What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

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What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/4/06 at 9:50pm

Lately I have been really questioning why I love theatre so much. From an outside view theatre is magical and so inspiring, but it becomes a lot different when you are working in theatre. I am directing "I Sing" at my university and it has been the biggest pain in the neck dealing with a pianist and a MD. Everyone wants to be paid and with only a 200 dollar budget it is near impossible. We finally found someone who would do it for the pure love of doing it! Things started off great! About a few weeks into rehearsal my MD emails me 24 hours before rehearsal to tell me he can't be at rehearsal all week. If you don't know I Sing it is 100% music and makes it hard to rehearse without a pianist. The following week he emails me 24 hours before rehearsal again to tell me he can not make it on Monday. And finally tells me Monday he can't be there Friday. To make a long story short he was canceling rehearsal for stupid reasons. Today he finally quit. (thank God!) But now we are stuck in the very middle of the rehearsal process without a MD or pianist.
As my stress of both a full class schedule and rehearsal sets in I start to question if I can really handle this as a profession! I love theatre with all of my heart and I have no clue what I would ever do with out it.
How does everyone else handle those times when you wonder just a little why you do it?
Thanks for letting me vent!

(Martha Graham from a letter to Agnes de Mille) "There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening That is translated through you into action, And because there is only one of you in all time, This expression is unique. If you block it, It will never exist through any other medium And be lost. The world will never have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, Nor how valuable it is, Nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, To keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware Directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, A blessed unrest that keeps us marching And makes us more alive than others."

Updated On: 3/4/06 at 09:50 PM

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/4/06 at 9:51pm

I apply warm compresses

and when times like this happen, just remember it's still worth all the crap you have to endure

It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story... AGATHA CHRISTIE, Life magazine, May 14, 1956

Updated On: 3/4/06 at 09:51 PM

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/4/06 at 10:01pm

I wonder and wonder why I put up with it. Then, we get to the actual show and I remember "This is why."

http://www.beintheheights.com/katnicole1 (Please click and help me win!) I chose, and my world was shaken- So what?
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda "And when Idina Menzel is singing, I'm always slightly worried that her teeth are going to jump out of her mouth and chase me." - Schmerg_the_Impaler

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/4/06 at 10:05pm

That is an excellent point!

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/4/06 at 10:06pm

Remember: Theres a REASON youre doing this, you want inspire you want to dazzle, you want to delight. And after all is said and done, you still love what you do. Sometimes you must use tough love. Slap it back!

Do you have to work with a live pianist? Can you get kareoke tapes? They would be easier to deal with. Do you have any friends who play piano? Im sorry, if I lived in your city and had any talent with a piano, I would help you :)

Join me on journey that is the development of my first musical! Twitter/Insta @gimpymusical FB: Gimpy The Musical email @gimpymusical@gmail.com for more info!

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/4/06 at 10:10pm

I'm directing a show right now, and I DEFINITELY feel your pain. We go up in less than three weeks and definitely aren't anywhere NEAR ready. In fact I'm gonna stop talking about it before I have a panic attack lol.

But it's true that the show is the payoff--the rehearsal period is always stressful and frightening. It's one of those things where you're too involved in the process to be able to see that it's all going to be okay.

Good luck with everything and hang in there-I'm sure everything will work out and your show will rock. Let us know how it goes!

Coin operated boy All the other real ones that I destroy Cannot hold a candle to my new boy and I'll Never let him go and I'll never be alone Not with my coin-operated boy

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/4/06 at 10:21pm

It is amazing how hard it is to find a person who plays piano. Either they want to be paid or are super busy. We are checking everywhere. This show is not well known at all...only really ever been workshopped so there are no kareoke tapes of it. We still are toying with the possibilty of finding someone to just record the music for us. We open April 14 and are in pretty good situation. I just recently started documenting the rehearsal process and created a little section in my myspace if anyone is interested.

Thank you guys so much for the words of support! It helps a GREAT deal!

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/4/06 at 10:24pm

I think of all the wonderful things that theatre has given me (a girlfriend, great friends who are always there for me, A LIFE), and remember that day when I said to myself "This is what I want to do with my life".

David walked into the valley With a stone clutched in his hand He was only a boy But he knew someone must take a stand There will always be a valley Always mountains one must scale There will always be perilous waters Which someone must sail -Into the Fire Scarlet Pimpernel

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/5/06 at 2:14pm

Put an ad in your local paper, there are lots of arts people scrambling for jobs I am sure, someone will answer :)

Best of luck

Join me on journey that is the development of my first musical! Twitter/Insta @gimpymusical FB: Gimpy The Musical email @gimpymusical@gmail.com for more info!

#10

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/5/06 at 2:18pm

Just wanted to wish you the best with the show, and to reiterate what everyone else has been saying: the performance is the payoff. Rehearsal is always a stressful mess, in at least some capacity, no matter what level you're at, but it always - almost like magic - comes together in the end. Hang in there!!

#11

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/5/06 at 2:40pm

As others have already said, the show is the payoff. In the meantime, remember that when you start doing theatre professionally, you won't be doing it for credit and carrying a full class load to boot!
Keep your chin up. Is there anyone in your ensemble, or who is not on stage all of the time, who can play rehearsal piano?

"And the postman sighed as he scratched his head, you really rather thought she ought to be dead..."

#12

re: What do you do when theatre gives you a big ol slap in the face?

Posted: 3/5/06 at 2:50pm

Remember, you're not dealing with professionals - this will just make it all the more rewarding when you ARE.

"High time we made a stand and shook up the views of the common man" - Tears for Fears

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