Backstage Drama
Backstage Drama
#0Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:27pmAnyone have any stories of backstage drama during a show (Broadway or your own) that had no real affect on the show, and was unnoticed by the audience?
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
#1re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:31pmNot really drama, but this girl and I were supposed to be onstage and she didn't realize that, so I was all over the place looking for her. As the scene began, we pretty much jumped into our chairs and acted as if it was planned.
I get lost, unless, of course, I'm getting found.
#2re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:33pmThis is just stupid high school drama, but during "Mattress" myself (Dauntless) and the girl playin Aggravain couldn't stand each other. Ignoring her and defying her was always fun. Also, I loved kicking and beatin' up Val Jean when I was Javert. The kid was a weiner!
Variations on a Theme blog: http://panekattack.blogspot.com/
Jess1483
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/30/04
#3re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:35pmI was in a production of "Annie" once and the director had the wonderful idea to double cast all the orphans as well as Annie. Then, he thought it would be even better if he made each of the Annies the other's personal assistant for the performances they weren't performing at. (If you ever direct a show, never do that.) Anyway, the two girls did NOT get along, and I was their adult dresser. So, the girls fought constantly and there were times when I would literally have to pick one of them up and hold the other one off so they didn't come to blows. Remarkably, no matter how much they were fighting and how difficult it was to get them dressed, they never missed an entrance. It was ridiculous though, not to mention the drama with the other orphans...but at least I wasn't responsible for getting them on-stage...
Why do we play with fire?
Why do we run our fingers through the flame?
Why do we leave our hands on the stove, although we know we're in for some pain?
-tick...tick...BOOM!
Spooky
Featured Actor Joined: 7/20/04
#4re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:36pm
Wicked is the backstory with a backstory
Although I wouldn't want to try and go onstage and match Chenoweth's talent either.
#5re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:37pm
There was one time last school year doing Rumors where almost the entire cast hated each other. It was so ridiculous. It started with the guy playing Ernie having a HORRIBLE memorization day and everyone was SUPER pissed at him, and then people started taking sides, and then everyone was mad at everyone else. It was the worst drama I've ever experienced at my high school.
The play was awesome. 
etoile
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/2/03
Borstalboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/9/04
#7re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:40pmT-minus how many minutes until someone brings up "The Neckbrace"?
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
Amneris
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#8re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:41pm
Manalapan , High School NJ 07726 NUFF said...
That drama club defines Drama...
If I dared to post some of the bway backstage stories I have heard , I'd get beaten down but, it makes me sad that people really are so mean and they are supposed to be professionals..
andyf
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/12/04
#9re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:42pm
Hahahaha.
You think your high school was bad...you should have seen some of the sh!t that went down in mine.
Andrew, tonight isn't about you! It isn't even about me!!! - [FD]
Updated On: 11/10/04 at 05:42 PM
#10re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:43pmI witnessed a backstage cat fight between two ballerinas from a well known dance company while the ballet was being performed. I just stood there because I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
Updated On: 11/10/04 at 05:43 PM
Amneris
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#12re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:45pmdrama goes on everywhere backstage, everyone knows it
Amneris
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#13re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:49pmsomeone should write a show about what goes on behind the scenes... like real drama. I'd pay to see chairs fly instead of idina.
andyf
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/12/04
#14re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:51pm
We went through directors faster than George Bush could go through his vocabulary of words greater than 1 syllable. [Compliments of BG2]
We almost went 4 for 4, if that gives you any idea.
Andrew, tonight isn't about you! It isn't even about me!!! - [FD]
Updated On: 11/10/04 at 05:51 PM
Amneris
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#15re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:53pmwell were you there when drama teacher number 1 was fired for smoking pot with students at her home and coming to class intoxicated? Yeah...LOL
andyf
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/12/04
#16re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:56pm
Who's class do you think she would pass out in.
I had her in the morning. Needless to say, we were doing a LOT of breathing exercises and yoga.
(I'll PM you, so everyone can stop getting ready to hate us.)
Andrew, tonight isn't about you! It isn't even about me!!! - [FD]
Updated On: 11/10/04 at 05:56 PM
Amneris
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#17re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 5:57pmI had her FIRST thing in the morning. All we did 2nd term was sleep or do scenes on our own while she had her iced coffee
#18re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 6:56pmNoises off comes to mind
And you think of all of the things you've seen, and you wish that you could live in between ,and you're back again only different than before...
After the Sky.
-Into the Woods (Jack)
kates
Featured Actor Joined: 10/12/04
#19re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 6:58pmI was out of the country when this Wicked drama was said to occur...can someone suggest a term to search with to find the thread on it (Idina Menzel search produces every other thread on this board)
"Commit a little mortal sin, its good for the soul"
#20re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 7:07pm
Jess--I've had some bad experience with double casting myself. I hate doing it. It sucks to have to share your role with someone. Of course, it's better than not having it at all, but, ya know.
Speaking of "Noises Off" though, I played Frederick in the show a few years ago, and during the part where I'm supposed to run around with my pants down in the first act, I knocked into the actress playing Brooke while we were on the stairs (the "backstage" stairs, behind the set). We both got pretty hurt. This was during a dress rehearsal, but during a performance I tripped during the same part in the second act, this time onstage, and my leg started profusely bleeding onstage. It was quite a moment.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#21re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 7:32pm
I got two, oddly enough the same show, two different theaters.
"They're Playing Our Song" Dinner Theater #1
For matinees the actors (I was one of the Vernon "Egos")would do double, triple duty. We would prepare the food, serve the drinks, run up on stage, do the show, go back out and settle bar tabs, etc. One Wednesday I got a bit over zealous whilst chopping cabbage for Cole Slaw and deeply gashed two fingers. I refused to go to the hospital (the show MUST go on) so I bandaged them up tight and went out and danced and sang with two throbbing digits, blood oozing through the gauze. No one in the audience knew the agony I was in. Still got the scars.
"They're Playing Our Song" Dinner Theater #2
Spent 3 months dancing and singing close harmony with my ex and we were newly broken up, he was a complete a-hole and we didn't utter a word to each other off-stage. Frankly it was horrible. TPOS is such a cheery, happy show, it was brutal faking 'chipper' 5 shows a week. Still got those scars too.
Updated On: 11/10/04 at 07:32 PM
jezzebelle
Featured Actor Joined: 4/19/04
#22re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 7:35pmIn college, I had a lovely director who would love to come to dance rehearsals for our show, dead drunk and then complain that the tiles of the floor were improperly put in and that the "floor was moving". Welcome to the world of colleigate theatre. :)
Featured Actor Joined: 12/31/69
#23re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 8:09pm
Reminds me of the lyric that Beadle sings in Sweeney....
Ladies and their sensitivities, MY LORD!
Never done the show, so I hope that's what the lyric is...it's what is sounds like on the CD :)
#24re: Backstage Drama
Posted: 11/10/04 at 8:18pm
The last show I did, one of our leading men was trying his hardest to sleep with every single girl in the cast, he nearly got all the way there. No I was not one of them. All the girls would whine about what an asshole he was and then promptly you'd see them making out as soon as he was offstage.
Somehow I think this is a rather common occurence
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