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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Rehearsals: Be quiet!
« on: Aug 26, 2013, 06:08 pm »
've always found that the old "Quiet, please. The faster we get through what we need to, the faster we can get through the scenes". In the past, I've had actors who weren't needed at the moment for the scene that we we're working on, wait outside. I or an ASM would get the ones who were needed, a few minutes before they had to enter the scene. I had them wait outside in the lobby, or set up the greenroom for them as a "hang out".
We have audio/video monitors in the greenroom and dressing rooms, so I would turn them on (when I could) so actors could see and hear the rehearsal in progress.
This worked very well, especially for full cast rehearsals. For shows where this was difficult, we made a rule that you would have to stay after to help clean up and put away furniture and props if you were told to be "hush" 3 times in a same rehearsal.
Post Merge: Aug 27, 2013, 05:54 pm
If one or a few cast members get out of hand, speak with them one on one before the next rehearsal. Calmly explain to them that what they are doing are both distracting and rude to others who are in the scenes, and to respect your cast mates regardless on how you think/feel about them. The whole "act professionally" and "act your age" speeches always come in handy.
If it comes to this, i, in a polite manner, tell them to "pull themselves together, take a few minutes to relax and settle down, and join us in three-five minutes.
Even if you're working with your peers, you need to get what needs to be done. I found that separating "professional" and "personal" helps. My cast/crew know that once rehearsal starts, I'm in "stage manger mode". This doesn't mean you can't have fun with your cast/crew, or that you have to be a 'robot'. This means you need to know when and where to set the line.
You can always socialize with your cast/crew after rehearsal, but during rehearsal you should set your own fair boundaries.
We have audio/video monitors in the greenroom and dressing rooms, so I would turn them on (when I could) so actors could see and hear the rehearsal in progress.
This worked very well, especially for full cast rehearsals. For shows where this was difficult, we made a rule that you would have to stay after to help clean up and put away furniture and props if you were told to be "hush" 3 times in a same rehearsal.
Post Merge: Aug 27, 2013, 05:54 pm
If one or a few cast members get out of hand, speak with them one on one before the next rehearsal. Calmly explain to them that what they are doing are both distracting and rude to others who are in the scenes, and to respect your cast mates regardless on how you think/feel about them. The whole "act professionally" and "act your age" speeches always come in handy.
If it comes to this, i, in a polite manner, tell them to "pull themselves together, take a few minutes to relax and settle down, and join us in three-five minutes.
Even if you're working with your peers, you need to get what needs to be done. I found that separating "professional" and "personal" helps. My cast/crew know that once rehearsal starts, I'm in "stage manger mode". This doesn't mean you can't have fun with your cast/crew, or that you have to be a 'robot'. This means you need to know when and where to set the line.
You can always socialize with your cast/crew after rehearsal, but during rehearsal you should set your own fair boundaries.