unforgivable sin
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Directing
Forum Discription: For questions about handling shows, actors, crew, board members, children ...or do we repeat ourselves?
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3104
Printed Date: 5/06/24 at 6:21pm
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Topic: unforgivable sin
Posted By: VPA1
Subject: unforgivable sin
Date Posted: 4/08/08 at 3:11pm
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In your opinion, it is an unforgivable sin to threaten not to go on stage during the run of a show if the theater has a policy about babies that you don't approve of?
A cast member became upset because a baby was crying in our audience (172 seats). The patron took the baby into the lobby quickly. It is a pain because they must pass in front of everyone to exit, but in your humble opinion, should I ever allow this person to act in a show again? thanks, larry |
Replies:
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 4/08/08 at 4:09pm
| I'd say it would have to be something approaching nuclear war to justify threatening not to go on stage and I wouldn't want to work with that person again. But that's just me. |
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 4/08/08 at 5:37pm
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I've been thinking about this. I have never had anyone refuse to go on stage. (Well, I did have an actress lock herself in the attic of theater opening night, but that is another story.) How does the actor feel about cell phones? Candy wrappers? People talking? Would he refuse to go on stage over those interuptions?
The actor sounds like more trouble then they are worth.
Linda
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Posted By: spikesgirl
Date Posted: 4/08/08 at 6:39pm
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Likewise, I've never had an actor refuse to go on because of such and such - they've come off the stage pretty hot because of a cell phone or someone in the front row having a chat up with their seat mate, but it's never come to the 'either or' situation. Unless this actor was incredibly gifted and the only one in town, I'd look elsewhere.
Don't feel bad, Linda, we had our lead attempt suicide opening night. He was a pro that had been contracted in - I was just a whelp at the time, but I do remember the director going on, script in hand, to open the show.
It was a pretty scary time. The next night, the understudy was in place.
Charlie
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Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 4/08/08 at 7:20pm
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Okay, that is really bad Charlie. I talked mine out of the attic before the curtain went up.
Linda
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Posted By: bbpchick
Date Posted: 4/08/08 at 8:58pm
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I think what your actor pulled was totally unacceptable. People have children. They sometimes bring them to shows, it's a fact of life. In another thread someone mentioned that their house manager placed people with children close to the exits so that they could leave quickly with minimum disturbance to the other patrons which I think is an excellent idea.
If I was in your situation, my reaction would be to NEVER cast this actor again. You just don't do that. It is a slap in the face of everyother person who has worked SO hard on the show. From the other actors, to the crew, to the publicity people and the director and everyone inbetween. And actually, if I had an understudy, all of a sudden, the understudy would have the part for the rest of the run.
I dunno, I may have been harsh there, but as someone who is not only a parent, but a theater person, I think it is important to expose children to the theater at an early age because these kids are going to be our actors and crew members and volunteers later on. I also think what your actor pulled was something you JUST DON'T DO. You DO NOT threaten a production on purpose especially over something so trivial.
So to answer your question....yes what your actor pulled was an unforgivable sin.
Ok I'm done ranting. ------------- Kendra http://www.murphysblackbartplayer.com - www.murphysblackbartplayers.com You are NEVER too old to dress up! |
Posted By: VPA1
Date Posted: 4/08/08 at 10:21pm
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Thanks, and thanks again. With your input, it's the guillotine for him. Even in my crabbiest moment I can't imagine threatening not to go on stage over something as trivial as this. Really, I can't imagine doing it in any case. So, good, it IS an unforgivable sin!
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Posted By: pdavis69
Date Posted: 4/09/08 at 7:41am
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There are some reasons I can think of for making that threat but a crying baby isn't one of them. We had an entire cast make the boycott threat several summers ago during a run of Godspell. The air conditioner passed away on Friday night leaving the stage temperature well above the 100 degree mark. After several near pass outs in the cast, the ultimatum was put down "fix the air conditioner or cancell the show". It may not have been the nicest thing but the cast and the audience were miserable. The repairman was at the theatre first thing Saturday morning. ------------- Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse |
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 4/09/08 at 9:51am
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"...threaten not to go on stage during the run of a show if the theater has a policy about babies that you don't approve of..." Frankly, I'm envious of you. We don't ever get famous, important, demanding, temperamental stars to audition for our theatre. |
Posted By: spikesgirl
Date Posted: 4/09/08 at 10:42am
See, that's a reasonable situation and not unforgivable at all. Having cast or crew pass out is never a good thing. Absolutely the a/c needed to be repaired and sometimes it takes a united voice to be heard. Besides, if your actors are uncomfortable, just think what the audience is going through. They have a much lower tolerance point.
Charlie
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Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 4/09/08 at 11:41am
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I remember refusing to direct a Musical, mainly dance, unless provision was made to provide some form of cooling. It was in the middle of summer & over 40 in the water bag!
So they did & we got a cobbled together air con system, but I still suplied a home made ''Coolgardie' method of evaporative air cooling & fans.
