Worst Pet Peeves in Community Theater

[BeingAlive44Ever]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 5:52pm

This is a subject I for some reason fascinated by-- 

What are some of your worst pet peeves for people in community theater? 

My worst one is when chorus kids or people who mostly did chorus when they were kids are asked what their voice part is and they respond "all of them"

First of all: Just at a surface level that means you'd have to have a bass low e and a soprano high c

But more importantly than that, voice part and vocal range are totally different things, so even if you have that kind of range... 

You're not every voice part

Like if I fry my voice to hell I can squeak out a low e and if I warm up a lot I can push my falsetto to an amateur, thin, almost whistly high c

But I'd never in a million years claim for my voice part to be "all of them"

And I bet that applies to a whole lot of tenors and baritones

But I won't get into all of that

Oh and honorable mention to girls claiming to be male voice parts, it's technically possible but they're very rarely correct

[binau]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 6:06pm

I don’t really go to community theatre anymore but when I did it was quite common for me to see directors trying to break the 4th wall, bringing the cast into the aisles etc as part of the show. I always found it a little tacky. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:09pm

Teens that are cast as the leads in a show thinking they'll be the next Broadway superstar.

Theaters that do a red carpet for their opening night and put out emails to anyone attending that they need to dress accordingly.

Community theaters that refuse to work with any conflicts with cast members and actually "fire" cast members if they have to call out.

Theater companies that do a year-end award show and treat it like the Tony Awards.

Theaters that require cast members to commit to a 8 week rehearsal schedule.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:22pm

Bad, cheap looking plastic wigs. Just style the persons real hair as best you can. A hideous wig takes me completely out of the character. It’s all I can think about.

Ill fitting clothes/costumes. I know there is no budget for tailoring or making clothes, but at least try to find clothes that fit the actors. Men and boys swimming in an ill fitted suit makes me insane. Again takes me out of the character. 
 

Garish stage makeup. Either trying to age up a young person in an unrealistic way with heavy makeup. Also many community theatre actors just cake on foundation with no idea what they are actually going for. 

[BeingAlive44Ever]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 9:58pm

ACL2006 said: "Teens that are cast as the leads in a show thinking they'll be the next Broadway superstar.

Theaters that do a red carpet for their opening night and put out emails to anyone attending that they need to dress accordingly.

Community theaters that refuse to work with any conflicts with cast members and actually "fire" cast members if they have to call out.

Theater companies that do a year-end award show and treat it like the Tony Awards.

Theaters that require cast members to commit to a 8 week rehearsal schedule."

Man that award show one isn't something I've seen a community theater do, but my high school actually did that for some reason 

I remember one in particular

It was horrible

Because literally the awards were just to boost the ego of the drama club council and the leads of the shows, which by the way said leads were literally abhorrent 

They gave out three best actor and best actress awards 

Which I mean sure

But what's funny is there were two blatantly identifiable people who had actual talent and were great and four people who were being given the awards as more of a consolation prize

And the one person who played major roles in the school shows who was actually really genuinely excellent

Well she didn't get the award

They gave her a singing award

Which to be fair she was likely the strongest singer

But she was also a way better actor than any of the others

And also they quite literally acted like it was the Tony Awards

Oh and by the way 

Later on I eventually actually got one of the awards

And I 

Didn't accept it

Because it's kind of just stupid

 

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 10:57pm

Fun topic!

My smaller pet peeves are:
- inserting some pandering local reference into the script
- audience participation (hate it when it happens professionally too but seems to be more common with community theaters) - obviously excluding something designed for it like Spelling Bee.
- when some well meaning audience member or person involved with the production says something like "this is as good as Broadway." 

My large one is blaming a bad performance on a lack of resources or saying something like "they did the best they could" when the show is complete garbage. No HS or Community Theater production needs to be bad and when they are, it's not because of a lack of resources - it's usually directorial misconduct. A director either has no vision or ideas or they go well beyond their means. If you have a tiny school or theater program, don't freaking do Beauty and the Beast and suck at it. Do something tiny like You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and do a kickass job at it. High quality productions will help you build your program over time and sometimes you have to start small.

[binau]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 2:48am

It feels like this thread and all of you could write a hilarious tv comedy on this very topic. And it would be so funny if they cast actual talented Broadway stars ironically in certain roles. And it feels like a Ryan Murphy job. Eg imagine Joe Mantello as a community director, Patti LuPone as a talentless diva, Ben Platt doing something weird and hilarious. Ashford could do something funny too. Someone make it happen!!! 

