Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Committment Issues

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AnnetteLogue
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Joined: 2/28/10
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Posts: 27

Topic: Committment Issues
Posted: 2/28/10 at 11:32am

Our community theatre is very new. We actually are doing our first play in June. Since I am the only one on the Board with theatre experience, I got the task of directing the show. I directed in College and for established community theatre where people were very motivated either by grades or previous performances.

My problem:

1. Play is original, written as a historical drama about our community. Therefore, no one knows anything about it and it has no track record.

2. Many of the cast members have issues with coming to rehearsal on time or at all, with last minute calls to my cell phone or no call at all. I really have no actor pool to pull from as many, other than elementary school plays, have NO experience. I'm still trying to cast/re-cast this show because of the committment issues from the cast. It is all volunteer and relatively no experience.

Any suggestions on how to motivate the novices who have basically not ever heard the applause or felt great after a performance?

Annette Logue
McIntosh Theatre Arts Company
Darien, Georgia

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DWolfman
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Posted: 3/02/10 at 4:53pm

The history of Darien!

From the original inhabitants to the Scots Highlanders,

to the timber, fishing, shrimping, and seaport days,

through the lovely marshes

(including the bloody one down the road)

to the fantastic riverside food at

(guess I won't mention the names

but I've enjoyed them immensely)!

Wish I could help with your problem,

but it sounds like you bit off quite a chunk.

I applaud you on several levels:

Starting a theatre program, choosing an original play

to do so, one with a local historical bent,

and helming it while most of your compatriots

aren't fully aware of the problems you're dealing with.

Other than sympathy and understanding,

all I can offer is to start with small groups

who have given you their best times to work,

Prompt them to "own" their part and duties,

Merge the scenes into other smaller sections

then, with the last few weeks devoted to the

whole script, hopefully they will have invested

enough into the production to follow through.

In short, you have to make the job their own,

with all the responsiblities therein.

All the best,

-DW-

Even a man who is pure of heart...

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JoeMc
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Joined: 3/13/06
Location: Australia
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Posted: 3/02/10 at 11:57pm

This may help?

"To aproach the stranger
is to invite the unexpected.
release a new force
& let the genie out of the bottle.
is to start a new train of events,
beyond your control.
{(T S Eliot) The Cocktail party}

Have an open mind so you can acept a creative acident,
as a closed mind can't.
It's not aptitude but attitude that you should be seeking to bring about sucess in this game.

Edited by JoeMc - 3/02/10 at 11:58pm

[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

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AnnetteLogue
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Posted: 3/03/10 at 11:24am

Yes, the history is rich...for our first production..we have narrowed it down to a show called Tabby Walls and Bottle Trees which centers around the Fort, Lachlan McIntosh including the duel with Button Gwinnett and Fanny Kemble Butler and the Butler Plantation. We are including performances by the GA Geechee Gullah shouters who many members are descendents of the slaves at Butler Plantation. I am hoping it will all come together.

Thank goodness I have a dedicated Board behind me. We have worked hard to create this organization and actually get this done. It has taken us over a year and half just to raise money. Now we are looking for the future!

The seafood here is wonderful! Always fresh off the boats and cooked to perfection in most restaurants around here.

Ya'll just say a prayer for the fool in Darien who is chewing this huge chunk as fast as she can!

Annette Logue
McIntosh Theatre Arts Company
Darien, Georgia

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jayzehr
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Location: United States
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Posted: 3/05/10 at 8:27pm

What you have to do is say "no" when people ask to miss rehearsal. It might be too late for this show but remember in the future that once you give in to the first request, suddenly everybody has something they have to get out of rehearsal for.

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Kathy S
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Joined: 8/21/04
Location: United States
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Posted: 4/02/10 at 12:02pm

I want to hear more about this as it comes along...
Annette, have you been involved in the Swamp Gravy group in GA?

Oh, and Joe, I love love love the quote about letting the genie out of the bottle! Thanks for reminding us! Love you!

Edited by Kathy S - 4/02/10 at 12:03pm

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AnnetteLogue
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Posted: 4/07/10 at 10:28pm

Kathy,

I have not been involved with the Swamp Gravy group, but we are sort of modeling our group after theirs. It is our goal to have a group that can bring people by just the theatre we create. Bit lofty I suppose, but it's fun all the same. Rehearsals are getting better. Tuesday and Wednesday nights are now a dream with all parts cast and people actually showing up. Thursday nights which is a big chunk of Act 1, I would gladly shove that to the waste basket and only do Act 2...but we can only hope, huh? I'm now reading scripts for the next production due probably in September and then one original McIntosh Humbug for Christmas. I think I've lost my marbles....anyone seen them?

Annette Logue
McIntosh Theatre Arts Company
Darien, Georgia

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AnnetteLogue
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Posted: 6/10/10 at 9:44pm

Well, chewed, chawed or gulped...tomorrow is opening night....I can only hope we are ready...we had a few snafus tonight for the last run-through. The main character walked out of graduation two weeks ago...and bailed. We added a new 11 year old who is awesome..thank goodness.

With a 60 plus cast, which includes walk-ons, I didn't do a makeup or dress rehearsal tonight. We did that last week.

Anyway. If you guys would like to see the pictures and are on facebook, here is the page....

