Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Ideas for Directors gift?

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MoonlightFlame
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Joined: 7/25/05
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Topic: Ideas for Directors gift?
Posted: 7/25/05 at 4:32pm

Hey everyone, I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas for a directors gift?

I am stage managing a play and we close next saturday, but I have yet to get something for the director. She has kinda taken me on as an 'adoptive daughter'...So I want it to be something special, but I have a serious lack of ideas. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Ashlie

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Topper
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Joined: 1/27/05
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Posted: 7/25/05 at 8:14pm

Something autographed by the entire cast is always
a nice memento. Sometimes a framed show poster
will do. Once we all chipped in and bought one of
those canvas-back director's chairs and everyone
signed it with magic markers.

Sometimes a prop, costume piece or useful item
from the show itself is signed. For example: a
waiter's serving tray from "Hello Dolly."

Choose something that represents a theme from
your production, or perhaps an inside joke. One
show I was in had several characters mention a
garden gnome that was never seen onstage. For
closing night, we purchased an actual garden
gnome and the entire cast autographed it,
presenting it to the director.

Best wishes.

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

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Linda S
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Posted: 7/25/05 at 9:49pm

I have been directing for 30 years. I have received many wonderful gifts. The one that stands out in my mind is the rose bush. Every year when it blooms it reminds me of the wonderful time had with the cast and crew of that show. Just a thought.

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slicksister
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Posted: 7/29/05 at 9:51pm

One winter while directing a show I wore a pin on the lapel of my coat that said, " I am the pink flamingo on the great lawn of life" Several people commented on it but I never really gave it much thought. It was just a reflection of my attitude at the time. LOL! One day during Hell week things were heading down the tubes very quickly. Going from bad to worse in the sense that everybody seemed to be minding everyone else's business, if you know what I mean. Anyhow.. I finally said, " OK, look people I am the pink flamingo and you guys are just the lawn so straighten up." That got a huge laugh and we had a great rehearsal from that point on. I basically forgot about it but for my directors gift they gave me a stuffed pink flamingo sintting on a box covered with that green astro turfy stuff. She still sits proudly on the shelf in my studio!

The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

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MoonlightFlame
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Posted: 8/01/05 at 12:15am

Here is what I endedup doing...

Since there are only 2 in the cast....and the one director....

I bought pots and painted them black, and then decopauged (sp?) photo's of their performances to them and then planted aloe vera in the pots.

Also, for the director (she LOVES elephants) I got a sliver elephant bracelet.

Ashlie

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Juliet
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Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:23am

Get something for her that you might have an inside joke about. For instance, one night my director gave me a ride home. On the way home, we spotted this dog walking around with a broken rope attached to its collar. It was pretty late so we got woried...by about midnight we were at the local animal shelter turning the dog in. so for her gift, I gave her a little plush puppy, which she loved.

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Juliet
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Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:24am

oh, sorry, i duidn't know that you reposted what you did...rats.

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Kathy S
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Posted: 8/22/05 at 11:47pm

This is too late to help the original post-er, but here is what we did recently for our director: we have a fabulous photographer who comes to a dress rehearsal and takes lots of pictures and then presents us with a CD with all the photos. We took the best group shot and had it made into an 8" x 10" and put it in a silver frame engraved with the play title and year for the director. Everybody really liked it.

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The Mikado
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Posted: 9/08/05 at 1:55pm

All I can say is when I directed "Superstar," my first musical, the cast got me an original poster from the first run in London and mounted it.

Along with the autographs of Webber and Rice!!

For "Foreigner," they got us mugs with the cast/crew photo on one side and the poster on the other. That was really nice, too.

A lot of times, having the show's poster mounted and the cast signing the border/mat is really appreciated.

The Mikado, et al.

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falstaff29
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Posted: 9/08/05 at 3:31pm

My favorite gift was a stopwatch. I was having really big issues with people pausing forever between lines in what was supposed to be a fast-paced comedy, so one night I had my stage manager start reading actors' lines if it took them more than 2 seconds. After a couple minutes, one of the actors just walked offstage; he couldn't take it anymore. I gave everyone a couple minute break; they all came back and I didn't have a single complaint about timing again for the rest of rehearsals or the run.

