Stage Management Conundrum

[lgarrett]

I work at a small regional theatre and am inbetween a rock and hard place as a stage manager. We are running a show that has some tricky language at times. We have been running brush up rehearsals every Wednesday since we only run Thursday through Sunday. Primarily for one actress who continues to have issues with her lines. Other actors have specifically came to me before this weeks brush up feeling that is is unessacary and beyond the call of what they were asked to do, for the fact that everyone else is fine line wise. I have talked to the actor having line troubles and she wants to have it. So do I hurt the majority for the minority or preserve the minoroty. Please let me know what you think
Also I have a director who does not like to leave after opening and is at every brush up rehearsal and show. This is our 4th week running. Please forgive any bad spelling im on my phone.

 

[lgarrett]

I work at a small regional theatre and am inbetween a rock and hard place as a stage manager. We are running a show that has some tricky language at times. We have been running brush up rehearsals every Wednesday since we only run Thursday through Sunday. Primarily for one actress who continues to have issues with her lines. Other actors have specifically came to me before this weeks brush up feeling that is is unessacary and beyond the call of what they were asked to do, for the fact that everyone else is fine line wise. I have talked to the actor having line troubles and she wants to have it. So do I hurt the majority for the minority or preserve the minoroty. Please let me know what you think
Also I have a director who does not like to leave after opening and is at every brush up rehearsal and show. This is our 4th week running. Please forgive any bad spelling im on my phone.

P.S. Two actresses are on very basic equity contracts. But hours shouldnt be an issue with the time required for the line run.

 

[Footer]

If the show needs it... it needs it. If brushups were not in the contract then the actors have every right to not take the call OR require overtime pay. The director should be gone though... after the show opens (or the weekend after it opens in some places) the show should be frozen and that is it. Sounds like you need to kick the actors ass into gear AND kick the director to the curb. Have fun with that...

 

[lgarrett]

If the show needs it... it needs it. If brushups were not in the contract then the actors have every right to not take the call OR require overtime pay. The director should be gone though... after the show opens (or the weekend after it opens in some places) the show should be frozen and that is it. Sounds like you need to kick the actors ass into gear AND kick the director to the curb. Have fun with that...

Thanks. We shall see.

 

[lgarrett]

Thanks. We shall see.

Time to go ovet contract with fine tooth comb.

 

[gafftaper]

Yeah it seems to me like the key to all this isn't up to you it's up to the contract. Beyond that you should make it clear to the actress that she should have known her lines months ago. This is not high school theater and it isn't your job to babysit her as she learns her lines, but it is your job to give recommendations or not to other theaters about the quality of her work. If she want's to work at your theater company again she need to learn her own lines.

 

[TheaterEd]

After 4 weeks of shows, she has no right to ask everyone else to come in for a brush up rehearsal. I just got done with a three week run at a community theater. We did one brush up rehearsal after the first week because one of our actresses was nervous about lines. After that, we were fine for the rest of the run. As Gafftaper said, this isn't high school.
The other actors have every right to be frustrated and not want to waste their time with a brush up. They did their job, they should be punished because she didn't.

As for your director. If he wants to hang around that is fine, but he needs to understand that it is not his show any more and he does not get to give notes. He can be there if you don't mind, but for the actor's sake, he absolutely Can Not Give Notes! I would point out to him that the fact that he is still around sends a bad message to the cast and crew. It implies that he doesn't trust them to maintain his vision and can bring down the moral and confidence of everyone involved. (Easier said than done )

 

[gafftaper]

As for your director. I would point out to him that the fact that he is still around sends a bad message to the cast and crew. It implies that he doesn't trust them to maintain his vision and can bring down the moral and confidence of everyone involved. (Easier said than done )

I don't know you and I don't mean anything personal by this statement, so please just take it as a neutral observation of the situation. The director hanging around could mean that the director doesn't trust you to keep the show on track. It could also just mean that the director is crazy and has no life.

 

[jwolfkill]

I work at a small regional theatre and am inbetween a rock and hard place as a stage manager. We are running a show that has some tricky language at times. We have been running brush up rehearsals every Wednesday since we only run Thursday through Sunday. Primarily for one actress who continues to have issues with her lines. Other actors have specifically came to me before this weeks brush up feeling that is is unessacary and beyond the call of what they were asked to do, for the fact that everyone else is fine line wise. I have talked to the actor having line troubles and she wants to have it. So do I hurt the majority for the minority or preserve the minoroty. Please let me know what you think
Also I have a director who does not like to leave after opening and is at every brush up rehearsal and show. This is our 4th week running. Please forgive any bad spelling im on my phone.

You didn't really say what KIND of trouble this actor is having with the "tricky language" in her lines.

Is she struggling with remembering the lines? It really isn't fair to the rest of the cast to call brush-ups for her in that case - it's up to her to know her lines.

Is she struggling with diction/enunciation (the unusual vocabulary and phrasing of Shakespeare can make it easy to get tongue-tied, for example)? Also not a company issue - the actor should seek out a private coach or teacher on her own time.

Is it trouble with timing, pacing, etc. for dialogue that bounces back and forth a lot or involves a lot of characters? Weeelll, the rest of the cast may just have to take one for the team to help pull this actor along. They may be suffering for a bad casting decision, but sometimes they have to suck it up and work through it (to the extent that contracts and budget permit, of course). You as stage manager and the other actors also should make a mental note that it may be wise to steer clear of this particular actor in the future. And since the director has worn out his welcome by hanging around so long, hopefully he at least learns the lesson about this actor, too!

 

[lgarrett]

Problem Solved (Thank's for all the input it was quite helpful):

1. I have decided to have the brush-up rehearsal. Everyone could use a bit of help on lines.

1.5. As for the actor she is very elderly and that is why she is having line issues.

2. The equity contract designates 2 hours per week that can be used for brush up rehearsal (so no problem there)

3. It is not a trust issue with the director she apparently always does this with every show she directs. (since it's only a 4 week run)

4. I would love to stand up to the director but I do not have the proper authority at this venue since it's a very small community group. (The production manager wouldn't back me up due to the need to please everyone.)

5. I can't wait to get somewhere I can actually be a stage manager as opposed to this figure head type piece. (At least I keep the show running in other aspects)

Thank you everyone for your time.