Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: It may sound stupid

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sonshine
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Topic: It may sound stupid
Posted: 5/01/09 at 12:36pm

Our theater has some issues I think you can help us with. We have some actors who insist on chatting up with the audience before a play. Everyone screams at me for saying this is wrong. I don't feel that actors should do this but I wanted to ask you all opinions before developing a new policy for board approval.

Second, we also have cast members who in the past have reassigned parts. I know I should have said something but I was so shocked that this happened. These are really good workers, but who do you all deal with the varous ups and downs of community theater?

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KEB54
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Posted: 5/01/09 at 2:00pm

WHAT!?

I never heard of the actors visiting with the audience before the play unless there is a reason for it and then they are in character.

And what do you mean "cast members reassign parts"? Do you mean like, the actor playing Flelix says "Bill you play Oscar instead of Bob and Bob will play Murray"?

Is this like a club playing at theatre? It doesn't sound like a community theatre to me. Did any of them do theatre before this club started? I mean there are all types of CTs and organized in many ways, but I think one organized like this will have a hard time being sustainable.

You might want to begin by talking about Vision, Mission and Sustainability. It may be that their vision is to live for today and have some fun. Their mission may be to do things they like for their pleasure. And they may not care about sustainability. In which case, they are probably on target. But I would classify that as club, or something even less organized, ceratinly not a CT that is for the good of the community.

KEB

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Nanette
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Posted: 5/01/09 at 3:36pm

I agree w/ KEB54 regarding actors visiting w/ the audience ... once they arrive, they remain backstage until curtain unless I have told them to be in the house.

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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chelserin
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Posted: 5/02/09 at 8:15pm

I agree with the following that actors mingling with the audience before the show is not acceptable. You are creating an illusion onstage for the audience and if the cast is out saying hi to their friends in the audience before the show it ruins that.

Also, I haven't heard of actors reassigning parts either. Where is the director? I don't know any directors who would find that acceptable. That is what auditions are for, and there is a reason the director cast each person for their role.

These issues should be brought up with the board who can set guidelines for future directors/actors to abide by.

To be in the world, and of the world, and never to stand aside and watch.

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jayzehr
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Posted: 5/03/09 at 4:23am

Ditto what everyone else has said. I've never heard of actors talking to the audience before a performance. Where specifically in the theater does this go on? That just seems so strange to me that I have no idea whatsoever how I would deal with that as an actor or director. And you mean actors are deciding to change parts during a rehearsal process? Is there no director? Is it some kind of theater collective? If I was acting in a play and something like that happened I would consider it justification enough to leave the production if in fact it was happening because the show was out of control. Of course, that's just me and maybe you're not describing what I think you're describing.

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MartyW
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Posted: 5/04/09 at 8:57am

We have done many plays where "working the house" is appropritate, but for other shows, we seldom have trouble with folks "mingling" with the audinece.. exceptions to the directed interaction are that our only green room space is shared with the audience should they have to come down to use the restrooms before the show.. Most of them respect that they are intruding and try not to ruin it for themselves and go through quickly... The bigger problem is "theater freinds" who feel free to come "visit".. Not so much an issue in the green room as back stage... especially at intermission..

Marty W

"Till next we trod the boards.."

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kiwiholly
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Posted: 5/04/09 at 9:15pm

I agree with the previous comments about mingling with the audience before the show!

I HAVE seen it done in the foyer after the show within the context of pantomimes, but this is slightly different, and, IMHO, more appropriate.

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sonshine
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Posted: 5/05/09 at 12:16pm

Do we need to put this in our bylaws? It seems common sense to me/

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pdavis69
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Posted: 5/05/09 at 12:48pm

IMHO this is something which does not need to be put into by-laws. It's common practice to avoid the audience before the show. Someone from the directorial staff or the board should just make an announcement.

Where do we stop with our by-laws? (Article 3, section A, subsection 15, paragraph 32: Actors will tie their neckties using only the theatre's approved two hand widsor knot.)

Really, do we have to make everything a law?

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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eveharrington
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Posted: 5/12/09 at 3:10am

it sounds to me like you need to better establish the authority of your directors, if indeed you do have directors, and then establish a set of written directors responsibilities including casting and keeping the actors backstage between their call times and the curtain going up. It is ridiculous to me that actors would want to wander around the audience before the show and effectively sabotage all the work they have been putting into creating an illusion for the audience.

"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."

