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Originally Posted by BCOLL
Hi,
I have a question, why is it that actors feel it is the techs. job to clean up their messes. I'm talking about laundry, food, and props. I also clan our greenroom bi-weekly yet they mess it up constantly... Does anyone have any advice about how to get them to take responsibility?
-Ben :?
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hi Ben,
well Actors are cattle...hence the reason they go to cattle calls...they take up space, make messes and walk thru life bumping into things and doing such obvious things they are oblivious to cause they live in their own little worlds and don't see beyond themselves. How to get them to take responsibility--well one thing I tend to do when I have a group of pigs in my theater is to take all their trash and leave it in their dressing rooms and greenrooms with a note that says "Oink OInk..we are old enough to clean up after ourselves and put trash in trash bins", or "your mother is not here to clean up after you--you actually have to do it, or you will be asked to leave". If you start to move all the trash you pick up into the actors dressing rooms they will whine--then you tell them its THEIR trash--why don't you put it in the trash can?? I'm not your mother--don't be a PIG!! Maybe you just need to complain to the director or the person in charge--make them do a clean up of the theater or backstage area..make everyone write their names on their drinks--so you know WHO the trash belongs to so you can return it to them. One thing I have done very often is made the director or stage managers clean up after the actors--and then they make sure they NEVER have to do that again and they talk with the actors about being pigs. Have the student
stage manager actually BE a stage manager--manage the cast and manage their behavior as they are supposed to. I don't tolerate trash in my stage area...and I have no problems letting people know that my theater is NOT a hotel--we do not clean up your crap...dump it into trash bins or you'll find it in your costume or dressing room.
good luck on the trash war...but when it comes down to it--be firm and understand its not a personal/friend thing..its professional habit that ALL actors best get used to doing. I've physically walked up to actors who had drinks in their hands and pulled the drinks from their hands and tossed it into the trash in front of them cause I TOLD them 10 times before that NO food or drinik was allowed in that area...and they will learn. Who cares what they think of you--you can either be everyones "friend" or you can have a clean theater..your choice. good luck mate...
-wolf