What to do with too much help!?!?

[Katie ~]

Hey,

I am Stage Managing a play called "Grandma Duck is Dead" at my community College and as part of the program the students from the Stage Craft class can choose to work the show or do shop hours.

Grandma Duck is a I Act and most of the props used are on stage.
I have 9 people that signed up to run crew. Two will go to light board and sound.
What should I do with the other 7!?

Any advice?

[ScooterSM]

Have you thought about using any of them as wardrobe crew?

[KMC]

I would meet with the prof of the stagecraft class and let him/her know that you have too many crew.  I'd imagine that some of the bigger shows are hurting for crew - my experience in these types of settings is that the most crew sign up for the least demanding show as it's much easier.  Chances are they could re-assign a good number of those crew to a bigger show where the help will not be wasted.

[Katie ~]

Have you thought about using any of them as wardrobe crew?

There is no real wardrobe. =/ It's a I Act. and only one character changes, and he just puts on a shirt and real pants in the "bathroom"...and then comes right back on.

I would meet with the prof of the stagecraft class and let him/her know that you have too many crew.  I'd imagine that some of the bigger shows are hurting for crew - my experience in these types of settings is that the most crew sign up for the least demanding show as it's much easier.  Chances are they could re-assign a good number of those crew to a bigger show where the help will not be wasted.

There are no other shows that the college is putting on right now, unfortunately.

[zayit shachor]

What about having one or two of the more interested people shadow you or your ASM?

[nathanchrist]

I'm going to have to agree with zayit shachor on this one. That, or you can make a rotation plan for lights and sound ops.

[sarahbear42]

Split them into a preshow team and a postshow team, one set handles sweep and mop before the show and the other set handles cleanup? Or split this between performances? Depends on how many performances you're doing, though-- if it's only one weekend, that might still leave too many.

You should talk to the proff and let him know you've got too many, otherwise it's just going to lead to a backstage full of people sitting around doing nothing, and, worse, chit-chatting out of boredom.

[ljh007]

I love the show title, btw!