Updated On: 7/13/23 at 02:48 AM

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 7:26am

A series based on Waiting for Guffman is not a terrible idea:  

[Valentina3]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 8:05am

"It feels like this thread and all of you could write a hilarious tv comedy on this very topic. And it would be so funny if they cast actual talented Broadway stars ironically in certain roles. And it feels like a Ryan Murphy job. Eg imagine Joe Mantello as a community director, Patti LuPone as a talentless diva, Ben Platt doing something weird and hilarious. Ashford could do something funny too. Someone make it happen!!! "


When I first started watching High School Musical The Musical The Series, I was really hoping it would be more of a satire. But its so gd earnest... (I mean I still watch it because I am a sap too)

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 11:12am

 

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 11:56am

Garish stage makeup. Either trying to age up a young person in an unrealistic way with heavy makeup. Also many community theatre actors just cake on foundation with no idea what they are actually going for."

When I did community theater, our very first show was "The Music Man" and our director's rule for the makeup was that no one in the audience will be able to see our faces unless we use heavy makeup. He said that from the audience's point of view, the makeup will just appear as strong facial features. So we all went out there with enough makeup to make Drag Race contestants look under done.

I played Tommy Djilas and when my cousin came to see the show, she said she was confused because she thought I was playing a female character because of the heavy makeup I was wearing. 

That said, my community theater pet peeves are when actors stop acting before they get off stage. Like when the big production number is over, everybody just drops their hands down and randomly walks off the stage out of character. Choreography is another one. I know it is hard to come up with and to teach, but enough already with the moving arms from left to right or bopping from left to right etc. 

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 12:28pm

Man that award show one isn't something I've seen a community theater do, but my high school actually did that for some reason 

A good amount of NJ community theaters do these. They're long, boring, and full of a lot of egos.

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 1:05pm

ACL2006 said: "
Man that award show one isn't something I've seen a community theater do, but my high school actually did that for some reason

A good amount of NJ community theaters do these. They're long, boring, and full of a lot of egos."

We had one in my area (rural Minnesota) for a while, but it hasn't happened post-COVID.

Honestly, I enjoyed it. It helped that I'm a big fan of awards shows like that in general (I follow the Oscars like some people follow sports) but was also probably helped was that it wasn't put on by any individual community theater but rather by a collective of the half dozen or so community theaters in the area, so there was a wide variety of shows.

Maybe I'm just weird, but I'd like it to come back.

[Owen22]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 3:38pm

Mr. Wormwood said: "
My large one is blaming a bad performance on a lack of resources or saying something like "they did the best they could" when the show is complete garbage. No HS or Community Theater production needs to be bad and when they are, it's not because of a lack of resources - it's usually directorial misconduct. A director either has no vision or ideas or they go well beyond their means. If you have a tiny school or theater program, don't freaking do Beauty and the Beast and suck at it. Do something tiny like You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and do a kickass job at it. High quality productions will help you build your program over time and sometimes you have to start small."

You know what my pet peeve is.  Calling a show--done for the love of theatre, done between one or two jobs, or schoolwork, or housekeeping, done between no sleep, no time at home--GARBAGE.  It would be nice to have a director or actor or tech designer with talent, but that's not necessarily what community theatre IS! Again, it's love of the art form.  I have had to stifle laughs at many an Am Dram or community theatre production, but I always appreciate the work and the sacrifices (at home and on stage) amateur theatre makers have to make.

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 4:14pm

Mr. Wormwood said: "Fun topic!

My smaller pet peeves are:
- inserting some pandering local reference into the script
- audience participation (hate it when it happens professionally too but seems to be more common with community theaters) - obviously excluding something designed for it like Spelling Bee.
- when some well meaning audience member or person involved with the production says something like "this is as good as Broadway."

My large one is blaming a bad performance on a lack of resources or saying something like "they did the best they could" when the show is complete garbage. No HS or Community Theater production needs to be bad and when they are, it's not because of a lack of resources - it's usually directorial misconduct. A director either has no vision or ideas or they go well beyond their means. If you have a tiny school or theater program, don't freaking do Beauty and the Beast and suck at it. Do something tiny like You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and do a kickass job at it. High quality productions will help you build your program over time and sometimes you have to start small."

The obnoxiously loud, way-too-enthusiastic, over-supportive audiences. Oh wait, that's Broadway I'm thinking of.

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 4:39pm

Owen22 said: "Mr. Wormwood said: "
My large one is blaming a bad performance on a lack of resources or saying something like "they did the best they could" when the show is complete garbage. No HS or Community Theater production needs to be bad and when they are, it's not because of a lack of resources - it's usually directorial misconduct. A director either has no vision or ideas or they go well beyond their means. If you have a tiny school or theater program, don't freaking do Beauty and the Beast and suck at it. Do something tiny like You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and do a kickass job at it. High quality productions will help you build your program over time and sometimes you have to start small."

