Other Topics: need to vent

need to vent

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Topic: need to vent

Posted By: eveharrington
Subject: need to vent
Date Posted: 5/02/07 at 1:25pm

OK, briefly, the space my group rents is owned by the park district who receives the rent $ and the booking is managed by a restaurant upstairs. The room is also periodically rented out for weddings, reunions, etc. and the restaurant has exclusive catering rights to the room. Twice in a row now we have confirmed dates with the manager of this restaurant only to have her come back when it's too late for us to change anything and tell us the room is double booked and we have to let people wander around our set and props unsupervised. The first time there wasn't a timing conflict as they needed the room in the early afternoon and would be out by the time we needed to rehearse, however the restaurant did take our very heavy risers and shove them behind the stage and curtain and then failed to show up to move them back. This time they are telling us that there has been a wedding booked into the room for over a year and we won't be able to have a Sat. performance on opening weekend! Also we can't set up our risers until Sun. morning! We've received no offer of compensation for the time they are being doubly paid for, and the attitude from the rest. manager is unconcerned at best. If the wedding was booked a year ago, why did you confirm the dates with us? And if you were a bride who had had a venue booked for over a year, wouldn't you be angry to show up and learn that only 2/3 of the room is available to you and you can't set up until the morning of the wedding? There's really nothing to be done because this is the ONLY viable venue in our area which makes the board timid about standing up and complaining, but I just had to vent about it, it's giving me heartburn.

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

Replies:

Posted By: biggertigger
Date Posted: 5/02/07 at 2:21pm

See as there is little you can do with this establishment and you stated that there is no other place availabe I would start asking for contracts from this establishment. This should state was is expected from both sides and how to handle double bookings.

I would also look into other establishments as well. I know you said that there weren't any, but if you looked around and asked you may be surprised with what you can find.

Lastly, I may start creating sets that can be erected and taken down nightly. You may want to invest in storage trucks to move these out so you will not have to deal with the problems of guest wondering around the set.

I know this can all be a pain, but this is better than the alternative of someone getting hurt because someone cannot stay way from your set.

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The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes.

Posted By: Shatcher
Date Posted: 5/02/07 at 3:59pm

I agree get them to sign off on all comfirmed dates. the when they pull this, pull out your signed contract. then it is there problem

Posted By: Aimee
Date Posted: 5/02/07 at 4:20pm

I've been there too! The stage we used (until recently demolished thank goodness) was a shared space too. As TD I was always the LAST to know the space was needed for something else. "Oh by the way we need this in 2 hours!" was not uncommon for me to hear.
Sometimes we could move the set, other times we couldn't. I came in may times with parts of my set of props completely destroyed.
I agree, get it all in writing and try some new ways to make your set as movable as possible on short notice. At this point it sounds as though you've got nothing to lose by looking around for a new venue. Can't be much worse than double booking...can it?

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Aimee

Posted By: suzecue1
Date Posted: 5/03/07 at 9:19am

We have the same problem - we do not own any performance space and we have to rent our venue. The venue is a lovely, restored 1800 Opera House that seats 310. However, often something gets planned that we have to work around after we signed our contract for certain rehearsal dates. There is never a problem with actual show dates. I have learned to ask for simpler sets that can be removed easily. No one like change, but it actually has been kind of nice. Our strikes are always fast - then on to the cast party - hoorah!

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Sue
*****
So many hats.....so few heads!

Posted By: moondance
Date Posted: 5/03/07 at 12:45pm

We have a similar problem, only with the local High School where we do our big musicals. Unfortunately, school activities have priority. We've been booted from rehearsal more than once. I don't have any good answers, just comiserating with you!

Posted By: Joan54
Date Posted: 5/04/07 at 8:12am

You don't say how much you are paying for this space but maybe if you got a written contract and then requested a refund for the times you had to share the space it would stop pretty quickly. They shouldn't be collecting double rents for the same space. Have you considered an outdoor production in the summer? Lots of new problems but new challenges too.

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"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"