtain, and almost send the platform into the
first row. Thankfully, this was the night the director was watching the show...