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Author	Message
sonshine Lead Joined: 3/23/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 33	Topic: It may sound stupid Posted: 5/01/09 at 12:36pm
	Our theater has some issues I think you can help us with. We have some actors who insist on chatting up with the audience before a play. Everyone screams at me for saying this is wrong. I don't feel that actors should do this but I wanted to ask you all opinions before developing a new policy for board approval. Second, we also have cast members who in the past have reassigned parts. I know I should have said something but I was so shocked that this happened. These are really good workers, but who do you all deal with the varous ups and downs of community theater?

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KEB54 Celebrity Joined: 7/24/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 227	Posted: 5/01/09 at 2:00pm
	WHAT!? I never heard of the actors visiting with the audience before the play unless there is a reason for it and then they are in character. And what do you mean "cast members reassign parts"? Do you mean like, the actor playing Flelix says "Bill you play Oscar instead of Bob and Bob will play Murray"? Is this like a club playing at theatre? It doesn't sound like a community theatre to me. Did any of them do theatre before this club started? I mean there are all types of CTs and organized in many ways, but I think one organized like this will have a hard time being sustainable. You might want to begin by talking about Vision, Mission and Sustainability. It may be that their vision is to live for today and have some fun. Their mission may be to do things they like for their pleasure. And they may not care about sustainability. In which case, they are probably on target. But I would classify that as club, or something even less organized, ceratinly not a CT that is for the good of the community.
	KEB
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Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Posted: 5/01/09 at 3:36pm
	I agree w/ KEB54 regarding actors visiting w/ the audience ... once they arrive, they remain backstage until curtain unless I have told them to be in the house.
	In a world of margarine, be butter!
	IP Logged

chelserin Lead Joined: 3/02/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 47	Posted: 5/02/09 at 8:15pm
	I agree with the following that actors mingling with the audience before the show is not acceptable. You are creating an illusion onstage for the audience and if the cast is out saying hi to their friends in the audience before the show it ruins that. Also, I haven't heard of actors reassigning parts either. Where is the director? I don't know any directors who would find that acceptable. That is what auditions are for, and there is a reason the director cast each person for their role. These issues should be brought up with the board who can set guidelines for future directors/actors to abide by.
	To be in the world, and of the world, and never to stand aside and watch.
	IP Logged

jayzehr Celebrity Joined: 8/11/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 537	Posted: 5/03/09 at 4:23am
	Ditto what everyone else has said. I've never heard of actors talking to the audience before a performance. Where specifically in the theater does this go on? That just seems so strange to me that I have no idea whatsoever how I would deal with that as an actor or director. And you mean actors are deciding to change parts during a rehearsal process? Is there no director? Is it some kind of theater collective? If I was acting in a play and something like that happened I would consider it justification enough to leave the production if in fact it was happening because the show was out of control. Of course, that's just me and maybe you're not describing what I think you're describing.
	IP Logged

MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 5/04/09 at 8:57am
	We have done many plays where "working the house" is appropritate, but for other shows, we seldom have trouble with folks "mingling" with the audinece.. exceptions to the directed interaction are that our only green room space is shared with the audience should they have to come down to use the restrooms before the show.. Most of them respect that they are intruding and try not to ruin it for themselves and go through quickly... The bigger problem is "theater freinds" who feel free to come "visit".. Not so much an issue in the green room as back stage... especially at intermission..
	Marty W "Till next we trod the boards.."
	IP Logged

kiwiholly Player Joined: 10/01/06 Location: New Zealand Online Status: Offline Posts: 12	Posted: 5/04/09 at 9:15pm
	I agree with the previous comments about mingling with the audience before the show! I HAVE seen it done in the foyer after the show within the context of pantomimes, but this is slightly different, and, IMHO, more appropriate.
	IP Logged

sonshine Lead Joined: 3/23/08 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 33	Posted: 5/05/09 at 12:16pm
	Do we need to put this in our bylaws? It seems common sense to me/
	IP Logged

pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 5/05/09 at 12:48pm
	IMHO this is something which does not need to be put into by-laws. It's common practice to avoid the audience before the show. Someone from the directorial staff or the board should just make an announcement. Where do we stop with our by-laws? (Article 3, section A, subsection 15, paragraph 32: Actors will tie their neckties using only the theatre's approved two hand widsor knot.) Really, do we have to make everything a law?
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
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eveharrington Celebrity Joined: 8/28/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 198	Posted: 5/12/09 at 3:10am
	it sounds to me like you need to better establish the authority of your directors, if indeed you do have directors, and then establish a set of written directors responsibilities including casting and keeping the actors backstage between their call times and the curtain going up. It is ridiculous to me that actors would want to wander around the audience before the show and effectively sabotage all the work they have been putting into creating an illusion for the audience.
	"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."
	IP Logged

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