6.28.2005
Week 2
The second week of rehearsal went well.
I am discovering the pros and cons of being the group leader. First, it is a lot of responsibility. Because there is no one else to do it, I am also the show's producer, which means I'm responsible for everything off stage as well as on stage.
I have a great costume designer. I don't have a lighting designer, but the show is not really lighting intense. I have a production stage manager who is the best. He also knows how to work the light board and is very professional.
The biggest piece missing is the set designer. I don't have one. Here's where communication broke down. I thought I would be able to use the same designer that built teh set for the first show of the summer -- "The Music Man." However, that person declined to do the show. Then, my costumer told me she had someone that would do it. I called him and left messages three times; he never returned my calls. She contacted him and set up a time to meet at a rehearsal. She even came to the rehearsal to do the introductions, but he did not show. So now I'm seeking a replacement and I meet with one this week.
Communications lesson: I have learned that being an ultimate power is not the best thing in a collaborative art. Now I have never given the, "Do what I say or I will can your butt" speech, but my cast has been reticent to correct me.
For instance, I passed out rehearsal schedules and realized more than two weeks later that I failed to schedule any rehearsals for the week following July 4. No one pointed out the ommission. No one questioned it. They just thought that I was busy or something. There have been other mistakes like that. It bothered me that no one thought they could ask my reason for doing things like that.
I believe my failure was setting up an atmosphere of collaboration at the beginning of the process. Don't get me wrong, I have never tried to give off the impression that I know it all and don't need anyone's help. That's just the way the people interpreted my behavior I guess.
Non-verbally, I try to act confident because no one wants to go through a project without a clear vision of what's going on. Apparently, that has come off as cocky and unwilling to listen.
It affects the whole production because I need my actors to feel free to experiment with a character. I may not agree, but at least I will have something to work with.
I am discovering the pros and cons of being the group leader. First, it is a lot of responsibility. Because there is no one else to do it, I am also the show's producer, which means I'm responsible for everything off stage as well as on stage.
I have a great costume designer. I don't have a lighting designer, but the show is not really lighting intense. I have a production stage manager who is the best. He also knows how to work the light board and is very professional.
The biggest piece missing is the set designer. I don't have one. Here's where communication broke down. I thought I would be able to use the same designer that built teh set for the first show of the summer -- "The Music Man." However, that person declined to do the show. Then, my costumer told me she had someone that would do it. I called him and left messages three times; he never returned my calls. She contacted him and set up a time to meet at a rehearsal. She even came to the rehearsal to do the introductions, but he did not show. So now I'm seeking a replacement and I meet with one this week.
Communications lesson: I have learned that being an ultimate power is not the best thing in a collaborative art. Now I have never given the, "Do what I say or I will can your butt" speech, but my cast has been reticent to correct me.
For instance, I passed out rehearsal schedules and realized more than two weeks later that I failed to schedule any rehearsals for the week following July 4. No one pointed out the ommission. No one questioned it. They just thought that I was busy or something. There have been other mistakes like that. It bothered me that no one thought they could ask my reason for doing things like that.
I believe my failure was setting up an atmosphere of collaboration at the beginning of the process. Don't get me wrong, I have never tried to give off the impression that I know it all and don't need anyone's help. That's just the way the people interpreted my behavior I guess.
Non-verbally, I try to act confident because no one wants to go through a project without a clear vision of what's going on. Apparently, that has come off as cocky and unwilling to listen.
It affects the whole production because I need my actors to feel free to experiment with a character. I may not agree, but at least I will have something to work with.
