What is the feeling on notes once a show has begun? 

We're finishing a two weekend run of Smoke On the Mountain.  The first weekend the cast was great.  They were warned of a second week let down.  And boy did they ever.  Last nights performance sucked.  I'm sure the audience still enjoyed the show, but they were so far below where they were that it was hard for me to sit back in the booth.  Lines were stuttered through and the singing was less than their level.

How do you go about correcting these issues and still give them positive energy for the next performance?

The best correction you can do at this point is usually in the form of a strong motivational speech.

Just admit what you warned them about, that those kind of things can happen on the second weekend (or second night, even). They're not the first group this has happened to, and they won't be the last. You can remind them that the first show is run on pure adrenaline, and after that, they need to work to keep that same level of intensity and focus. They didn't have their best night last night, but they are the same cast that put on a fabulous first weekend, and that's what you're expecting of them tonight, because you know they can do it.

**I wouldn't focus on what went wrong, because you're not going to fix much.** They need to rely on all their hard work they put in during practice. Just tell them to focus on energy and delivery. After briefly admitting that things could have went better, tell them "to forget about last night. Last night is gone. We have a completely new audience tonight, one that has not seen this show before. Go out there, and give them the show that I know you are capable of."

That's the sort of thrust I would take. About 5-10% of what went wrong, and 90-95% of why you believe in them.

-Tom

Is the director (or assistant director) running warm up exercises
for the cast? A professional cast takes care of warming
themselves up - but an amateur cast often doesn't even know
they SHOULD be warming up (not just vocally!) before a
performance (or rehearsal) - let alone know WHAT to do.
Warm-ups do two things with most inexperienced casts (I tend
to use amateur and inexperienced interchangeably - and I
know that's wrong!): first, it - of course - warms them up;
secondly, it gives a five to fifteen minute period of being/
working/moving/sounding TOGETHER as a unit - as an
ensemble.

If the director says anything, as I stage manager, I remind them that even though it's not their first show, it is the audiences'. And that the energy needs to be kept up.

Smit

I always give notes after each performance.  That night I give only the good notes.  You can understand how much the actor is crushed for the director to find any fault with the performance right after it.  The director is like a parent to the cast and a good word is so important - particularly if the actor has been struggling with some facet of their work. 

For the director to mention their success in that area can make or break the whole experience for the actor.  I recently worked with a young actress who had a bad problem with volume.  She worked very hard on it.  After opening night she ran up to me and asked if I could hear her.  I gave her a hug and told her that I could hear every word.  She was ecstatic.   If the truth be known, she had a long way to go but I wanted her to feel good.  The next night before the performance, I reminded her how well she had done the night before and to go even further with her volume that night.  She did.  I know if I had told her the truth the previous night she would never have felt good about the production.  All I can expect is the best that each actor can do.  That is enough for me.

The next night before the SM warms up the cast I go over a FEW things that need to be addressed by the group as a whole.  Mostly I tell them how good they are doing and not to back off.  If I have an important note for an actor I always give it in private after the show opens. 

I tell the actors that if I don't have any notes for you, you are either perfect or I have given up on you - take your pick.  I even start off the cast party with "I have a few notes for you".  Always gets a good laugh.