Then they added the total $10000 the air con cost & stuck it on the cost of my production!
Which they have been using ever since & still mention we didn't make that much out of your show?
If I had of known that? I would have just gone with the fans & evap Coolgardie system - Ratbags!
Never been back there since, i often wonder why i rewired their theatre completely & donated all the materials & labour?
 ------------- [western] Gondawandaland "Hear the light & see the sound! TOI TOI CHOOKAS {may you always play to a full house!} |
Posted By: bbpchick
Date Posted: 4/09/08 at 1:04pm
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Not having an air conditioner is an excusable reason. That brings in to question the safety of the cast & crew and should have been taken care of long before it got to the point that people were fainting on stage. Safety and health before a show. Not going on stage because of a baby in the audience, or because of some other trivial matter is totally unprofessional, yes we may be community theaters, but we will approach our shows with a professional attitude. ------------- Kendra http://www.murphysblackbartplayer.com - www.murphysblackbartplayers.com You are NEVER too old to dress up! |
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 4/09/08 at 3:55pm
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Ok here's my take. The actress should not have refused to go on and I would not ever cast her again because it. Also what's up with a patron taking a baby to a theatre production? That's entirely inappropriate to begin with. I see no reason to allow babies (I mean real babies that need to be fed, changed and burped, ect.) to any theatre production. That may not be politically correct these days but I'm not a politically correct person to begin with. ------------- BD 
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: jayzehr
Date Posted: 4/09/08 at 6:47pm
| I have to agree with you on the babies. |
Posted By: VPA1
Date Posted: 4/10/08 at 10:48am
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More good thoughts, thanks to those who posted replies. Yes, the board is now reconsidering policy on babies, the only good to come of this. And yes, as Artistic Director of our company, the actor will be banned from further auditions. This IS an unforgivable sin.
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Posted By: spikesgirl
Date Posted: 4/10/08 at 2:22pm
| I don't know if he should be banned, but whoever is running the auditions should be brought up to speed as to the type of baggage he brings with him. We had a young lady who was annoyed with our audition process and ended up defacing a bunch of professionally done photos (of the board) in our lobby. She still shows up and she still auditions, but no one will touch her, as there have been other incidents as well and they don't want to take a chance. She is now escorted in and out of the theater by the SM - very stressful... |
Posted By: sdiehl
Date Posted: 4/10/08 at 3:06pm
Wow! I always thought Community Theater was supposed to be fun.
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Posted By: biggertigger
Date Posted: 4/10/08 at 9:39pm
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I think every theater has those that believe they are professional actors just waiting for their big break and then you have ones that the theater should be a professional theater. I like a place that is a even keel between the two. People that act professionally in a theater that professionally acts. ------------- The two greatest days in a theater persons life, the day you start a new show and the day the damn thing closes. |
Posted By: LabRat
Date Posted: 1/16/09 at 1:00pm
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Bumping this up with my 0.02 Everyone here seems to agree that what occurred was bizarrly unacceptable behaviour. I would go one step further and say it was so bizarre that I suspect there is much more at play here. I would tread softly and consider that there is probably something else stressing out the actor/tress in question. The "baby" was simply the final straw that caused the overly negative result.
Haven't we all (at some point) been stressed to the point where little things seemed like really "big" things? [or is that just me?]
I would try and talk (calmly) to the person in question, and see if this is what was going on. If apologies weren't forthcoming.. then word of mouth of the incident is likely to restrict that actor/tress from working again anyhow.
------------- --- The part isn't yours, until it is offered to you. |
Posted By: Nyria
Date Posted: 1/16/09 at 6:14pm
LOL - I was thinking the same thing. Who IS this A-LIST star who can demand such things?
Labrat - I think it's nice of you to be so kind about this but realy - I don't care what theyir reasons are - that's totally unacceptable. I would not cast this person again because of that type of attitude and ego  ------------- NYRIA |
Posted By: skoehler
Date Posted: 1/17/09 at 4:32pm
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What was done seems unacceptable, but I always get a little leery of any theatre, especially a community theatre black balling anyone. I am sure that the story of what she did will get around, and she has probably eliminated herself from all future productions. Let that be the end of it, don't make the organization be the bad guy. Just my $.02, take it for what its worth, especially in this economy. ------------- Steven Koehler Managing Director Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette www.lafayettecivic.org |
Posted By: KEB54
Date Posted: 1/19/09 at 6:09pm
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I guess I'd have to know more. People say things that they don't mean. How many times have you heard, "I'll quit my job if so-and-so does this-and-that?" Mostly it is because they are upset and are blowing off steam. It may be that actors way of expressing his displeasure. He didn't, afterall, follow through with it did he? I agree with the others that sometimes it is nice to have an actor with passion. If he would have acted on his "threat" then I would agree that he should have some kind of sanction imposed on him. I agree, too, that the bigger question is the theatre's policy on children. Our's is that no child under the age of two should be brought to the theatre and no child under six should be brought to non-children productions. If a child is brought they MUST have a ticket even if they don't occupy a seat. Anyone disrupting a performance (including children) will be asked to leave and not receive a refund.
