I really had to pause about this discussion.  Although I felt that B-M-D’s response was a bit harsh, I understand it and, at one time, shared it.  As a tech-friendly manager and director, it just pressed my buttons once too often to hear the Rodney Dangerfield shtick from crew members.  It is amazing what I have learned since I have left the creative side of the theatre!  And one of them is that old saying, “you can argue facts, but you can’t argue perceptions”.  If there is a generally accepted perception of disrespect amongst a theatre’s technical artists, then there is a problem that has to do with the entire theatre. 

I do think it relates back to the discussion topic of saying thank you.  But I also think there are ways to insulate a specific production from the general dynamics of an entire organization and the buffer is the director.  The director can and must set the tone and must go out of the way to reinforce in any and every way possible a production atmosphere of mutual respect and interaction.  There was one director who the theatre no longer invited to direct because he was known to be so antagonistic toward his tech crews that he couldn’t find technical artists to work on his shows! 

In my opinion, this is such an important issue that if I had a(n) actor(s) or other production team members who sabotaged the expectation of mutual respect, the first step would be a one-on-one discussion about it with a warning.  If it continued, I would replace the offending individual.  That’s right.  You can fire a volunteer! 

But I’m on the verge of a divergent tangent, so I’ll get back on track, here.  In one theatre I was at, the V.P. of Production (the title given to the volunteer who was roughly equivalent to the theatre’s Tech Director) set a terrific precedent when he first assumed his role and kept it up for the entire time he filled the position.  He along with the show’s tech crew threw an opening night party in the theatre’s shop after the show.  The tech crew foot the bill for everything, brought all the food and refreshments, made the shop “party-safe” and decorated the shop.  These parties became so much fun that everyone looked forward to them.  They even helped to sell opening night tickets because people wanted to come to the “shop party”.  Because he did this throughout his tenure, I thought this would establish itself as a “tradition” and would continue after he stepped down from the position.  Unfortunately, it did not.  However, it seemed to me that during that period of time – almost two years – there was a rather interesting drop in the “nobody loves me” perception.  I left the area shortly after this, so I can’t say if it had a lasting effect, but I always thought it was a great idea. 

The lesson:  maybe they give us costumes, props, a set, sound, and lights, but when the theatre’s technical artists give us some food and a beer, we sit up and take notice!