Ideas for Directors gift?
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Archives
Forum Name: Closed Topics
Forum Discription: Uncategorized posts from the previous version of our discussion board. For browsing and searching.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1493
Printed Date: 1/17/25 at 3:34pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Ideas for Directors gift?
Posted By: MoonlightFlame
Subject: Ideas for Directors gift?
Date Posted: 7/25/05 at 4:32pm
|
Hey everyone, I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas for a directors gift? I am stage managing a play and we close next saturday, but I have yet to get something for the director. She has kinda taken me on as an 'adoptive daughter'...So I want it to be something special, but I have a serious lack of ideas. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance! Ashlie
|
Replies:
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 7/25/05 at 8:14pm
|
Something autographed by the entire cast is always
a nice memento. Sometimes a framed show poster will do. Once we all chipped in and bought one of those canvas-back director's chairs and everyone signed it with magic markers. Sometimes a prop, costume piece or useful item from the show itself is signed. For example: a waiter's serving tray from "Hello Dolly." Choose something that represents a theme from your production, or perhaps an inside joke. One show I was in had several characters mention a garden gnome that was never seen onstage. For closing night, we purchased an actual garden gnome and the entire cast autographed it, presenting it to the director. Best wishes. ------------- "None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone |
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 7/25/05 at 9:49pm
|
I have been directing for 30 years. I have received many wonderful gifts. The one that stands out in my mind is the rose bush. Every year when it blooms it reminds me of the wonderful time had with the cast and crew of that show. Just a thought. L. |
Posted By: slicksister
Date Posted: 7/29/05 at 9:51pm
|
One winter while directing a show I wore a pin on the lapel of my coat
that said, " I am the pink flamingo on the great lawn of life"
Several people commented on it but I never really gave it much
thought. It was just a reflection of my attitude at the
time. LOL! One day during Hell week things were heading
down the tubes very quickly. Going from bad to worse in the sense
that everybody seemed to be minding everyone else's business, if you
know what I mean. Anyhow.. I finally said, " OK, look people I am
the pink flamingo and you guys are just the lawn so straighten
up." That got a huge laugh and we had a great rehearsal from that
point on. I basically forgot about it but for my directors gift
they gave me a stuffed pink flamingo sintting on a box covered with
that green astro turfy stuff. She still sits proudly on the shelf
in my studio!
------------- The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing |
Posted By: MoonlightFlame
Date Posted: 8/01/05 at 12:15am
|
Here is what I endedup doing... Since there are only 2 in the cast....and the one director.... I bought pots and painted them black, and then decopauged (sp?) photo's of their performances to them and then planted aloe vera in the pots. Also, for the director (she LOVES elephants) I got a sliver elephant bracelet.
Ashlie |
Posted By: Juliet
Date Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:23am
|
Get something for her that you might have an inside joke about. For instance, one night my director gave me a ride home. On the way home, we spotted this dog walking around with a broken rope attached to its collar. It was pretty late so we got woried...by about midnight we were at the local animal shelter turning the dog in. so for her gift, I gave her a little plush puppy, which she loved.
|
Posted By: Juliet
Date Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:24am
| oh, sorry, i duidn't know that you reposted what you did...rats. |
Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 8/22/05 at 11:47pm
|
This is too late to help the original post-er, but here is what we did recently for our director: we have a fabulous photographer who comes to a dress rehearsal and takes lots of pictures and then presents us with a CD with all the photos. We took the best group shot and had it made into an 8" x 10" and put it in a silver frame engraved with the play title and year for the director. Everybody really liked it. |
Posted By: The Mikado
Date Posted: 9/08/05 at 1:55pm
|
All I can say is when I directed "Superstar," my first musical, the cast got me an original poster from the first run in London and mounted it. Along with the autographs of Webber and Rice!! For "Foreigner," they got us mugs with the cast/crew photo on one side and the poster on the other. That was really nice, too. A lot of times, having the show's poster mounted and the cast signing the border/mat is really appreciated. ------------- The Mikado, et al. |
Posted By: falstaff29
Date Posted: 9/08/05 at 3:31pm
| My favorite gift was a stopwatch. I was having really big issues with people pausing forever between lines in what was supposed to be a fast-paced comedy, so one night I had my stage manager start reading actors' lines if it took them more than 2 seconds. After a couple minutes, one of the actors just walked offstage; he couldn't take it anymore. I gave everyone a couple minute break; they all came back and I didn't have a single complaint about timing again for the rest of rehearsals or the run. |
Posted By: POB14
Date Posted: 9/09/05 at 10:41am
|