The biggest distraction for me was when I was working dinner theatre and would hear the ice cubes clinking in glasses. If it were up to me no drinks would be served on the rocks.
 ------------- KEB |
Posted By: chelserin
Date Posted: 1/19/09 at 6:57pm
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It's true that they don't call it DRAMA for nothing. And during a run tension/anxiety and nerves are high wich makes a ripe environment for tempers to flare and things to get said, which may not be meant.
On the other hand, I don't know if this actor was a beginner or had been acting for quite a while. I would be willing to give more leeway if it's someone without a lot of stage experience. But if it's someone who has been acting for years they should know by now that ANYTHING can happen during a performance and as an actor you have to ignore it and keep going.
Yes, each theatre needs to have a firm policy for children, but it's not always children who are going to be the distractors. I've been on stage and heard snoring, whispering, breathing machines wheezing away. As an actor I would never say, "remove that person or I won't go on". And as a director I know that I would not work with that person again. They put themselves ahead of the rest of the cast and crew. Made a tense moment for the cast, which I would think would make them not be on their best the rest of the show, and potentially could have cost the audience or theatre (depending on refund policy) the money they spent on that ticket. If there is something happening which threatens your safety, by all means say something. But a crying baby? ------------- To be in the world, and of the world, and never to stand aside and watch. |
Posted By: jimmy
Date Posted: 2/08/09 at 1:31pm
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That is TOTALLY unprofessional and you should cut-them-loose for any future relaltionships.
Jim ------------- Jimmy P |
Posted By: Fractal514
Date Posted: 3/24/09 at 9:49pm
| I think that this is NOT an "unforgivable sin." I would certainly think twice on casting this person, and I would make sure everyone else knew about the situation, but in the end, it sounds like this person DID go on stage. Actors and Actresses have a tendency to do and say things in the heat of the moment that they would never do when cooled down. It is possible that this person was having a horrible day, got to the theater, had a fight with someone backstage, went out there and had a baby crying during his or her scene, and then came backstage and said that in a fit of frustration. If you had refused to remove the baby and called the bluff, then you'd have just cause. |
Posted By: janetk
Date Posted: 3/25/09 at 11:57am
| I would not want to work with that person again. Some times actors forget that it is a company not a one person show. As a director she would give me more ulcers that it was worth. Don't think I would work with her again. |
Posted By: SpenceKenzer
Date Posted: 3/26/09 at 3:36pm
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"The Show Must Go On!" Period. No exceptions. (Well, maybe a few, but they're pretty dire exceptions!) If I have accepted a role in a play (whether under an informal CT arrangement or a formal professional contract), then the only acceptable reasons for me to NOT go on the stage to perform my role are: - death (actual or impending, mine or that of someone in my immediate family), - disease or injury (my own), or - termination of the contract (by the CT or by me or by both). Babies, cellular phones, excessive heat ... they're all annoying ... but unless they lead to death, disease/injury, or contract termination ... then my job as an actor is to "soldier on" or "be a real trooper" despite the adversities. That's one of the "joys" of live theater, is it not? That being said, a pre-show announcement to the audience or a note in the program about babies, cellular phones, excessive heat, might do a lot to prevent or minimize such annoyances. I like to hope that the majority of audience members are both smart enough and considerate enough to NOT cause annoyances (I don't bring a baby into the theater during a performance or run-thru; I turn my cellular phone or any other device OFF while in the theater; etc.). And as for that small and annoying minority of audience members who are either stupid or inconsiderate or both ... well ... again, that's one of the "joys" of live theater. And if I'm the actor having the prima donna moment, refusing to go on the stage because of the presence of a (?noisy?) baby in the audience? Well, if I'm lucky I MIGHT be allowed to pull that kind of an inappropriate stunt ONCE and ONLY ONCE. - Perhaps there are understandable circumstances that lead to the incident, or not. I will probably receive a private and firm-but-friendly talking-to by the SM or the Director or the Producer, indicating that this will not happen again. - If I'm stupid enough to try that inappropriate stunt again, at the very least I should not be cast in a show by that CT for a VERY long time, if ever. - If I am a paid professional actor, and I try to pull that inappropriate stunt a second time, I would probably be fired on the spot and replaced by an understudy of some kind. I am, of course, reminded of the recently released recording of Christian "The Dark Knight" Bale, having a verbal meltdown on the set of some recent movie of his. The acting product he provides has to be worth AN AWFUL LOT to put up with that kind of inappropriate behaviour. Many Hollywood actors who have demonstrated an ability to be "difficult" have had trouble getting roles, unless their acting product is SO spectacular that their "difficult" personalities are overlooked for reasons of Box Office. I doubt that most CT's have that kind of leeway. ------------- --------------------<*> Saludos, my dahlinks, and you know who you are ... ! |