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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: marijuana and theatre (I dont know where to put this)
« on: Jan 14, 2007, 05:56 am »
Yep, unfortunetely I've had the misfortune of having to deal with crew turning up under the influence. One time I particularly remember was when I was the Lighting Designer for a Musical Variety Performance playing in a big theatre. There was a 2pm call the day after we opened to do a few focus notes and the theatre's Chief LX turned up completely smashed - he stank of whiskey and couldn't walk in a straight line. As he was a friend/ colleague I didn't want to report him immediately and thought if I could just get him to go and sit quietly in the crew room until the show where all he'd have to do if op the desk, he wasn't having any of it though and said that he was fine to go and focus FOH. He started getting harnessed up and I had to do something so I radioed the theatre manager who came down immediately. She breatalised him and he was something like 3 times over the legal limit for driving! He was escorted from the premises (unfortunately he didn't go quietly and stage door had to remove him) and was formally suspended until a hearing. It left the show without a Chief Electrician and a friend without a job but I know it was the right thing to do. If I hadn't taken action then he would have definitely caused harm to himself and probably others too.
Sam x
Sam x