Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Changes...Changes and MORE changes

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Gaafa
Celebrity

Joined: 3/21/04
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1181

Posted: 9/12/05 at 12:50am

SMIT that?s much easier!
Which also is far superior & much nicer than being known, as just a Tech In Training!
To attempt to answer your last question.
If you notice nearly all the stories, told by a Tech. Have him/her as the ?Super Tech? who went to the rescue & saves the show single handedly. Also they will only share the credit with other Techs, if they are in attendance!
Mainly because they are very shy & reserved!
They are just little black ducks are quietly moving on the pond, when all the Swans are flouncing & flapping about but getting no where. While all the time, the black ducks little legs are going hammer ?n tongs, at 10 to the dozen & achieving, without any fuss!

Joe
Western Gondawandaland
turn right @ Perth.
Hear the light & see the sound.
Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"}
May you always play
to a full house}

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MoonlightFlame
Player
Player

Joined: 7/25/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 26

Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:30am

I usually don't end up being super techie...I am usually the one flubbing up...hahaha....not that it happens THAT often...but I have had some minor things go wrong... and one big thing...

I was supposed to put this table/podium with crystals on stage and one of the actors spent a good deal of his monolouge talking about the crystals...so I had to set the podium and then take it out on stage during the run... lucky for me the actor didn't miss a beat...in fact he didn't even notice I came onstage and the camera taping the show completely missed me, hahaha.

Smit...

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WSCT
Walk-On
Walk-On

Joined: 7/02/05
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 0

Posted: 9/22/05 at 4:35pm

Dear Green Room Folks,

I feel for you MoonlightFlame and I agree with just about all of the advice you have been given. Yes your director is probably a little "green" and is doubting his or her choices (Set placement and all). Just chalk this show up as an experience-as I am sure the director will do- and take the lessons learned to your next show. Keep a positive attitude.

Now..in defense of directors-

This Job is probably one of the hardest with the most to gain and or loose but yet one which on the outside seems like a breeze. Changes do happen...new ideas, flash of inspiration, something that just didn't work...anything can create a need for changes. There does come a time however when, as a director, you have to find peace with your decisions and just let the show come to life on its own. A director will always look back on a show and see those things they would have tweeked...or made better- The trick is to let it go and that only comes with experience. Hopefull your director will have another chance to learn these things.

Phillip E. Stommel
Artistic Director
West Sacramento Community Theater

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Guests
Guest
Guest

Posted: 10/13/05 at 12:19am

I feel for you, I really do. This guy doesn't seem to care enough about the show (because anything you guys are doing can't be as good as it would have been had you had any time/sanity to rehearse it for a few weeks). He is obviously finding out he has little talent and is scared. His reaction is to keep changing until that magic moment suddenly appears to him.

I'm sure you have done quite a lot as a stage manager trying to handle this monstrosity of a director and trying to the keep the cast and crew from walking out or committing murder. In the future, please realize that the stage manager is not loyal to the director. The stage manager is loyal to the producer and/or board of directors. If you see this type of problem developing or another directorial problem, meet privately with the producer or board and let them know of the problem. In the professional theatre, the stage manager is considered the spy of the producer. Usually this part of the job extends to report designers and shops that are behind on technical deadlines, but very rarely a stage manager is forced to report a director. Should this situation, or another similar one, occur, keep specific examples in your stage management journal and report the problem. Go with the attitude that you want to preserve the integrity of the theatre as well as the show. Try to squelch the frustration you are personally feeling, because the producer needs an unbiased report.

For now, you might want to involve the producer or board and insist on them freezing the show. It's not great to go above the director's head, but sometimes you have to do it.

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Author	Message
Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 9/12/05 at 12:50am
	SMIT that?s much easier! Which also is far superior & much nicer than being known, as just a Tech In Training! To attempt to answer your last question. If you notice nearly all the stories, told by a Tech. Have him/her as the ?Super Tech? who went to the rescue & saves the show single handedly. Also they will only share the credit with other Techs, if they are in attendance! Mainly because they are very shy & reserved! They are just little black ducks are quietly moving on the pond, when all the Swans are flouncing & flapping about but getting no where. While all the time, the black ducks little legs are going hammer ?n tongs, at 10 to the dozen & achieving, without any fuss!
	Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house}
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MoonlightFlame Player Joined: 7/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 26	Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:30am
	I usually don't end up being super techie...I am usually the one flubbing up...hahaha....not that it happens THAT often...but I have had some minor things go wrong... and one big thing... I was supposed to put this table/podium with crystals on stage and one of the actors spent a good deal of his monolouge talking about the crystals...so I had to set the podium and then take it out on stage during the run... lucky for me the actor didn't miss a beat...in fact he didn't even notice I came onstage and the camera taping the show completely missed me, hahaha. Smit...
	IP Logged

WSCT Walk-On Joined: 7/02/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 9/22/05 at 4:35pm
	Dear Green Room Folks, I feel for you MoonlightFlame and I agree with just about all of the advice you have been given. Yes your director is probably a little "green" and is doubting his or her choices (Set placement and all). Just chalk this show up as an experience-as I am sure the director will do- and take the lessons learned to your next show. Keep a positive attitude. Now..in defense of directors- This Job is probably one of the hardest with the most to gain and or loose but yet one which on the outside seems like a breeze. Changes do happen...new ideas, flash of inspiration, something that just didn't work...anything can create a need for changes. There does come a time however when, as a director, you have to find peace with your decisions and just let the show come to life on its own. A director will always look back on a show and see those things they would have tweeked...or made better- The trick is to let it go and that only comes with experience. Hopefull your director will have another chance to learn these things.
	Phillip E. Stommel Artistic Director West Sacramento Community Theater
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Guests Guest	Posted: 10/13/05 at 12:19am
	I feel for you, I really do. This guy doesn't seem to care enough about the show (because anything you guys are doing can't be as good as it would have been had you had any time/sanity to rehearse it for a few weeks). He is obviously finding out he has little talent and is scared. His reaction is to keep changing until that magic moment suddenly appears to him. I'm sure you have done quite a lot as a stage manager trying to handle this monstrosity of a director and trying to the keep the cast and crew from walking out or committing murder. In the future, please realize that the stage manager is not loyal to the director. The stage manager is loyal to the producer and/or board of directors. If you see this type of problem developing or another directorial problem, meet privately with the producer or board and let them know of the problem. In the professional theatre, the stage manager is considered the spy of the producer. Usually this part of the job extends to report designers and shops that are behind on technical deadlines, but very rarely a stage manager is forced to report a director. Should this situation, or another similar one, occur, keep specific examples in your stage management journal and report the problem. Go with the attitude that you want to preserve the integrity of the theatre as well as the show. Try to squelch the frustration you are personally feeling, because the producer needs an unbiased report. For now, you might want to involve the producer or board and insist on them freezing the show. It's not great to go above the director's head, but sometimes you have to do it.
	IP Logged