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/McIntosh-Theatre-Arts-Company/148424874506

Annette Logue
McIntosh Theatre Arts Company
Darien, Georgia

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Directing
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Directing

Author	Message
AnnetteLogue Player Joined: 2/28/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 27	Topic: Committment Issues Posted: 2/28/10 at 11:32am
	Our community theatre is very new. We actually are doing our first play in June. Since I am the only one on the Board with theatre experience, I got the task of directing the show. I directed in College and for established community theatre where people were very motivated either by grades or previous performances. My problem: 1. Play is original, written as a historical drama about our community. Therefore, no one knows anything about it and it has no track record. 2. Many of the cast members have issues with coming to rehearsal on time or at all, with last minute calls to my cell phone or no call at all. I really have no actor pool to pull from as many, other than elementary school plays, have NO experience. I'm still trying to cast/re-cast this show because of the committment issues from the cast. It is all volunteer and relatively no experience. Any suggestions on how to motivate the novices who have basically not ever heard the applause or felt great after a performance?
	Annette Logue McIntosh Theatre Arts Company Darien, Georgia

	IP Logged

DWolfman Celebrity Joined: 7/07/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 134	Posted: 3/02/10 at 4:53pm
	The history of Darien! From the original inhabitants to the Scots Highlanders, to the timber, fishing, shrimping, and seaport days, through the lovely marshes (including the bloody one down the road) to the fantastic riverside food at (guess I won't mention the names but I've enjoyed them immensely)! Wish I could help with your problem, but it sounds like you bit off quite a chunk. I applaud you on several levels: Starting a theatre program, choosing an original play to do so, one with a local historical bent, and helming it while most of your compatriots aren't fully aware of the problems you're dealing with. Other than sympathy and understanding, all I can offer is to start with small groups who have given you their best times to work, Prompt them to "own" their part and duties, Merge the scenes into other smaller sections then, with the last few weeks devoted to the whole script, hopefully they will have invested enough into the production to follow through. In short, you have to make the job their own, with all the responsiblities therein. All the best, *-DW-*
	Even a man who is pure of heart...
	IP Logged

JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 3/02/10 at 11:57pm
	This may help? "To aproach the stranger is to invite the unexpected. release a new force & let the genie out of the bottle. is to start a new train of events, beyond your control. {(T S Eliot) The Cocktail party} Have an open mind so you can acept a creative acident, as a closed mind can't. It's not aptitude but attitude that you should be seeking to bring about sucess in this game. Edited by JoeMc - 3/02/10 at 11:58pm
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

AnnetteLogue Player Joined: 2/28/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 27	Posted: 3/03/10 at 11:24am
	Yes, the history is rich...for our first production..we have narrowed it down to a show called Tabby Walls and Bottle Trees which centers around the Fort, Lachlan McIntosh including the duel with Button Gwinnett and Fanny Kemble Butler and the Butler Plantation. We are including performances by the GA Geechee Gullah shouters who many members are descendents of the slaves at Butler Plantation. I am hoping it will all come together. Thank goodness I have a dedicated Board behind me. We have worked hard to create this organization and actually get this done. It has taken us over a year and half just to raise money. Now we are looking for the future! The seafood here is wonderful! Always fresh off the boats and cooked to perfection in most restaurants around here. Ya'll just say a prayer for the fool in Darien who is chewing this huge chunk as fast as she can!
	Annette Logue McIntosh Theatre Arts Company Darien, Georgia
	IP Logged

jayzehr Celebrity Joined: 8/11/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 537	Posted: 3/05/10 at 8:27pm
	What you have to do is say "no" when people ask to miss rehearsal. It might be too late for this show but remember in the future that once you give in to the first request, suddenly everybody has something they have to get out of rehearsal for.
	IP Logged

Kathy S Celebrity Joined: 8/21/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 303	Posted: 4/02/10 at 12:02pm
	I want to hear more about this as it comes along... Annette, have you been involved in the Swamp Gravy group in GA? Oh, and Joe, I love love love the quote about letting the genie out of the bottle! Thanks for reminding us! Love you! Edited by Kathy S - 4/02/10 at 12:03pm
	IP Logged

AnnetteLogue Player Joined: 2/28/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 27	Posted: 4/07/10 at 10:28pm
	Kathy, I have not been involved with the Swamp Gravy group, but we are sort of modeling our group after theirs. It is our goal to have a group that can bring people by just the theatre we create. Bit lofty I suppose, but it's fun all the same. Rehearsals are getting better. Tuesday and Wednesday nights are now a dream with all parts cast and people actually showing up. Thursday nights which is a big chunk of Act 1, I would gladly shove that to the waste basket and only do Act 2...but we can only hope, huh? I'm now reading scripts for the next production due probably in September and then one original McIntosh Humbug for Christmas. I think I've lost my marbles....anyone seen them? A
	Annette Logue McIntosh Theatre Arts Company Darien, Georgia
	IP Logged

AnnetteLogue Player Joined: 2/28/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 27	Posted: 6/10/10 at 9:44pm
	Well, chewed, chawed or gulped...tomorrow is opening night....I can only hope we are ready...we had a few snafus tonight for the last run-through. The main character walked out of graduation two weeks ago...and bailed. We added a new 11 year old who is awesome..thank goodness. With a 60 plus cast, which includes walk-ons, I didn't do a makeup or dress rehearsal tonight. We did that last week. Anyway. If you guys would like to see the pictures and are on facebook, here is the page.... http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/McIntosh-Theatre-Arts-Company/148424874506
	Annette Logue McIntosh Theatre Arts Company Darien, Georgia
	IP Logged

Topic: Committment Issues( Topic Closed)