No, I've never had to read the Deputy form, and I usually start by saying, first off does anyone volunteer to be Deputy, or nominate someone else. And then usually someone speaks up. Lately it's been to nominate someone else.......one time it was the newest member of Equity, so they'd learn the rules. Wasn't necessarily the best idea, but it was a thought. Or there's often someone who will absolutely do it. Or during summer stock, we'd often rotate it to whoever had the lesser role for that particular show.
I also make little ballots up ahead of time. For LORT, we have to vote whether it's okay to have a "straight-6" day, an hour instead of hour and a half lunch, and an archival video. Mine simply says "6 hour day okay? Yes No, Hour Lunch Okay? Yes No, and "Archival video okay? Yes No". And during the meeting I mention why it's being asked of them.
This last show, which started rehearsals on Tuesday, I managed to cover ALL of my actor stuff, including things to know about the rehearsal hall, etc. in about 15 minutes. And there is always that funny line about stage managers who have to run meetings they were never at before Equity. I've started lately to ask if they mind if my non-Equity assistant is there to learn the "exciting" process of Equity meetings, and usually no one objects. And the non-Eq goes "that was it?"
