Just wondering . . .

disneybeauty · Just wondering . . .

I am just wondering if this is common practice, and I just never realized it before:
I am currently working on a production (choreo, chorus, understudy to female lead), and the director is taking everything from Bway version. By that I mean blocking, stage/set design, lighting, the whole banana (except for parts of the choreography where he has given me some control). Is this common? This is a pro theatre, and I thought that most directors wanted to put their own spin on a show, not just "do what's on the video".
Is this common? Has anyone else dealt with this? Am I wrong for feeling this isn't a good thing to do? Neutral

PappyCat

Didn't you already post this?

*Is confused.*

pish123c

Not only does it mean that there is no creativity, it's more likely than not illegal.

Salome

its wrong to do. i mean directors steal ideas all the time but usuallt not a whole show..if they do that whats the point of being a director. people become directors because they want to convey their vision and passion. not to be record clerks.

however the producers of the broadway production of Urinetown sued a theatre for copying their set and blocking exactly.

disneybeauty

Pappy, when I first posted this, it was just the choreography he wanted me to copy. I talked him in to letting me put my spin on the choreo so it would looko better on our cast. Then last night, he took all of the Board of Governors and had them learn the exact entrances and exits for the first group number from the video. I had already given them their entrances, but he wanted the entrances to be the exact same as the video. He almost made all of my choreo blow up. Then, he said all of the blocking/movement/etc. would be direct from the video. So we were all shown the video to watch to learn our blocking for each scene we're in. I've never done this before, and I was wondering how common a practice this was. I found it odd.

Melindaisy

I never heard of anyone doing this. You can get a director's guide to some shows that suggests the set, cosutmes and some blocking. But I would think that any director who is worth anything would use their own interpretation and come up with their own version of the show.
To copy exactly from a video version of a performance shows that your director:
1) has no interpretive skills of their own.
2) lacks confidence in their own judgement
3) doesn't want to be bothered to spend the time, energy, and thought to anaylize the play and come up with his vision of it.
It is so much easier to copy what others have done.
In any case, what you have is someone who should not be directing...
I feel really bad for you......

disneybeauty

When asked why he was doing this, my director said "It took six years to perfect this musical before it hit Broadway. Why wouldn't I use that?"
I just don't get it . . . . Eh?

disneybeauty	Just wondering . . . I am just wondering if this is common practice, and I just never realized it before: I am currently working on a production (choreo, chorus, understudy to female lead), and the director is taking everything from Bway version. By that I mean blocking, stage/set design, lighting, the whole banana (except for parts of the choreography where he has given me some control). Is this common? This is a pro theatre, and I thought that most directors wanted to put their own spin on a show, not just "do what's on the video". Is this common? Has anyone else dealt with this? Am I wrong for feeling this isn't a good thing to do?
PappyCat	Didn't you already post this? Is confused.
pish123c	Not only does it mean that there is no creativity, it's more likely than not illegal.
Salome	its wrong to do. i mean directors steal ideas all the time but usuallt not a whole show..if they do that whats the point of being a director. people become directors because they want to convey their vision and passion. not to be record clerks. however the producers of the broadway production of Urinetown sued a theatre for copying their set and blocking exactly.
disneybeauty	Pappy, when I first posted this, it was just the choreography he wanted me to copy. I talked him in to letting me put my spin on the choreo so it would looko better on our cast. Then last night, he took all of the Board of Governors and had them learn the exact entrances and exits for the first group number from the video. I had already given them their entrances, but he wanted the entrances to be the exact same as the video. He almost made all of my choreo blow up. Then, he said all of the blocking/movement/etc. would be direct from the video. So we were all shown the video to watch to learn our blocking for each scene we're in. I've never done this before, and I was wondering how common a practice this was. I found it odd.
Melindaisy	I never heard of anyone doing this. You can get a director's guide to some shows that suggests the set, cosutmes and some blocking. But I would think that any director who is worth anything would use their own interpretation and come up with their own version of the show. To copy exactly from a video version of a performance shows that your director: 1) has no interpretive skills of their own. 2) lacks confidence in their own judgement 3) doesn't want to be bothered to spend the time, energy, and thought to anaylize the play and come up with his vision of it. It is so much easier to copy what others have done. In any case, what you have is someone who should not be directing... I feel really bad for you......
disneybeauty	When asked why he was doing this, my director said "It took six years to perfect this musical before it hit Broadway. Why wouldn't I use that?" I just don't get it . . . .

The Resource For Musicals

Just wondering . . .