Messages

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The Hardline / Re: Legal Issues

« on: Jan 18, 2010, 01:32 pm »

You're right, it's all pretty murky. I didn't say this earlier but this is company that does burlesque and vaudeville. Some of the acts have more risk then others, trapeze act, strong man, sword swallower and the like, which is why I want to be very clear where our liabilities lie and what the risks are. We've contacted a lawyer but the creative director doesn't want to wait to hear what they have to say, he wants to perform like he's been doing. The rest of the newly formed management team (including myself) are urging him to wait until we have better answers and go from there.

As far as I can tell, our creative director has never negotiated with a venue for coverage and the like. In fact, he hadn't even thought about it until I asked him about how he covered liability issues. They've also never had a stage manager before (lucky me!) and things are quite a bit loosey goosey backstage so it's been a learning experience to say the least.

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The Hardline / Legal Issues

« on: Jan 18, 2010, 10:52 am »

I've been working with a group of friends trying to take an existing theatre company and make it "official". They have no legal status, no financial accounts (and apparently no accounting) so it's been an uphill process. The company has been performing for seven years but completely under the radar. The creative director wants to make it a legal company but doesn't want to stop performing in the meantime.

My question is this, if I were to actually work a show as their stage manager, how liable would I be if one of the performers were hurt during the course of the show if I were to render first aid? My belief is I would not be covered by Good Samaritan laws since I was acting in an official capacity as the stage manager and I'm also uncertain if my role as a first responder with my local fire department would complicate matters. The performers have signed waivers saying they would not hold the theatre company responsible for injury but since the theatre company doesn't legally exist, I don't think those waivers would hold up in a court of law.