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

[ricc0luke]

I am a freshman in high school, this is my first time production with the high school.

At out theater, there is room for two people in the booth and still have room to breath, but the director thinks that they should by in the booth with both me and the light/sound tech. (At our theater there is only one booth.)

What should I do? Am I wrong? Is it ok for the director to be in the booth?

[digitaltec]

Well, it depends. Sometimes directors like to sit in the booth and help you out to become a better tech or sometimes they like to be in a location that they can still see the show and not be bothered by others. As long as they dont keep telling you to turn up the volume, I don't see a problem. Good luck with your show.

[ship]

Depends upon how satisfied the director feels with the production and most importantly their role in it. This might not be you or the crew, it can be this person is an emotional hurricane of emotions and fears that out of some sense of last minute “saving the show” or common sense of getting him or her out of the audience, this is a more wise way for the director to feel comfortable in being able to solve the little fears he or she has.
I certainly have had my share of directors in the closet of the booth, much less those lobby pacers going out of their mind alone in the lobby. Some of them try to make last minute improvements and modifications over the stage manager, or directly on the lights and sound, some directors are a silent bag of nerves but don’t touch a thing.

Depends upon the person. By theater unwritten law, once the show opens, the director is done. It is now in the hands of the cast and crew, but that’s unwritten and certainly not unknown for the director to make major changes after opening night to the driving crazy of all crew, cast and especially the stage manager. This is art however keep that in mind. It’s never done, just gets to a point the influence on it can walk away.

Could be a fear you are going to screw the show up, could be a last grasp for straws for the director to have some way of yelling at the stage manager and saving “his” show. Just some way to have a control over the show until it’s all worked out and everyone learns their job to his or her expectations. In the end, it’s probably not you unless there is some well founded rational for being there should you encounter a problem. Could also be that there needs to be a staff member in the theater in some way able to take over for the students should there be an emergency. It’s by far better for the director to chew his or her finger nails inside the booth than to be on stage offering last minute advice and bad luck nerves to the talent than to you the pro tech person.

In the end, it’s the school’s rules for a start, than more just the director and his or her trust in the production and staff. This is not you, do your job as if the person were not there, be glad even someone really involved with the production would choose to be with you during the first show and not on stage creating pandemonium, than be respectful and proper because this person no matter how out of place just might be able to help if there is a problem. Take it down to the tech level. Would you kick me out of your lighting booth? Heck no, all the guns available even if not used is all the more fire power for getting stuff done well. The director is not talent therefore at some level this person is staff just like you. You have a problem, perhaps this person in the booth might be of help. Might be of hinderence but somewhere in the panic, there might be the idea that saves the show.
Welcome this director, just ensure there is only two sets of headsets in the booth. The director can watch from the booth, even listen to the monitor, but should not without purpose be allowed on the hooks for the show unless he or she wants to totally undermine the stage manager and cause even further intimidation of that crew leader. If the director wants headsets, you must ensure that yours are available but because the stage manager has to be given freedom, someone on line who has been around the block a few times clearly recommended that they stay off the headsets. Grab yours when necessary but stay out of the way of the show. You are very welcome to be in the booth and we are honored, but unless there is a major problem the stage manager has to be the primary problem solver - give them a chance your not being on hooks will allow.

And I mean this all. Be it designer, TD or director, they have no real place in the booth, they are a guest and need to remind themselves of that. But also a guest you have to and had at best be honored at the presence of. You don’t have a choice, so you might as well make the best light of it. Show him or her what you really do during a show. Can only lead to good things for your entire group.

[soundman]

I our director/td sits out in the house and yells at the actors, I gave him coms and put him on channel b so he dosnt hear or conversations yet if need be can reach so through the SM or by the call buton

[zac850]

Come to think of it im never quite sure where our director is during the show.... I think shes in the audience, but im not sure.... I've never acutely seen her....

[soundman]

When its actully running or director is in the house laughing like no other try to get the crowd hyped up. Kind of like what comedens do.

[miniwyo]

I try to lock the door buy the problem is when I am running sound he comes and directs them (They cant see him because he is stainding directly the 10 dergree source fours nounted on the fromt of the booth) abd theb he will think he cant hear right and try to adjust my faders and all you can do is either ask him not to do it, swat his fingers away, or re adjust when he turns his back. If we lock him out of the lighting booth he will stan in the sound booth and use his fingers to indicate what dimmer he wants turned up, we pretend to not understand.

RJ
Rock Springs Wy.

[avkid]

give him a two way and a headset ,that should keep him away

[zac850]

Originally Posted by avkid

give him a two way and a headset ,that should keep him away

Or give him a 1-way headset and tell him its a 2-way headset....

[OnWithTheShow]

Lock the door....and hope they don't have blasters.