SPT Rules on Post-Opening Rehearsals

[Rebbe]

I was recently looking at the SPT rules on rehearsals after the first week of public performance, and was a little surprised.  Rule 44-I-2 says the rehearsal can be no more than 1 hour, and must be held in the hour before half-hour; let's say it's an 8pm show, with 7:30 1/2 Hour, so rehearsal 6:30-7:30pm.  But Rule 44-I-2-e says no more than 5 hours can elapse between the start of rehearsal and curtain down, which could indicate more time is available; 5-7pm Rehearsal, 7:30 1/2 Hour, 8-10pm Performance.  It seems to me that these rules are incosistent with each other, and make it pretty tough to have a brush-up rehearsal of a 2 hour play.  Am I missing something here?  If you've scheduled a post-opening rehearsal of a longer play in SPT, what rules have you referenced to explain it to actors?

 

[MatthewShiner]

it sounds like, and I am not a SPT specialist, is that any rehearsal over over the limit is an overtime situation.

[Sarah]

I’ve never scheduled such a rehearsal but this is how I read the rule.

44 (I) (1) states that rehearsals after opening shall be limited to six hours per week for brush-up, replacement, and understudy rehearsals. Any rehearsal of new material shall require payment of overtime. You already said it’s a brush up, so no overtime.

To me, the five hour limit in (2) (e) seems to account for a long show, should you choose to hold a one hour rehearsal just prior to half hour. (If you were doing the long version of Lear, say. Rule 38 (C) states that no performance shall last longer than 3½ hours, inclusive of half hour and intermissions.) If you were limited to rehearsals in the hour before half hour, then according to the rules, you could only hold three hours of rehearsal per week, instead of the six mentioned above.

I think your scenario works but I would call your rep, if you’re still not sure.