great closing night pranks to pull?

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 2:41pm

Anyone got any suggestions? We are closing "Daddy's Dyin" tonight. I'm the stage manager.

Already I have planned to put "racy" pics in Daddy's strongbox, "racy" pics in Lurlene's wallet along with a "cake topper" in her purse. I have stuck a bottle of vodka in Evalita's bag and a bong in Harmony's backpack. There is a breakfast scene right before intermission so I salted the eggs and grits very heavily and overcooked the bacon. I also stuck a fake roach in the pie tin for Marlene and Harmony's scene.

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 2:47pm

Wow, you're really going all out, aren't you?

[mrs felciano]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 3:16pm

Grr pranks. One time when I was stage managing a show one of the cast members decided to turn the preset fog machine onto full power. By the time I got to the other side of the stage to shut it off the whole stage was covered and the audience was coughing. Pranks are a stage managers nightmare! Atleast when YOU don't know about them!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 3:17pm

that's disgusting and very unprofessional. I suppose little jokes backstage are okay, but huge on-stage gags that could cause the actors to loose character or scare them on-stage is not cool. the audience didn't pay for that and the actors probably won't find it funny... I wouldn't.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 3:25pm

Please tell me this is in a High School.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 3:27pm

I think the number of pranks that you're doing is what people call "overkill." Do you want the cast to break character and seem unprofessional? I can understand a few inside jokes that the cast is in on, but if I were in your cast and you did that I'd be pretty peeved. I'm sure now that someone will rebut with "you take things too seriously!" But, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be annoyed. Some of the pranks aren't even funny, but just cruel. Maybe take into consideration the backlash before going through with it...


Updated On: 3/3/07 at 03:27 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 3:36pm

i'm a stage manager..... i dont like closing night pranks...

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 4:15pm

How professional....

Most times, for the audience members, it's their final chance to see the production, so you want to fu(k it up?


A true pro....

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 11:06am

no one ****ed up, the whole cast loved it - there is nothing unprofessional about this, i thought out things and used my professional judgement.

[pab]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 11:11am

Childish, immature, stupid and a total lack of respect for fellow actors is all that I can say about pranks on stage.

[misschung]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 11:15am

well it depends on the camaraderie of the cast and how well you think they would take it. I mean if you have cast members who you think would really get freaked out and break character on stage, ruining the number for everything - then its obviously not a good idea. But I have a friend who worked in the opera for twenty some years and on her closing night, they pulled a hilarious prank on her and she thought it was great. But some stage veterans know how to handle those things better than others

[DG]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 11:17am

"great closing night pranks"

Oxymoron.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 12:42pm

That's really unprofessional even if it is high school.You didn't see the stage manager of Sweeney Todd pulling any pranks on closing night.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 12:42pm

Oh, how deliciously fun it all sounds. Maybe in the next middle school show I direct for my alma mater, I'll replace 12-year-old Captain Von Trapp's letter with a real note telling him he's adopted, switch Gretl's finale dress with a slutty one entirely too short for her, and launch a projectile dart into Maria's mouth during the opening.

I don't see any backing to why you say "there is nothing unprofessional about this," nor as to how you gained such professional status in order to use your "professional judgment."

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 12:44pm

"Professional judgement" and "pranks" never go together.

[cheezedoodle]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 12:47pm

I worked at a theater that black balled a prankster once. I understand they can only get work in the Dallas Fort Worth area now.

[erikaamato]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 12:49pm

Well said, Jerby!

I despise onstage pranks.

[DAME]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 2:00pm

You should PM Donna Vivino. She has the all time classic closing night prank.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 2:04pm

That was NOT closing night.


It was the night she got fired.... I mean released.... Let go...whatever...

[DAME]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 2:05pm

True. I stand corrected. But it will still work.

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 7:33pm

i do not work for a high school or middle school, this is a professional theatre and i am an a aea stage manager. nothing that i did interfered with the integrity of the show the director created, and all cast members were asked and agreed to a small prank before anything was ever planned. the cast is small and we have all worked together before, we are very close and this was just my way of saying thanks and good-bye. and how do you know that no one on broadway doesnt play pranks during the show - as long as the audience isn't aware, no one gets hurt, and the production remains in tact there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a little fun.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 7:36pm

Maybe it's "fun," but no matter how close the cast is or how little the prank is, there is no way anyone can say that playing pranks onstage is anything but utterly unprofessional.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 7:40pm

I wasn't involved, but our closing night of HSM featured about 4 gags, including an added Whaaaaaaaaat?, the use of Supercalifragalisticexpialadocious, and more.

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 7:41pm

no, i disagree.

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 3/4/07 at 7:50pm

Well DFW you are 100% wrong. Unprofessional and uncalled for.