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Children and rehearsals

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URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5502
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Topic: Children and rehearsals

Posted By: Scott B
Subject: Children and rehearsals
Date Posted: 9/20/13 at 4:02pm

I would like to know how different theatres handle rehearsals with a lot of children ... like Annie, Oliver or even worse ... The King and I.

I know you have to really have your rehearsal time planned out well so they don't get bored, but do you pay someone or find volunteers to be the official Kid Wrangler to keep them busy and quiet? Or ... do you make the parents come to the rehearsals ... split it up between parents?

Any suggestions at all are appreciated.

Thanks

Replies:

Posted By: edh915
Date Posted: 9/24/13 at 2:43pm

One (sometimes two) person from the theater group is the official kid wrangler - fully vetted, no police record, first aid certified. Parents are welcome to assist. We try to spread their responsibilities throughout the full rehearsal schedule so we don't suffer parent burnout. All kids and all parents are required to sign off on the absolute authority of the official theater wrangler. Sounds a little aggressive, but you have to take a slightly hard line, or it won't work. Without the authority issue being firmly established, parents and kids often become totally unmanageable.

Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 9/25/13 at 5:52pm

We certainly don't have anything official like mentioned above. I assign someone to be the Munchkin Master, usually one or two of our theatre people who is not in the current cast or crew.

SOMEONE has to be responsible, with parents it never seems to quite work, although they are welcome to come assist.

Keith

Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 10/04/13 at 12:17pm

The group that I worked with had separate rehearsals for kids, and several teenagers tasked with keeping kids occupied. Those teenagers were sometimes cast members.

They also had a space that was kept separate that the kids could play in between cues or during combined rehearsals. They kept that space stocked with puzzles, crayons & coloring books. Parents could visit the kids there and also volunteered to help them.

The teenagers were asked to escort the kids to various scenes. The teens seemed to enjoy competing to be the favorite among the little kids.

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Posted By: Scott B
Date Posted: 10/05/13 at 9:38pm

I can see where having teens in the cast would help. I would think the younger ones would somewhat look up to those teens and (hopefully) give them a bit of respect.

Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 10/05/13 at 9:57pm

In a production of Oliver, one director hired a second director just for the kids. Separate rehearsals. Separate dance captain. Then at the end the children and the adults were combined for 2(?) weeks.

A different group did King & I. In that production, the infants (we had two) were cared for by their real mothers/fathers and their stage mothers. If the infant was fussy, the infant didn't go on. The kids age 3 and up were kept as a group and entertained together during the show. Rehearsals again were separate for kids. I think they brought "Anna" into the kid rehearsals to get the kids used to her.

Yes you are right, the kids looked up to the teens. And the teens chosen to take care of the kids were great--loved kids, volunteered and were all known to the director. The little kids followed the teens around like ducklings following mama duck.

As Majicwrench says, I've never seen it work out with parents appointed as guardians for the kid cast (except infants of course). I suspect its because parents tend to have two kids, so they have split attentions.

One note about teens: Sometimes its best to assign them in pairs (same gender usually).

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_____________

http://www.studio-productions-inc.com
1-800-359-2964

The theater scrim people