Tech Week for a cast of 50+

snowhite880 · Tech Week for a cast of 50+

Ok, so I'm SMing for a production of BATB at a local youth theatre. It is a cast of 55 and the oldest person there is 17. We are going to enter the 1st of 2 tech weeks, and tempers are already going off everywhere. It falls to my responsibility to check everyone in, make sure they are in costume and makeup, do a prop check, stop arguments before they start, calm down nervous or aggrivated or depresses actors and make sure that everyone is quiet, which is not easy to do with a cast that is predominantly 13 year olds.
Anyway, I'm finding trouble keeping athority over everyone, espically Belle, The Beast, Gaston and Maurice because they are only a year younger than me, and The Beast is my age. Meanwhile, I feel like I'm going to break down instead of the actors, because I have to run from my LSoH rehersals to the BATB ones without eating for like, 10 hours straight.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle my responsabilities while keeping athority at rehersals without loosing it and screaming? Any help is appreciated.
Thinks

Holly

Well, bring food with you! Wink

Haha, sorry, no real advice, but that was what stuck out for me - I've spent most of the summer running from summer school to Pippin to Les Mis rehearsals (5 hours of school + 6 hours of rehearsal), but sandwiches have been part of my routine :]

snowhite880

Thanks, I think I'll either start packing more food, or I'll try and stop to get something on the way to BATB.

kiwitechgirl

Definitely make sure you eat properly - it will make all the difference in the world. Do you have any ASMs on the show - I would hope with a cast of that size you do; if so, delegate. If you issue a prop checklist, an ASM can easily do that for you, and the same for checking cast members in. As for making sure the cast are in costume and makeup, I would discourage that pretty firmly. Sit the cast down at the start of a rehearsal and inform them (in the nicest possible way!) that you are not their mother; tell them what calls you will be making and that it is their own responsibility to be in makeup and costume by beginners. Hopefully you have chaperones/matrons in the dressing rooms who can help out with this. If they're not ready when they have to be on stage, it's their fault and only their fault - I bet if they get bawled out for it once, they won't do it again!

Authority is a trickier one. I'd suggest getting the director to explain to the cast that once the show is open, it's YOUR show and that they should treat you with the same respect as the director. Don't take bullshit from anyone; be prepared to put your foot down if you have to but always do it calmly.

Hope that's of some help to you!

star2ballie

Lists and signs.

I assistant directed (and choreographed...but that's another story...) for our middle school show...of 87 children from 6th-8th grade. The youngest had just turned 11 (don't ask me how she was a sixth grader...), and the oldest were around 15. Anyway...come tech week, and performances...it fell to me to be doing the Stage Manager/Production Coordinator job (another story...we had our SM and PC leave and get fired, respectively. Yeah. FUN!). I had to do pretty much the same things as you did, in addition to actually coordinating the makeup/costuming process, running warmups, etc.

My best friend was my clipboard and Microsoft Word and Excel. I made lists over lists over lists of everything. Whenever I could. I made spreadsheets of everything...and big signs that I would constantly plaster all over backstage. We also have a huge bulliten/white erase call board, and it was the kids' job to check it when they came in, and sign their name in on one of the attendance lists every day. Then, about 20 minutes after call time, I would take the list down and write the names of the kids who hadn't signed in on the call board. It would then be their job to come grovel to me (lol) and have me sign them in.

I also had to just delegate, delegate, delegate. I put out a call to our HS drama club, and got a make-up crew of 7 girls who were just fantastic and so willing to help. 3 of them didn't have a ton of stage make-up experience, but I was still able to use them by having them do the "powder" station...or having them do the overall checks...and then one just was the gopher. It was easier on me and they got valuable experience, too.

As for the you being only a year older than them...it's tough but you have to remember why you have the authority you do. It's not because you're older, but because of your JOB. I dance captained (yes, that's a word now) for a show and I was one of the youngest in the cast. But I still had authority because I was "higher up on the food chain" because of my job. Not that I didn't treat people with respect...but when it came time for me to work out dance moves or run things...I did, and just put it out of my mind that some of the people were 5, 6, 8 years older than me.

And of course, if anyone gives you attitude, instill the fear of the Lord in them. Haha. Not that you should scream your head off, but you have to address it right away. Pull that person into a private room and make it VERY clear that you won't be taking any more of their lip, and should they choose to ignore your warning, their next confrontation will be with the director (/producer/whoever is most in charge or...scariest. lol.).

I also advise trying to find den mamas, especially because it's a youth show. And if you know them fairly well, pick the ones who you know won't take any crap. Those are the best kind.