Two seconds? God, that IS forever. Was it a line memorization issue, or did they really think that people wait that long between "lines" in real life? Or did they just not know they were doing it? I got a really nice little crystal ball for directing The Shawl, and a plaque for ADing Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. (AD gifts are rare, but this was a unique situation.) ------------- POB Old Bugger, Curmudgeon, and Antisocial B**tard |
Posted By: Shatcher
Date Posted: 9/09/05 at 4:22pm
| When I SM I always give my crew a flash light. I will put a gel in it from the show. I know that it is not a directors gift but us tech people are important as well. My personal fave gift I ever got as a SM was a coupon for a free massage. I loved that cast!!! |
Posted By: Gaafa
Date Posted: 9/10/05 at 8:10am
|
I moved to a country town, to work at their Performing Arts Centre. Within a few days there. I was invite to direct a show at the local Musical theatre group, Apparently he director who was to do the show, had suddenly evaporated never to be seen again! Wanting to make a good impression & get to know they locals. I had agreed, I think, before I asked any of the details. Later that evening having been invited to a production meeting, I realised that I was in ?IT? up to my eye balls, with out knowing what ?IT? was? Rather than appear to be a complete ?Nanna? all together! I fronted up only to be swept along in gushy goo of a ?Blue Rinse set? amdram feeding frenzy! Trying desperately to remain the pseudo profesionalism they assumed me to be. I stuck on a fixed smile & attempted to glean tit bits, that might add up to what this production was about? When I realised some time later, after being briefed for 3 hours, on the unabridged version of groups 35 year history & achievements. Supported of course by a library of photo albums & memorabilia. It hit me when they pointed out a program & picy?s from the 1970?s & said "These are from our the first time we did this musical, that we are doing now"! Bingo! Curtain warmer floats lit, the house rag went up & the Limes snapped on in my head! Gawd no no not ? ?Briga?Briga,,dun! No I?m ?Done? & ?Doon? the tube! So after contemplating something redundant like slashing my wrists, with an electric shaver! I realised my face was numb & still smiling! I tried to think quickly how to get out of ?IT? plausibly! But the brain cell was just as frozen as my smile! Didn?t these people realise that Brigadoon is just a myth & they still had 180 of the 200 years to reappear out of the highland mist! Back to the topic before anyone leaves to have a cup of tea, an aspirin & a lay down! Everyone enjoyed ?IT? including me! After I attacked IT with a screwdriver, pliers & a big hammer! I took their wickets with a few LBW?s, by not allowing the full pristine highland dress for the male chorus & got rid of the chorus books & their choir attitude. Recast the principals & choose the less politicly acceptable, mainly from the never chosen members of the group. I had problems with the committee because of the lass I got to play Meg, who had a powerful voice but just kept missing the tune! Until I coached her to speak/sing. The company gave me a large white teddy bear, dressed in my clan tartan, playing a set of bagpipes with an engraved plate of the show details on it?s sporran. A black T shirt & pair of underdaks, with a silk screened bagpipes & the words ?It?s disappeared? on the front of them. Further a framed poster with photographs of the cast & crew - not only but also another one of the programme cover & signed with comments from all of them. So I think I did fairly well out of something I didn?t want to do & I have framed the underpants to hang on the wall, along with other framed production pressies!  ------------- Joe Western Gondawandaland turn right @ Perth. Hear the light & see the sound. Toi Toi Toi Chookas {{"chook [chicken] it is"} May you always play to a full house} |
Posted By: MartyW
Date Posted: 9/12/05 at 9:57am
|
I have always loved the gifts that had a little tie-in to the show and showed some imagination. Some of my favorites are: Cheaper by the Dozen. I was given a plaque with an old phonograph record, painted gold and mounted. It had our "cheaper" logo from the show on the center of the record and a brass plate at the bottom with the name of the show, the theater and dates and then all the cast's signatures photo engraved. Scrooge! As one of my favorite scenes was where scrooge met Christmas Present and they drank and sang I like life, I was given a HUGE glass mug with a beautiful silver plate attached that said just Scrooge! This was doubly appropriate as we come from an area of the country that is heavy into glass manufacturing. Keeping with the glass motif, my most recent gift from the cast of A funny thing happened on the way to the forum was a crystal pitcher with the shows name and dates engraved on it. Or more to the point of the show, it was a "Pretty little pitcher! (Picture)" Bottom line, as a director, I always appreciate the thought, but get the biggest kick out of pieces directly connected with the show.
|
Posted By: Mike Polo
Date Posted: 9/12/05 at 10:46am
|
My favorite director's gift was one I received for a nothing little show called Bathroom Humor. It's an oak toilet seat creating a frame for a mirror with an etching of the show logo. Attached to my wall, you have to lift the seat to see the mirror... great conversation piece. I also think I'm the only person in the state with a toilet seat hanging on my wall. ------------- Mike Polo Community Theater Green Room http://www.communitytheater.org http://www.twitter.com/CTGreenRoom"> 
|