Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Board vs. director

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June Bug
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Topic: Board vs. director
Posted: 9/13/10 at 5:25pm

Non-profit community theater is producing "Lost In Yonkers". Five board members and producer was at the auditions and disagree with the directors choice of cast. The subject has not been brought up as yet. Has anyone ever faced this situation?

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jayzehr
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Posted: 9/13/10 at 8:54pm

Never had that experience as a director or board member.

I can say that as a director my response would probably be something like: "Whatever you want is fine with me, but if I don't get to choose the cast one of you can direct the play."

Edited by jayzehr - 9/13/10 at 8:54pm

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JoeMc
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Posted: 9/13/10 at 11:32pm

I agree with Jay I'd be advising them 'to drop on thier heads'!

To me 'auditions by commitee' are as usefull as 'boobs on a bull' & I have never seen any good outcomes that come from them.

Your the skipper the ultimate decission is yours to make, however be open to any input & take it on board, be it positive or negative. Remembering that in order to create a workable circuit, you can have as many positives as you like, but there must be at least one negative for it to work & turn the light on.

{[in actuality current flows from negative to positve, inverse to that of the normaly acepted convention of being from positive to negative] But as most techies will know it is actualy only a 'simulated manifestation Of Known Emf [volts]' (S.M.O.K.E)}

Edited by JoeMc - 9/13/10 at 11:43pm

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

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pdavis69
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Posted: 9/15/10 at 1:36pm

Unless you plan to replace the director, I would suggest letting the subject drop. Your posting sounds like the five board members and producer were at the auditions but not part of the casting decision. If that is the case their input as Joe so ellegently put it are "as usefull as 'boobs on a bull' ". The board needs to support the director and his/her choices and trust he/she has a plan.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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edh915
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Posted: 9/15/10 at 4:04pm

I assume your group's board chose the director. Now the director gets to choose the cast. Unless you can find some inappropriate behavior on the part of the director, your board needs to "suck it up" and abide by their director's choices. I mean, there can only be one director, n'est-ce pas?

Our group did "A Streetcar Named Desire" a few years ago. The director cast his girlfriend-of-the-moment as Blanche. Eyebrows were raised, but board members said nothing. Highly regarded local actresses were overlooked by this director. Ultimately, although the actress didn't "ruin" the production by her presence, the board felt that she did diminish the final result. Box office was fairly successful, so money wasn't an issue with the board. But we did decide that that would be the last show he would direct for our group - mainly because he was so obviously willing to put the welfare of the production second to his own (forgive the term) desires.

While we didn't like what he did, we stood by his right to do it. We simply took steps afterward not to allow him to do it to us again.

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vickifrank
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Posted: 9/15/10 at 5:46pm

It seems to me that what the board really disagrees with is the choice of the director as director. If you don't trust the guy why did the board choose him? So if the answer is that you do trust him, then support his choices. If you later hate the product of those casting choices, then don't pick him as director. If the answer is that you don't trust him...hmmm...too late now unless he casts strippers and forces the costume director to clothe them so or similar.

_____________

http://www.studio-productions-inc.com
1-800-359-2964

The theater scrim people

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jayzehr
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Posted: 9/15/10 at 6:02pm

And if you do keep the director and the cast he/she chose (which seems like the only realistic option) you need to do your best to keep the board's doubts from the cast because that could cause a real mess.

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KEB54
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Posted: 9/16/10 at 1:49am

Why were there five board members and a producer at auditions anyway?

KEB

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June Bug
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Posted: 9/16/10 at 4:28pm

Thank you all for your input. I guess it is 'suck it up time' and hope for the best.

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TZine
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Posted: 9/20/10 at 9:15pm

This could be an opportunity for your board to come up with some specific, in-writing guidelines about what kind of input they are allowed to have in the production of a show, and what is completely left to the director's discretion.

Personally, I'd say the board members need to butt out. But others might disagree. It's important to lay out those things in writing, and make sure both the board and the director agree on it when the contracts are signed. That way, if there are any issues, there is already a method and process in place to deal with them quickly and cleanly.

Things can go fine for a long time, but all it takes is a single tiny personality conflict to wreak havoc on a production, and harm your theatre's financial stability and reputation.

TheatreZine:Theatre news for busy people.

A free triweekly e-mail newsletter with the latest, most important theatre news. Subscribe. Stay in the loop.

