Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Hopeful Actress

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   I'm a newbie here!  I hope that all of you can help me with some of my questions.  I've been in Theater for about four years but I need all the help I can get from you all.
People have told me that when you are acting in a play, the cast and crew kind of become your family.  But recently, I was in a play where the cast was always bickering and the crew had no idea what to do during Tech Week!  I tried my best to help everyone reconcilliate, but it was to no avail.  The play brought a huge audience, but by the second act, most of them had left.  We had so many problems backstage and some of the actors forgot their cues and lines.  By the end of it all, people were still blaming each other for the most petty things.  Doesn't the cast and crew need to work together in order to have a successful play?  What should I do if that happens again?  Should I not do anything at all?

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glinda90 Walk-On Joined: 11/03/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Hopeful Actress Posted: 11/04/05 at 5:38pm
	I'm a newbie here! I hope that all of you can help me with some of my questions. I've been in Theater for about four years but I need all the help I can get from you all. People have told me that when you are acting in a play, the cast and crew kind of become your family. But recently, I was in a play where the cast was always bickering and the crew had no idea what to do during Tech Week! I tried my best to help everyone reconcilliate, but it was to no avail. The play brought a huge audience, but by the second act, most of them had left. We had so many problems backstage and some of the actors forgot their cues and lines. By the end of it all, people were still blaming each other for the most petty things. Doesn't the cast and crew need to work together in order to have a successful play? What should I do if that happens again? Should I not do anything at all?

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castMe Celebrity Joined: 11/02/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 206	Posted: 11/04/05 at 6:17pm
	Hmmm. Sounds ugly. As a director, I usually lay the blame at the director's feet for everything. Actor didn't learn his lines? Why didn't the director have the stage manager work with him or ask him to come earlier or stay later? Tech crew clueless? Where is the director's guidance? People bickering backstage? Did this begin after the show opened or was it obvious during rehearsals that there would be clashes? Again, where is the director? Put people (gently) in their places, educate, cajole, kiss butt, whatever it takes. It sounds harsh to blame Mr. or Ms. Director for everything, but who the heck is in charge here? All attitudes whether in the theater or the workplace always begin at the top. I guess, Glinda, I have no real answers concerning what you should do in the future except figure out if you believe the director could have solved any of the show's problems and if yes, don't audition for that director again.
	Investigate. Imagine. Choose.
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Gaafa Celebrity Joined: 3/21/04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 1181	Posted: 11/05/05 at 12:01am
	Unfortunately Glinda there possibly is not a lot you can do, being a cast member, as ?Castme? suggests! It sounds like the Director &/or SM should go back to learn the actual basics, which they obviously missed out on! I know if I was in the theatre group, I would be pushing the powers of the Committee or Board members, to think it out again! Obviously there is serious problems with the sausage machine - quality product is going in one end & turning out crap at the other. Which is proved by the good houses & there evacuation before the final rag falls. Unfortunately the BOS?s will blame the theatre as a whole, as they will not be interested or even get to know what the problems were all about. Chances are this will reflect on the theatre & they have lost a lot of future punters, through these morons &/or even a simple lack of communications. For the punters it is a bit like putting a coin in a milk vending machine, until one day the milk is sour, too late they will avoid that machine, like the plague from then on, no matter what the vending company says or does to rectify it! Joe ________
	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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Guests Guest	Posted: 11/06/05 at 8:02pm
	Glinda--Wow! What an experience you had. I'm so sorry. I'm glad you know that it isn't like this always in theatre--usually there is that cast bonding (that drives me nuts, but, as you have learned, is so necessary for the action onstage). Generally, the crew doesn't feel "a part" of the show, because they usually come in way too late to experience the bonding. A good director will require them to come as early as possible to help them feel a part of the show as well as to help them learn the show before the fireworks of Tech Week start. Now, for a confession. My very first play I directed had the same problems. And who gets the blame? Me. I was the director. I will validate what CastMe has stated. I was the one who didn't handle the problems in the cast during the rehearsal period and let them know that it was permissable not to work as a team. Because of the cast problems, we were behind when we got to Tech Week. We barely got through all three performances. Hmm--what you wish you knew when you first started. I hope that this one incident is not going to cause you to quit theatre altogether--just be a little more picky where you go.
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