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Author	Message
MoonlightFlame Player Joined: 7/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 26	Topic: Ideas for Directors gift? Posted: 7/25/05 at 4:32pm
	Hey everyone, I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas for a directors gift? I am stage managing a play and we close next saturday, but I have yet to get something for the director. She has kinda taken me on as an 'adoptive daughter'...So I want it to be something special, but I have a serious lack of ideas. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance! Ashlie

	IP Logged

Topper Celebrity Joined: 1/27/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 543	Posted: 7/25/05 at 8:14pm
	Something autographed by the entire cast is always a nice memento. Sometimes a framed show poster will do. Once we all chipped in and bought one of those canvas-back director's chairs and everyone signed it with magic markers. Sometimes a prop, costume piece or useful item from the show itself is signed. For example: a waiter's serving tray from "Hello Dolly." Choose something that represents a theme from your production, or perhaps an inside joke. One show I was in had several characters mention a garden gnome that was never seen onstage. For closing night, we purchased an actual garden gnome and the entire cast autographed it, presenting it to the director. Best wishes.
	"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
	IP Logged

Linda S Celebrity Joined: 4/16/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 312	Posted: 7/25/05 at 9:49pm
	I have been directing for 30 years. I have received many wonderful gifts. The one that stands out in my mind is the rose bush. Every year when it blooms it reminds me of the wonderful time had with the cast and crew of that show. Just a thought. L.
	IP Logged

slicksister Celebrity Joined: 3/20/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 105	Posted: 7/29/05 at 9:51pm
	One winter while directing a show I wore a pin on the lapel of my coat that said, " I am the pink flamingo on the great lawn of life" Several people commented on it but I never really gave it much thought. It was just a reflection of my attitude at the time. LOL! One day during Hell week things were heading down the tubes very quickly. Going from bad to worse in the sense that everybody seemed to be minding everyone else's business, if you know what I mean. Anyhow.. I finally said, " OK, look people I am the pink flamingo and you guys are just the lawn so straighten up." That got a huge laugh and we had a great rehearsal from that point on. I basically forgot about it but for my directors gift they gave me a stuffed pink flamingo sintting on a box covered with that green astro turfy stuff. She still sits proudly on the shelf in my studio!
	The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing
	IP Logged

MoonlightFlame Player Joined: 7/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 26	Posted: 8/01/05 at 12:15am
	Here is what I endedup doing... Since there are only 2 in the cast....and the one director.... I bought pots and painted them black, and then decopauged (sp?) photo's of their performances to them and then planted aloe vera in the pots. Also, for the director (she LOVES elephants) I got a sliver elephant bracelet. Ashlie
	IP Logged

Juliet Star Joined: 8/26/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 73	Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:23am
	Get something for her that you might have an inside joke about. For instance, one night my director gave me a ride home. On the way home, we spotted this dog walking around with a broken rope attached to its collar. It was pretty late so we got woried...by about midnight we were at the local animal shelter turning the dog in. so for her gift, I gave her a little plush puppy, which she loved.
	IP Logged

Juliet Star Joined: 8/26/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 73	Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:24am
	oh, sorry, i duidn't know that you reposted what you did...rats.
	IP Logged

Kathy S Celebrity Joined: 8/21/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 303	Posted: 8/22/05 at 11:47pm
	This is too late to help the original post-er, but here is what we did recently for our director: we have a fabulous photographer who comes to a dress rehearsal and takes lots of pictures and then presents us with a CD with all the photos. We took the best group shot and had it made into an 8" x 10" and put it in a silver frame engraved with the play title and year for the director. Everybody really liked it.
	IP Logged

The Mikado Walk-On Joined: 9/01/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 9/08/05 at 1:55pm
	All I can say is when I directed "Superstar," my first musical, the cast got me an original poster from the first run in London and mounted it. Along with the autographs of Webber and Rice!! For "Foreigner," they got us mugs with the cast/crew photo on one side and the poster on the other. That was really nice, too. A lot of times, having the show's poster mounted and the cast signing the border/mat is really appreciated.
	The Mikado, et al.
	IP Logged

falstaff29 Celebrity Joined: 9/17/04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 155	Posted: 9/08/05 at 3:31pm
	My favorite gift was a stopwatch. I was having really big issues with people pausing forever between lines in what was supposed to be a fast-paced comedy, so one night I had my stage manager start reading actors' lines if it took them more than 2 seconds. After a couple minutes, one of the actors just walked offstage; he couldn't take it anymore. I gave everyone a couple minute break; they all came back and I didn't have a single complaint about timing again for the rest of rehearsals or the run.
	IP Logged