BEST of luck and if you have any questions, feel free to ask or PM me. I know how crazy it can be!! And break-a-leg in LSOH. Very Happy

AND EAT!!!!!!! Invest in some power bars and bottles of water/propel, if nothing else.

outdamnwench

Well, first of all, it sounds like you need a few ASM's first of all. Also, even though the cast is around your age, you really gotta slam your foot down and be an ass-hole. To be a good stage manager, you really need to establish your sense of authority. Also, remind the cast that they had weeks and weeks, to prepare for their job and you and all the techs have one or two to do it and they will simply look and sound like crap if they don't let you guys do their job. Keep us posted.

snowhite880	Tech Week for a cast of 50+ Ok, so I'm SMing for a production of BATB at a local youth theatre. It is a cast of 55 and the oldest person there is 17. We are going to enter the 1st of 2 tech weeks, and tempers are already going off everywhere. It falls to my responsibility to check everyone in, make sure they are in costume and makeup, do a prop check, stop arguments before they start, calm down nervous or aggrivated or depresses actors and make sure that everyone is quiet, which is not easy to do with a cast that is predominantly 13 year olds. Anyway, I'm finding trouble keeping athority over everyone, espically Belle, The Beast, Gaston and Maurice because they are only a year younger than me, and The Beast is my age. Meanwhile, I feel like I'm going to break down instead of the actors, because I have to run from my LSoH rehersals to the BATB ones without eating for like, 10 hours straight. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle my responsabilities while keeping athority at rehersals without loosing it and screaming? Any help is appreciated. Thinks
Holly	Well, bring food with you! Haha, sorry, no real advice, but that was what stuck out for me - I've spent most of the summer running from summer school to Pippin to Les Mis rehearsals (5 hours of school + 6 hours of rehearsal), but sandwiches have been part of my routine :]
snowhite880	Thanks, I think I'll either start packing more food, or I'll try and stop to get something on the way to BATB.
kiwitechgirl	Definitely make sure you eat properly - it will make all the difference in the world. Do you have any ASMs on the show - I would hope with a cast of that size you do; if so, delegate. If you issue a prop checklist, an ASM can easily do that for you, and the same for checking cast members in. As for making sure the cast are in costume and makeup, I would discourage that pretty firmly. Sit the cast down at the start of a rehearsal and inform them (in the nicest possible way!) that you are not their mother; tell them what calls you will be making and that it is their own responsibility to be in makeup and costume by beginners. Hopefully you have chaperones/matrons in the dressing rooms who can help out with this. If they're not ready when they have to be on stage, it's their fault and only their fault - I bet if they get bawled out for it once, they won't do it again! Authority is a trickier one. I'd suggest getting the director to explain to the cast that once the show is open, it's YOUR show and that they should treat you with the same respect as the director. Don't take bullshit from anyone; be prepared to put your foot down if you have to but always do it calmly. Hope that's of some help to you!
star2ballie	Lists and signs. I assistant directed (and choreographed...but that's another story...) for our middle school show...of 87 children from 6th-8th grade. The youngest had just turned 11 (don't ask me how she was a sixth grader...), and the oldest were around 15. Anyway...come tech week, and performances...it fell to me to be doing the Stage Manager/Production Coordinator job (another story...we had our SM and PC leave and get fired, respectively. Yeah. FUN!). I had to do pretty much the same things as you did, in addition to actually coordinating the makeup/costuming process, running warmups, etc. My best friend was my clipboard and Microsoft Word and Excel. I made lists over lists over lists of everything. Whenever I could. I made spreadsheets of everything...and big signs that I would constantly plaster all over backstage. We also have a huge bulliten/white erase call board, and it was the kids' job to check it when they came in, and sign their name in on one of the attendance lists every day. Then, about 20 minutes after call time, I would take the list down and write the names of the kids who hadn't signed in on the call board. It would then be their job to come grovel to me (lol) and have me sign them in. I also had to just delegate, delegate, delegate. I put out a call to our HS drama club, and got a make-up crew of 7 girls who were just fantastic and so willing to help. 3 of them didn't have a ton of stage make-up experience, but I was still able to use them by having them do the "powder" station...or having them do the overall checks...and then one just was the gopher. It was easier on me and they got valuable experience, too. As for the you being only a year older than them...it's tough but you have to remember why you have the authority you do. It's not because you're older, but because of your JOB. I dance captained (yes, that's a word now) for a show and I was one of the youngest in the cast. But I still had authority because I was "higher up on the food chain" because of my job. Not that I didn't treat people with respect...but when it came time for me to work out dance moves or run things...I did, and just put it out of my mind that some of the people were 5, 6, 8 years older than me. And of course, if anyone gives you attitude, instill the fear of the Lord in them. Haha. Not that you should scream your head off, but you have to address it right away. Pull that person into a private room and make it VERY clear that you won't be taking any more of their lip, and should they choose to ignore your warning, their next confrontation will be with the director (/producer/whoever is most in charge or...scariest. lol.). I also advise trying to find den mamas, especially because it's a youth show. And if you know them fairly well, pick the ones who you know won't take any crap. Those are the best kind. BEST of luck and if you have any questions, feel free to ask or PM me. I know how crazy it can be!! And break-a-leg in LSOH. AND EAT!!!!!!! Invest in some power bars and bottles of water/propel, if nothing else.
outdamnwench	Well, first of all, it sounds like you need a few ASM's first of all. Also, even though the cast is around your age, you really gotta slam your foot down and be an ass-hole. To be a good stage manager, you really need to establish your sense of authority. Also, remind the cast that they had weeks and weeks, to prepare for their job and you and all the techs have one or two to do it and they will simply look and sound like crap if they don't let you guys do their job. Keep us posted.

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Tech Week for a cast of 50+