Messages

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Should it be curtains for "Curtains!" actress?

« on: Feb 06, 2011, 10:54 pm »

     A girl in my cast, one with a crucial role, has been sick and missed a full two weeks of rehearsal. She didn't contact the director or I at all in that time, nor did she coordinate with anyone else to get her blocking. Her lines aren't memorized, she doesn't know the music or the choreography.
     She came back Monday and the director and I gave her an ultimatum; work with me over lunch and after rehearsals to get caught up and never miss another rehearsal, or be dropped from the show. It's been a week, she's missed two regular rehearsals and I've yet to see her for the makeup rehearsals either. We've got three weeks until opening night.

I know all of this screams "replace her", but here's where it gets a little sticky...

     One, we're a small school and understudies are very hard to come by. We can't guarantee that we can even find someone to replace her, or if we do, that they can learn everything in time. Is this a "better the devil you know"-type situation?
     Two, she's been missing rehearsals for legitimate reasons. The past two rehearsals she skipped so she could finish up graduation requirements and audition for college; there was no other way around it. Is it okay to punish her for being sick and a student?
     Lastly, and this one is sentimental, as a senior this is her final show with us. She's been a part of the theatre department all four years and is a great individual, very talented, fairly dedicated. Ninety-nine percent of the time she is fabulous to work with. Should she lose her last show as a result of things outside her control?

Since it's my time that will be sacrificed working with her or the understudy, my director left it up to me to decide. I'd really appreciate an unbiased, outside opinion, if you could spare it. I don't want to be unfair to my cast member, but there's a point where, like it or not, allowing them to perform would be bad for the show.

Thank you so much,
Jorey

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / COSTUMES: Trans-species changes for Jackson tribute

« on: Feb 20, 2010, 05:33 pm »

I'm currently in the process of helping a friend plan out a tribute to Michael Jackson's Thriller, but we have run into a rough patch. (Surprise!) She would like to have our Michael transform from beautiful blushing boy to snarling werewolf to rotting zombie...all in the space of a couple seconds each. Help! Does anyone know of some simple, quick tricks we can use?

For the human-werewolf change, there was talk of fog and lighting to buy us some time, and, luckily, he can keep the majority of his human clothes. There's only the question of the head (anyone know where i can buy realistic fur?) and claws.

But it is the werewolf-zombie change that really concerns me. He has to switch out his clothes entirely, ditch whatever fuzz he may have accumulated, and become one of the bloody, rotten, all around disgusting undead. While i am unnervingly familiar with the zombification of my friends (!!!) it usually takes me a solid 15-20 minutes to do a quality job, instead of the (roughly) 30 seconds i've been given.

Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated! 

Edited formatting in subject line-Rebbe

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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Choice of Stage Managment Colleges

« on: Nov 03, 2009, 10:48 pm »

does anyone have thoughts on University of Northern Colorado? From what I've heard so far it seems to have a pretty great theatre program, but Greeley doesn't seem like a mecca for the arts, does it? Any inside information would be greatly appreciated!

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: First Aid: what do you do when the skin is gone?

« on: Oct 09, 2009, 11:20 pm »

Thanks a heap for the newskin idea, everybody! I'll grab a bit just as soon as i possibly can! Now the girl is supposed to be barefoot, yes, but i have heard tell of a kind of super elastic, thick sock that can be worn over the first half of the foot. If I can find a pair we might use these as long as they even somewhat match her skin. Anyone else heard of or seen these, or am i just crazy?  If so, any recommendations as to where i could snag a pair?
thanks again!

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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / SAFETY: First Aid: what do you do when the skin is gone?

« on: Oct 09, 2009, 02:03 pm »

I'm in a rather interesting/sticky situation. One of my dancers (poor girl!) has worn the skin off of the balls of her feet, exposing the suprersensitive baby skin underneath. she can only put the smallest amount of pressure on her feet which makes walking a challenge and dancing next to impossible. any suggestions for a speedy recovery?