Messages

1

Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: REHEARSAL: Tension in Rehearsals

« on: Apr 12, 2014, 08:41 pm »

I think Matthew makes a really good point about tension sometimes being ok.

I always want to rush in and make things better for everyone, but sometimes people are supposed to know their lines and don't and it helps everyone's work ethic to see that that sort of behavior is not tolerated. It can be hard to ride it out, but sometimes you have to.

On the other hand, I've also been in situations where the tension just keeps mounting and furious people do not work well - separately or together. You have to know your actors - will they respond to a break, some fresh air, and a brief conversation with you about whether they are ok? Can the director move on to a different scene or moment and come back to what is causing the problem later on when people have cooled off?

2

Employment / Re: Hiring a rehearsal SM and performance SM

« on: Mar 05, 2014, 11:38 am »

I've worked with a company (non-union) that had this practice. Sometimes it came down to scheduling, but sometimes it was just about what people were comfortable doing. Several people in the company were happy to work the rehearsal process, but did not want to deal with moving in to the theatre or running the show. I was usually working another gig, but was happy to go to some rehearsals and take over once the show went in to tech. Often the rehearsal SM would become the ASM for the run. 

It might not be the best professional practice, but it worked for this particular company and the schedules of the people involved.

Incidentally, this group did a lot of G&S and mostly the directors wanted one set and lights on, lights off sort of design, so that made things simpler, too.