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Author	Message
June Bug Walk-On Joined: 9/13/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Board vs. director Posted: 9/13/10 at 5:25pm
	Non-profit community theater is producing "Lost In Yonkers". Five board members and producer was at the auditions and disagree with the directors choice of cast. The subject has not been brought up as yet. Has anyone ever faced this situation?

	IP Logged

jayzehr Celebrity Joined: 8/11/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 537	Posted: 9/13/10 at 8:54pm
	Never had that experience as a director or board member. I can say that as a director my response would probably be something like: "Whatever you want is fine with me, but if I don't get to choose the cast one of you can direct the play." Edited by jayzehr - 9/13/10 at 8:54pm
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JoeMc Celebrity Joined: 3/13/06 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 832	Posted: 9/13/10 at 11:32pm
	I agree with Jay I'd be advising them 'to drop on thier heads'! To me 'auditions by commitee' are as usefull as 'boobs on a bull' & I have never seen any good outcomes that come from them. Your the skipper the ultimate decission is yours to make, however be open to any input & take it on board, be it positive or negative. Remembering that in order to create a workable circuit, you can have as many positives as you like, but there must be at least one negative for it to work & turn the light on. {[in actuality current flows from negative to positve, inverse to that of the normaly acepted convention of being from positive to negative] But as most techies will know it is actualy only a 'simulated manifestation Of Known Emf [volts]' (S.M.O.K.E)} Edited by JoeMc - 9/13/10 at 11:43pm
	[western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!}
	IP Logged

pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 9/15/10 at 1:36pm
	Unless you plan to replace the director, I would suggest letting the subject drop. Your posting sounds like the five board members and producer were at the auditions but not part of the casting decision. If that is the case their input as Joe so ellegently put it are "as usefull as 'boobs on a bull' ". The board needs to support the director and his/her choices and trust he/she has a plan.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
	IP Logged

edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 9/15/10 at 4:04pm
	I assume your group's board chose the director. Now the director gets to choose the cast. Unless you can find some inappropriate behavior on the part of the director, your board needs to "suck it up" and abide by their director's choices. I mean, there can only be one director, n'est-ce pas? Our group did "A Streetcar Named Desire" a few years ago. The director cast his girlfriend-of-the-moment as Blanche. Eyebrows were raised, but board members said nothing. Highly regarded local actresses were overlooked by this director. Ultimately, although the actress didn't "ruin" the production by her presence, the board felt that she did diminish the final result. Box office was fairly successful, so money wasn't an issue with the board. But we did decide that that would be the last show he would direct for our group - mainly because he was so obviously willing to put the welfare of the production second to his own (forgive the term) desires. While we didn't like what he did, we stood by his right to do it. We simply took steps afterward not to allow him to do it to us again.
	IP Logged

vickifrank Celebrity Joined: 9/21/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 332	Posted: 9/15/10 at 5:46pm
	It seems to me that what the board really disagrees with is the choice of the director as director. If you don't trust the guy why did the board choose him? So if the answer is that you do trust him, then support his choices. If you later hate the product of those casting choices, then don't pick him as director. If the answer is that you don't trust him...hmmm...too late now unless he casts strippers and forces the costume director to clothe them so or similar.
	_____________ http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people
	IP Logged

jayzehr Celebrity Joined: 8/11/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 537	Posted: 9/15/10 at 6:02pm
	And if you do keep the director and the cast he/she chose (which seems like the only realistic option) you need to do your best to keep the board's doubts from the cast because that could cause a real mess.
	IP Logged

KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 9/16/10 at 1:49am
	Why were there five board members and a producer at auditions anyway?
	KEB
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June Bug Walk-On Joined: 9/13/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 9/16/10 at 4:28pm
	Thank you all for your input. I guess it is 'suck it up time' and hope for the best.
	IP Logged

TZine Player Joined: 9/17/10 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 11	Posted: 9/20/10 at 9:15pm
	This could be an opportunity for your board to come up with some specific, in-writing guidelines about what kind of input they are allowed to have in the production of a show, and what is completely left to the director's discretion. Personally, I'd say the board members need to butt out. But others might disagree. It's important to lay out those things in writing, and make sure both the board and the director agree on it when the contracts are signed. That way, if there are any issues, there is already a method and process in place to deal with them quickly and cleanly. Things can go fine for a long time, but all it takes is a single tiny personality conflict to wreak havoc on a production, and harm your theatre's financial stability and reputation.
	TheatreZine:Theatre news for busy people. A free triweekly e-mail newsletter with the latest, most important theatre news. Subscribe. Stay in the loop. http://theatrezine.
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