You know what my pet peeve is. Calling a show--done for the love of theatre, done between one or two jobs, or schoolwork, or housekeeping, done between no sleep, no time at home--GARBAGE. It would be nice to have a director or actor or tech designer with talent, but that's not necessarily what community theatre IS! Again, it's love of the art form. I have had to stifle laughs at many an Am Dram or community theatre production, but I always appreciate the work and the sacrifices (at home and on stage) amateur theatre makers have to make."

I've been involved with amateur theater a lot. On occasion, I have seen incredible shows at the HS & community level so it can be done. Often, it is a decent show with good effort and some things to like. And then sometimes it is terrible. And sorry, but that really bothers me and I think it hurts the art form. I appreciate good theatre at all levels and don't go in with unreasonable expectations. I'm just saying that in these cases, a theater or director is being delusional about what they can do within their means and the result can be a bad show. Do something within the means of your cast, space & technical capabilities and there will be good things about it.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 5:03pm

My, My -- what a LOT of Corky St. Clairs we have on this thread.

My pet peeve -- community theater people who take themselves WAY too seriously and somehow think they are above the fray.

 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 5:13pm

Adlibbing. I recently saw Sweeney Todd at Trinity Rep (it was absolutely dreadful; I left at intermission), and the cast was improvising SO much extra stuff between the lines, they might as well have added an “adapted by” credit for the ensemble. This included the fourth wall breaking by the hammiest, muggiest Mrs. Lovett I’ve ever seen, who took it upon herself to heckle me for not laughing at her delivery of “Flies do too”, just because I was sitting in the front row not smiling.

Also, don’t heckle your audience, whether you can see them or not.

[DJD4]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 6:16pm

When any funny female character has to wear one of those bad short, curly hair wigs. Hedy LaRue, Lois Lane, Miss Adelaide, Lilly St Regis. Do they all have to have the same hairstyle?

When a "chorus" is added to shows that don't need them just to give more kids roles. 

When kids are cast in ensembles that shouldn't have kids in them. I groan (and laugh a little) whenever I see a pint sized 10 year old business man in How to Succeed. 

Any time lyrics are changed to be more appropriate, super common in church productions.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/13/23 at 7:05pm

RE: kids added in shows

I saw a production of A Chorus Line that added a children's ensemble. They were put into the opening number (and not cut, they just left the stage), and then were put back in the show for At the Ballet, the entire Montage, Music & the Mirror and the Finale. Remains the worst production of ACL I ever saw.

[BeingAlive44Ever]

Posted: 7/14/23 at 8:50am

Man I'm surprised how many people are actually responding

Here's another pet peeve I have

It applies to professional theater to some degree as well, although definitely to a lesser extent

And that

Of course

Is typecasting

I live in a predominantly white area

And I'm Asian

And one day a community theater near me was doing Once on this Island

Now I appreciate that the story doesn't make as much sense if the peasants aren't darker than the Grand Hommes

However 

All the cast members other than four were white

I played Tonton Julian, a black girl played Mama Euralie, a Japanese girl played Ti Moune, and my little sister played little Ti Moune

And I actually auditioned for Papa Ge, and my voice fits his range way better, because I'm a high tenor

I mean that's what I thought at first anyways

It turns out I actually really love Tonton's material and role in the story 

But I find it odd that all the gods were white even though there were two people of color who auditioned for gods and were frankly better than the people who got the roles

Oh and then there's my school's shows...

There was one black kid who was in the drama department, and by pure coincidence he was always cast as sleazy and/or poor characters

Race and appearance can be important to roles, especially when it's a racial story or a story dependent on age, but in many cases taking the Hamilton route of casting people who are actually able to do well with the material is pretty much the best way to go

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 7/14/23 at 8:52am

When they put the horrid black and white headshots on the cardboard wall

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 7/14/23 at 11:36am

Race: Don’t produce an all white King and I or West Side Story. There are plenty of other shows.

Sex Appeal: Avoid it. Everyone knows to much about everyone. The director who puts their middle aged spouse in a bikini or a teen boy in a loin cloth makes the audience uncomfortable.

Dialects: If you can’t do them… don’t.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 7/14/23 at 12:03pm

MrsSallyAdams said: "Dialects: If you can’t do them… don’t."

I misread this as "Directors: If you can do them...dont", which is also valid.

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 7/14/23 at 1:08pm

- Actors who are not mic'd.  I don't care how "intimate" your studio theater is. If I've done my homework before attending a performance and can't hear the actors (especially over live musicians), odds are there are a lot of other audience members who are completely lost and have no idea what's going on.

- Multiple email blasts or posts on social media using the phrase "Tickets going fast!", when you can pull up the seating charts for multiple performances and see that tickets are not, in fact, 'going fast' at all.  That one is probably my ultimate pet peeve.  Even worse if it's a "Low ticket warning!"

 

Updated On: 7/14/23 at 01:08 PM