What do you do when a director wants to be in the booth?

[lieperjp]

This thread makes me happy that usually the directors I am dealing with now seem to have the attitude that lights and speakers just set themselves up for the most part... (Note: College I am at DOES NOT have a theatre program... just students wanting to "expand their horizons" or something like that...)

[TheSlowPoisoner]

I've never had to encounter such a problem, because (a) both of the directors that I had almost NEVER went up there and (b) our booth was tremendously large and fit about ninety million people comfortably. As unprofessional as this may sound, we actually had our friends up there during shows, and there were couches, so... well, lets just say those couches got more use out of them than was intended when we put them up there. My suggestion would be to get some headsets or something--we had a comm system installed into the walls when my theatre was built, but a few headset-ready walkie-talkies aught to do the trick. If that can't be done, then just try to convince her that there's not enough room up there for the three of you--if you're confident enough that you won't need her up there, that is.

[tech2000]

In my high school, our director just sits in a seat in the house, usually behind the audience. Our booth is about 7'x12', and then the sound system and light board is up there with two light board operators. It also tends to get hot up there if there is more than two people up there even if the glass isn't in the window of the booth overlooking the FOH/stage.
Director likes to watch the show and if she has to get a hold of a tech over headset, she walks over to the sound board.

In a way, the booth is a pain in the ass because it is located on the second floor of the school, so you have to completely exit the the theater to go upstairs and into the booth. Makes a long trip when moving equipment between the two.
Plus we've apparently had bad experiences with couches in the booth, years before I got to the school.

[NickJones]

Easy. Lock the door!

[midgetgreen11]

We never really use our booth. We set up a tech table for lights and/or sound in the back rows of the orchestra seating. This leaves an awkward section of 6 seats in the back for the lightboard and sound board operator. My director usually hangs out in the back of house to catch stragglers on their way in to the performance, as our house managers.... are failures.

Our Director is NEVER on comm, as we have very tempermental walkie-talkies which when exceeding a certain numer... they crash... or we hire in clearcom with JUST enough so that each necessary person has one.

My director would actually be quite funny on headset...

Also, she technically teaches (no pun intended) the Theatre Production/Technical Theatre class at my high school, but it never runs due to lack of interest, so us tech students learn from our predecessors, and sources like CB.

[elite1trek]

At my theatre, I am very lucky in that the director knows nothing about tech, and everybody respects their positions. If somebody has a problem with something, they take it to me, and I tell my crew.

Easy. Lock the door!

As for that, that may just be the quickest way to get you kicked out tech at your school. At theatres I have worked at, I would have gotten fired.

My advice, depending on how your school is structured, would be to find a teacher who knows something about tech, or how professional theatre works, and ask them to speak with your director. Your director might respect an adult more than a student.

well, lets just say those couches got more use out of them than was intended when we put them up there.

Such was the case at my high school. xD

[seanandkate]

I'm a little lucky in that I worked in the industry and got an MFA in lighting before I became a high school teacher. Many drama teachers just don't know how things work in professional theatre, and/or don't know WHY things are done that way. When I first came to my present school (now been here for 15 years), the teacher/director always wanted to be on headset during a show. It raised the anxiety level of everybody on headsets beyond measurable limits. I gradually phased that out. Now my technicians know that it's policy -- show opens, it's now their show. As a result, my operators and stage management staff are better trouble-shooters and can handle things on the fly. THERE'S a skill that they're going to need . . .
That being said, if they're just sitting there taking notes, letting you do your job, then no fault no foul.

[IndigoFire]

in my experience, once the show is in the venue the the stage manager takes control and it is up to them where and how much the director is involved.
If you have a problem with the director being in the booth, you should first raise it with your director. Failing that, approach the stage manager and see if they are able to help you out.
If all else fails, just start talking about your director through the comms so that they feel so awkward they have to move away.

[TOG]

Our A/L booth is hard to access from the seats- it involves three sets of doors, going down one staircase and up two staircases and a long catwalk so it is a major trek. During rehearsals we keep a big container of red vines in the booth and I will bring handfuls out to the director to keep them away from the loft. (They have a multiple channel headset available during rehearsals- there's really no need to come up to the booth.) If they insist on coming up anyway, they have to crowd into the "overflow" lamp room/closet and they don't stay long- I hide an open jar of Limberger cheese in that closet while they are on their way up the stairs .

[klestekoff]

I know I find it very challenging to NOT say 'faster on that cue' or 'go now.' I've kicked myself out of the booth.