Hello All....I have an issue...a big one! Im sorry if this is long, but i really need some advice!!!

in my last post (the one right before this) I said that my lead actress came to me (a week before opening) and told me she had mono. I sent her home because she was very sick and also there are young children in the show and i didnt want to have issues with them getting sick.  I quickly found an excellent understudy and she learned the role. However, my sick actress (and her mother) still felt that she could do the role...so i let her come back to our last rehearsal before tech week! she was still clearly sick and Im sure nearly passed out on stage. The next day, 1st tech, I pulled she and her mother aside and told both of them that I didnt feel comfortable with her doing the role for many reasons...the main point was that she had nearly no energy, couldnt focus, and it was really bringing down the show...

Well, both mother and daughter freaked out! screaming, crying, and insulting me in the lobby, infront of the other actors and crew.  We all stepped out and they continued in hysterics for another hour into my tech. I felt that it was my job as the director to pull her and replace her with the capable understudy who could carry the show. 

Well, i finally compromised and told her she could perform at our saturday matinee and if she did alright then we would talk about the rest of the shows. Now the mother has her poor, sick 16 yr old daugher with drama and voice tutors all day! And i still dont feel comfortable with her in the role. The mother says that her daugher lied about having mono and that she doesnt anymore and she should get her role back, but i still see a sick teenager up there.  What should I do? Is it unethical to pull her if she feels she can do it? and if she performs well on Saturday, am I obligated to give her the rest of the shows? Please help! I am stressing about this!!! Thank you!!

Andrea -

Oh, man, I hate those situations... went through one earlier this year (I wasn't directing, thank goodness) where the actress missed a number of rehearsals (including tech week) because of serious family problems. The director made a decision for the good of the show to pull the actress and replace her. It was tough on both of them as they are good friends.

I don't know how your group is structured and whether Linda's suggestion will take some of the heat off you. If not, you're pretty much stuck. My rule of thumb is "what is going to put the best possible show on stage opening night?" It sounds like you have a stage mother problem in addition to a sick actress. My personal opinion is to let the chips fall where they may and, for the good of the show and the good of the teenager, put the understudy on stage. Mom will bad mouth you all over town and may even go to your board to complain, so you may want to preempt that by reporting the situation to the chair as soon as possible.

Life will go on. After all it is only a show... the world isn't going to stop spinning on its axis if she doesn't perform. And, if she handles this well, there will be other roles for her. It is a crushing blow to put all that time and effort into a role only to not be able to finish, but if she isn't capable of performing at 100% (or even 85%), she should put the show first and gracefully bow out. If she can't do that (or Mom won't let her) you have to make the call, hard as that is.

Good luck. It's a tough situation, but it has to be handled.

This is a great example of the kind of caring and professional individuals who visit this discussion board! What really thoughtful and caring advice has been given here...I'm just wondering how it all came out?

Yes...thank you ALL for your wonderful advice! Jenny, I agree with you. I too hate to see a drama queen's temper tantrum. However, after many more confrontations with the both of them, I agreed to give the girl 1 matinee and see how she did. this would not have been my first plan of action, but the mother was starting to share "her side" of the story with many cast members who were getting upset that I "took away" her part..also, it is a new theater company, and the board and producer wanted to appease everyone for now since we'd like to gain a good reputation.

Anyway, she performed the matinee against my best judgement, and the show lacked a lot of what the understudy brought to the show. In fact, the original girl forgot words to 3 of her songs! I was very angry, but the two still didnt understand why I wouldnt let her perform all of the rest of the shows. They didnt understand that their behaviors played a large factor in that.

So, it went on...I wasnt going to have her perform again for many reasons. Until 2 of the other leads said they would walk from the next weekend's shows because they were so mad that the sick girl wouldnt get anymore shows. They didnt know the whole story and were being irrational. Although I felt that it was not their business at all, I gave the girl one more matinee, like I said before, to keep the peace, and the board happy.  So, the other actors stayed, and the girl's last matinee is this afternoon. Whooo..what a ride this has been. Thank you again everyone for your advice!