Notes after the run begins
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Topic: Notes after the run begins
Posted By: Scott B
Subject: Notes after the run begins
Date Posted: 9/30/05 at 5:18pm
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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? |
Replies:
Posted By: Mike Polo
Date Posted: 9/30/05 at 5:37pm
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They know they weren't up to snuff. They're expecting you to say something about it. Go ahead. Just don't be all negative... balance what you say with positives. Tell them what went right as well as what went wrong. Do you do brush ups in between weekends? Even a line rehearsal can help. ------------- Mike Polo Community Theater Green Room http://www.communitytheater.org http://www.twitter.com/CTGreenRoom"> 
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Posted By: Tom_Rylex
Date Posted: 10/01/05 at 12:22am
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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 ------------- The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. -R. Frost |
Posted By: Scott B
Date Posted: 10/01/05 at 5:12am
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In this particular case we had a brush up rehersal on Tuesday prior to
Thursday's performance. The director let them run through the
show at a rapid pace instead of running it as we would a show. I
knew we were in trouble when that happened and voiced that concern to
the director. As it turned out the rehersal was a complete waste
of time. Since I wasn't directing you might ask why I was asking about notes. Well, I'm also sort of the assistant director, music director, producer, and president. We currently have a board of about three, but thankfully we are starting to grow and will be adding more members (actual workers) in the next month. Yes, they did know that the energy and effort wasn't there on Thursday and we talked about how it was work to make things click the way they did when we opened. As it turned out Friday's performance went extremely well. Now ... if they can just do it ONE more time. Thanks ... |
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 10/01/05 at 9:27am
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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. |
Posted By: Scott B
Date Posted: 10/01/05 at 2:38pm
The answer would be no. We try to warm up vocally and run through a few songs, but I don't think I've ever seen a director warm up the cast prior to a show. I'm not even sure how that works. Another problem we had Thursday is that two of our actors showed up 15 minutes prior to the house being opened and we lost a chance to even go through the songs. I take responsibility for that. I should have gone through it with the remaining cast. One actor had an excuse and the second did not. It wasn't the first time we've had a problem with him. Even though he's done "ok" on stage, I doubt that he'll ever be cast in a show again. Some things just ain't worth it.  |
Posted By: MoonlightFlame
Date Posted: 10/02/05 at 10:25pm
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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 |
Posted By: Shatcher
Date Posted: 10/03/05 at 4:43pm
| it is part of the SM's job to matain the show during the run. if this means giving notes or calling a brush up. I tend to meet with my cast before every show to go over things from the last show. |
Posted By: dougb
Date Posted: 10/04/05 at 11:45am
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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. |
Posted By: Shatcher
Date Posted: 10/04/05 at 12:16pm
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I must disagree with Dougb on this. I find it makes a cast uncomfortable to get notes from the director after or before every preformance. I have always been taught that after the show opens all of these notes should come from the SM. of course what works for me may not work for everyone. On tour or in a professional theatre the SM matains the show. Often times an actor already knows they had an off night and pointing it out to them can lead to another off night. A good SM will know her cast well enough to know when a note is needed.
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Posted By: Scott B
Date Posted: 10/04/05 at 3:03pm
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In my case our SM came in the last two weeks and was basically a
gopher. She was a student in the directors class at the local
university and was getting extra credit for class. So in this
case the girl would have had no experience in giving notes ... it had
to come from the director. The cast did realize they had a bad night and they were able to come back from it quite well. However ... I don't ever want to go through another brush up rehearsal like I endured a week ago. I still think that let to the melt-down. |
Posted By: Nyria
Date Posted: 10/04/05 at 5:39pm
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Once the show goes up - the director's job is over. Often - in professional theatres the director is already gone to their next gig. I would even say the SM shouldn't give notes after the show is up - but if it's really necessary then yes. Especially in community theatre something is bound to come up. Although technically you're not supposed to give notes after opening night - if you need to to make the show a success - do it. And if you are doing theatre with kids they may actually need it! ------------- NYRIA |
Posted By: pauliebonn
Date Posted: 10/05/05 at 1:33am
| Give the notes! If the cast was that bad, the notes are NEEDED! I have had directors do that to me before...but on the other hand, I have also had directors go to the individuals if the performance was bad, and give them notes that way. |
Posted By: looking2bcast
Date Posted: 10/05/05 at 6:47pm
| We give notes all the way up until the last weekend of the run but they are good and bad. I am one week from finishing a run and the director just gave me a new way to say a line that I love and I think it is going to make the death scene 100 times better. I wish we would have thought of it at the begining of the run. We also tape the shows and let the cast watch it either on their own or at the pickup rehersal and they become their own critics. I noticed things about myself watching it and I changed it on my own. The trick is just to mix the good with the bad enough as to not discourage them. |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 10/12/05 at 9:46pm
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It really depends on how much you trust your stage manager (and how much confidence they have in themselves) in the artistic end of the job. If the SM is coming from a directorial or acting experience and has added valuable insight throughout the rehearsal process, just leave it in their hands. Meet with the SM privately if you feel they are not maintain the show to the level you left it. On the other hand, if your SM is new to the position or has lots of experience in tech and no performance or directing experience, you might want to discuss this issue before you even get into Tech Week. Maybe when you are polishing or working on interpretation. Most SM's know when they're not up to it. Sometimes even perfectly capable SM's would rather have the director give the notes because of a bad relationship between the cast members and the SMs (although we expect good morale and relationships, there are those few shows where the SM is not a good personality match for the cast). In any case, if you feel that your show is so far off base from what it was opening night--do something about it. The overall success of a play may affect actors a bit, but it's your reputation on the line as a director. ------------- |
Posted By: pookie
Date Posted: 10/15/05 at 1:20am
You answered your own question. They knew they didn't put out the energy. They need to know that you know it, and that you know they're capable of better, and that you're sure that they'll sell the play the next time. Let them fix it themselves! ------------- Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man the internet and he won't bother you for weeks. |