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mrslifeofreilly
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bullet Topic: 1st time director needs advice
    Posted: 9/15/06 at 1:51pm
I'm directing the Importance of Being Earnest.  We are holding auditions this Monday and Tuesday (Sept.18 & 19)...and then I have 4 weeks before we open on Oct. 24th.  It is tough enough, I think, to take on directing for the first time, but 4 weeks seems so short to me! 

When is it feasible to ask the actor's to be off-book?  When should I finish blocking by?  Any other advice?  Thank you!
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bullet Posted: 9/15/06 at 2:14pm

First of all, congratulations on your first directing gig!  All I can say is: Get yourself a seasoned stage manager.  They are worth their weight in gold and will be able to help you over the many hurdles to come.

As for your scheduling questions, much is dependent on your actor's schedules as well as your own personal preferences.

Four weeks is fairly typical for a straight play (non-musical) and it CAN be done!

Whenever I direct, I prefer to get the rough blocking done right away, usually after three or four rehearsals.  This gives you about a week-and-a-half to rehearse scenes, beats and business individually, refining the blocking as you go.

By the end of this process, (end of 2nd week) I  prefer my actors to be off-book.  (Some actors choose to do it ahead of time, but I don't require it.)  Unless it's a scene that requires a great deal of physical business -- a fight, a dance, the handling of many props, etc -- then I prefer them off book sooner for that specific scene.  This gives us then our entire third week to rehearse scenes off book.  (Of course, this happens only in a perfect world.  Actors are typically still calling for lines well into Week 3).

This Week 2/Week 3 is fairly flexible, but as we approach Week 4 we begin to incorporate costumes, ACTUAL props (instead of rehearsal ones) and before you know it, we're into Tech Week (Week 4) where we're dealing with lights, costume changes, set changes, etc. while trying to run the play from top to bottom without stopping.  (Actors DEFINITELY must be off book and forbidden to call for lines by this point).

The trick is to tell your actors you want them to be off-book by a certain date (and make that a date earlier than you really expect).  Actors love to have goals to shoot for and it gives you one less thing to worry about.

Best of luck to you!

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
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castMe
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bullet Posted: 9/15/06 at 5:45pm
FOUR weeks?  Zowee, are you rehearsing five nights a week?  We typically have eight weeks of rehearsal including tech week and rehearse twice a week except for the first week when I add a rehearsal so I can block the show in three rehearsals and we can get into the meat of the play.  I always rough block before we get into the space so I can work out the more delicate moves without taking up valuable rehearsal time. I like to have the cast off book after four weeks so the last three (before tech when I'm otherwise occupied) we can concentrate on acting.  For some reason, its practically impossible to act with a script in your hand. 

I did want to echo Topper's suggestion re: stage manager.  Find a good one.  When you get a chance, find yourself a copy of Stage Management by Lawrence Stern.  This is a college level book and is great.  I have trained five or six stage managers with this book and have found it to be invaluable. I often get people who have expressed a desire to learn directing and offer to train them as SM's.  That way, I tell them, when you do direct, you'll be able to train anyone to SM the way you want them to. 



I have made the mistake in the past of not giving an "off-book" date and the actors take advantage by being lazy with their scripts.  Topper is right....make the date earlier than you think possible and push them (gently, gently) to meet it.


Good luck with your show and keep us up to date.  There are many bunburryists that visit here.
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eveharrington
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bullet Posted: 9/16/06 at 2:21am
Four weeks seems short, the groups I have worked with have always done about eight weeks from auditions to opening night. I agree w/ Topper that you should give them an early off-book date, then just let them call for lines for a day or two (enter stage manager). Just remember to hold firm once you've told them they can't call anymore. It's amazing what a minute or so of blank panic with no help forthcoming from the seats, can do for a persons memorization skills.
"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."
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Linda S
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bullet Posted: 9/16/06 at 9:57am

I also agree that 4 weeks is short, but like Topper says it can be done. I like to have 20-25 rehearsals, so if you can get your cast together every night and they work on their lines constantly, you'll be fine. There is a lot of language and a lot of playing with language, so it will intense. I agree with Topper, at the end of the second week they should be off book. They probably won't be totally off book until the middle of the next week, but don't tell them that. It will be a very full 4 weeks. Have fun with it.

Linda

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bullet Posted: 9/16/06 at 2:44pm

Four weeks is doable but manic.    We do 7 - 8 weeks for our shows.  Part of our problem is depending on where in the season the show is we might only have four weeks to get a set built.   We're lucky enough to have our own space and have a rehearsal room at our disposal.  While one show is in production the other can be rehearsing.  The 2nd and 4th show of the season though always has a shorter build window which oddly enough hasn't stopped us from doing some of our more elaborate sets.

Good luck with your first directing foray!

 

BD

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tristanrobin
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bullet Posted: 9/16/06 at 10:04pm
I'm used to 7-8 weeks for a straight play (12 for a musical). However, we
don't rehearse every evening - and never on weekends until hell week. I like
to plan on about 25 rehearsals. I suppose if you rehearsed every evening for
a month, it would be the same thing (though I don't when they'd be able to
work on lines if they're in the theatre every night). Personally, in my area, I
could never get amateurs to pledge every night for a month.
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mrslifeofreilly
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bullet Posted: 9/17/06 at 10:51am
Thanks everyone for your replies!  There might be an opportunity for me to push opening back around 2 weeks, so I hope that works out.  Auditions start tomorrow night, and I've got my fingers crossed.  I'll be back to this forum with updates (and probably more questions).
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bullet Posted: 9/18/06 at 10:03am

Originally posted by castMe

I have made the mistake in the past of not giving an "off-book" date and the actors take advantage by being lazy with their scripts.  Topper is right....make the date earlier than you think possible and push them (gently, gently) to meet it.

I agree with all this advice.  As an actor, I tend to put down the book just as soon as the director shoots it out of my hand.  I wouldn't call it laziness (of course, I wouldn't!), it's a security blanket.  I don't need it . . . not really . . .  but it's nice to know it's there.  Also, it is a little known fact that if a script is carried in the back pocket, the lines can actually penetrate directly into the butt and reach the actor's brain (not always a lengthy trip).    So you might let them CARRY scripts for a bit without LOOKING at them.

Good luck at auditions, and if you need a Reverend, I come cheap.

POB
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bullet Posted: 9/18/06 at 3:54pm
4 weeks is ample time to put up a show. I did a summer of stock where we opened...7 shows in 6 weeks. and these were not small shows Noises off, Phantom, south Pacific, Arsnic and old lace, Not Now Darling, Nunsense and a childrens show. so I am sure you can get your show up. Somehow the show always opens on time...don't ask how it is the magic of theatre
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