You Know It's Community Theatre When...

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:19pm

- Every dance number consists of "Jazz square, pivot, grapevine, again!" or some variation thereof.

Add more!

[Mark2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:28pm

60% of the actors are convinced that their next stop is Broadway!

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:31pm

The sets are all one color, usually black.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:34pm

the romatic leads are played by brother and sister.. okay, well that is community theatre or a weissler production.....

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:36pm

...parts have been double, triple, quadruple, or new-actor-every-show casted.

...a half-filled theatre is a full house.

...paraphrasing goes wild.

...you have to tell everyone backstage to "Shhhh! They can hear you!"

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:38pm

"...you have to tell everyone backstage to "Shhhh! They can hear you!"

Ahhh yes. Memories, from the corner of my mind, Highschool memories...

[AudreyTwoTwo]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:39pm

instead of a real lamb for "Gypsy", they use a Ty Beanie Buddy.

come on, actors struggling with real lambs is so much better than a cute and cuddly stuffed animal! :)

[DG]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:40pm

...people are actually there because they want to be, not only because of what they're getting out of it.

...you make friends, not business contacts.

...you feel excited to be doing what you're doing, not thinking about all the 'stuff' you have to do tomorrow.

...you might actually like someone in the audience, instead of mocking them.

...you'll do whatever is necessary to have 'the show go on' instead of taking the performance off and making sure your manager can cover your ass.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:40pm

the season consists of Oklahoma!, Sound of Music, Carousel, Grease, and a modern day hit.. of course, no one can sing any of the roles and Jud Frye is played by the 15 year old boy soprano from the school choir.

[StephenSondheimWHOO]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:40pm

The "tennage" Or "youadult" characters are played by 45 year olds

[Jovie24]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:56pm

The wife of the director is the lead in every show!

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:02pm

...the lighting cues never go on at the right time.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:08pm

a "long run" is 6 performances

doorknobs are faux painted onto canvas doors with little wood pulls on them

set changes are not only manual but also done with all the lights on and the curtain open

[Horton]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:15pm

The Director sits backstage telling the cast what to do next.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:18pm

"...you have to tell everyone backstage to "Shhhh! They can hear you!"

Last Year at my school's chorus concert, Show Choir(in other words 14 girls who can really sing do choreographed numbers not in the chorus)had to hurry up and change into our outfits. Whille we were changing girls started talking really loudly. One of my friend screams "Shut the fu*k up the audience can hear you!." She was pretty close to the stage and were freaked out because we thought the audience heard her say that.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:20pm

Everyone who auditions ends up in the show one way or the other, deserving or not.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:21pm

^That's the worst.

[Marlene]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:21pm

The director walks backstage, angry and fuming, threatens to cut your scenes while asking "What part of 'SHUT UP' don't you understand?" And someone says "Up" when the director leaves.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:22pm

could be worse, when i was in annie someone hit the wrong button and instead of bringing up annie's mic to sing "maybe" the audience was treated to one of the chorus girls singing an x-rated parody of "tomorrow"

and on that subject-
Cast members (even the major leads) have to share their mics

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:24pm

when all the sound effects are created manually backstage by whichever cast member feels like doing it that particular night.

when you're a good man, charlie brown has a cast of 50.

every scene has a different ensemble.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:24pm

So true, Marlene.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:26pm

people use "happy birthday" as an audition song

a white man plays coalhouse walker

[shatteredheart]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:29pm

One of the actors parts the main curtain at intermission to wave at their friends in the audience.

The door leading to the dressing rooms also opens into the lobby. Before the show starts, with the lobby full of people, an actor (in full costume and makeup) opens the door to look for his friends. At which point the Stage Manager pulls him back into the dressing room and tells him, "Don't do that. The audience will see you and know you're an amateur even before they see your performance."

The Sunday Matinee is made up of senior citizens, to which the sound board operator says were tricked into coming by putting them on a bus and telling them they were going to Reno.

[DG]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:31pm

"Everyone who auditions ends up in the show one way or the other, deserving or not.

^That's the worst."

Or the best, depending on what you're looking to get out of it.

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 10:32pm

Thank you DG.

This thread is terrible and negative. Yes we all know the short commings of companies who don't have as much money as even some of the local semi-professional theatres. But you know what, it's a good start for some people and a way for those who didn't go on to pursue a life in the arts a way to do what they love.

...and I haven't done a community production in years so don't think thats why I'm being defensive. What an awful thread.