I have a general advice question. Let me give a litttle background info.

I am the Tech director at my  local high school. I, of course, work with the crew. Only at the end do I ever see the cast. The director also teaches a "theater Arts" class. The problem is none of the acotrs (or the class) are being taught any respect for the stage. I find costumes thrown all over, my prop loft..oh my god! (yes, I do see it as mine) I end up having MY crew clean before and after every show we do, only so we can work ourselves. Numerous props we have made have been destroyed and had to be remade. I have JUST enough time to build them once, let alone two or three times. This stems from the teacher/director apparently not having the respect for the stage either, so it is not being passed on to the kids.

I do have others "in my corner" I am just looking for abit of advice or comments. Any ideas on what I can do? Yes, we've talked to the teacher, yes we've talked to the "powers that be"  about the problem. We've even dumped the whole mess that was left on the stage in her lap...which she just left alone, yep, just ignored it. It is "ok" for a day or two, then back to the same old problem. Frustrations are high, solutions seem to be at a low.

The postions for Director and TD are not voluntary, but close to it. HARD to get rid of someone who needs to be gone.

Thanks for any advice.

Aimee

First of all, stop coddling these monsters.

If a prop or costume gets lost or ruined, stop
knocking yourself out to replace it. Next time they
need that piece, it won't be there for them. This will
be the perfect time for you to lay down the ground
rules.

If the teacher doesn't care about the quality of the
production, then shift the responsibility onto the
students.

I would also immediately post a large sign (or
several) in prominent locations stating exactly what
is the responsibility of cast and crew.
"If you break it, you bought it" sort of thing.

A helpful "I'm not your mother so I don't clean up after
you" would also be useful.

Best of luck to you.

have you tried charging money for costume pieces that get ruined or lost, this is on a similar vein to the other posts here, but this idea works pretty well, especially if you cna find someone who is a total bitch to implement this plan.

I agree with Joan!
You should be allowed to impart your imperial theatre & stagecraft knowledge to the students, on a regular or at least an adhoc session basis.
Unfortunately I have came across this far too often, teachers who have little or no idea of this area in theatre, which is usually evident in the attitude of their students.
In most cases because the students have everything laid out & done for them, there is an illusion that it all happens because the pixies magically do it over night somehow!
I think if your were to do a quick survey of the class, it would reveal & highlight some amazing misunderstandings & of course the most common answer of "I don?t or didn?t know?".
Having grew up in the bad bot good old days, of arbitrary fines imposed by the SM! I?m with Topper, on the fact it would be almost impossible to implement. Also I feel  sure you would have some yoyo?s who have rather pay it than conform, & who have access to more money than sense, who would pay rather than conform to the rules &/or it become a badge to wear proudly!
You have the opportunity, if the class teacher can see beyond her tiny world, that having you run stagecraft sessions will assist her greatly & be a fantastic grounding for the students.
Mind you this situation is not exclusive to the kids, a lot of community theatre bods, can do with a bit of theatre & stagecraft sessions occasionally also.
I was very annexed after running stagecraft for sometime through out the state. A distinct lack of misguided conception of theatre & stagecraft. On the part of those that had being do it for so long! What I found generally was they had followed blindly home grown ideas & mythical rules. That had become the groups creed, set in concrete, over a number of years, as being the only way to do it!
So jump in Aimee & enlighten them from day one!  
 
 

Your school is lucky that you care, Aimee!  When I volunteered costumes from our community theatre to the Middle School for their Xmas show last year NONE of the teachers involved gave a 'you know what'.  Costumes were thrown all over and trod upon, the latex elf 'ears' were lost (or stolen) and the teacher in charge of costumes would take NO responsibility at all.  She left the mess backstage and the custodians tossed out everything that was on the floor!

I went to the Principal and forced him to dry clean the costumes and replace the ears and other items lost.  Never got an apology from the teacher in charge.

What to do this year as the school is doing the Music Man, Jr. and our theatre has tons of appropriate costumes and props.  Part of our mandate is helping out the school drama departments.  Also, my son will be playing the lead.  I may force them to accept me as costumer or SM.

Do you have any parents of the cast that would help you?