You Know It's Community Theatre When... — Page 10

When the whole cast goes on an expidition to the Subway/Burger King/Panera Bread/KFC during rehearsal breaks.
When there are vending machines just down the hall from the dressing rooms that the audience uses.
When, prior to showtime, cast members are expected to hunt down their props and set them in the proper places, then check them periodically throughout the evening to make sure nobody moved them.
When the mothers of the children are constantly backstage.
When the director/producer makes a 10 minute long curtain speech asking people to donate money.

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Hey, dg! If I'm who you mean by Shumeg (my name is ludicrously hard to spell), I take it as a compliment-- but I've never actually gotten to see Michael Ball perform in real life. I just appreciate his singing. And I have way too much respect for him as a performer to be a creepy stalkerish groupie!

Do you know me in real life or something? If not, welcome, and it's interesting to see you'd pick me out so quickly from among the masses as a creepy fan.

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Updated On: 12/19/08 at 10:26 PM

A while back I read that someone mentioned the barricade of Les Mis being turned by hand. That's kind of how the backstage crew did it in the production I worked on. Since the stage wasn't big enough for a turntable, it actually looked a lot better being turned around by the crew.

when the green room is actually painted green
In the theatre I used to work at, we had an actual green room. Then it became the sound room (but the walls are still green, although in some parts they're peeling a bit). However, the 'green room' now is the wig room/where everyone goes to snack on goodies left by someone's mom or friend/extra dressing room space for the children when they can't use the wardrobe room to change.

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Updated On: 12/20/08 at 01:18 AM

Thanks dg! Glad to hear something positive once in a great while on this cynical board of wannabees.

AGAIN, THANKS DG!

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Better to light one candle
than to curse the darkness.

- When the female costumer needs to step in and play a male role as a favor to the director when not enough people (namely boys) auditioned

- When there is a sign-up sheet for the cast/crew to bring in goodies each show night for the green room

- When you find yourself hand-sewing many gals into the same dress for How to Succeed minutes before the "Paris Original" scene because you could only afford cr*p fabric on your costume budget that keeps ripping.

I got more...

...When the community theatre board picks a show like 42nd Street not realizing there is tap dancing in the show. (true story)

...When your director gives you choreography for "Over the Rainbow"

...When a certain prop like a Playboy Magazine gets stolen and somehow reappears the next day.

...When you do a production of A Christmas Carol and everyone has southern accents

...When the cast knows more about music than the music director

...When your whole Saturdays are devoted to set construction.

...When your director says phrases like "Excuses are like buttholes, everyone has them."

...When your director decides to cut the entire pregnancy of Lady Larken in Once Upon a Mattress and just has to "really get married!"

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...when you lose your Saturdays because you have to go to set construction.

...when you always invite the director to join the cast on stage for curtain call.

...when cast members go out in costime and see their friends in the audience during intermission to say hello! (that really pisses me off)

...when the cast is using their cell phones to call or text backstage during the show.

...when someone uses an audition song like "No Scrubs" by TLC

...when your rehearsal period lasts for 3 months!!!!

...when you never do a full run of both acts until opening night or the last dress rehearsal (If you're lucky)

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when the cast is using their cell phones to call or text backstage during the show.

That happens in professional and regional productions as well.

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Or Summerstock, when it's opening night, and you still haven't teched the show...

At all.

And you are using the Broadway sets and costumes with a crew only a quarter of the size that it should be.

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Well I've texted and called in the green room/dressing room but I've never brought my cell phone into the actual backstage area nor put a cell phone in the pocket of my costume. At the regional theatres I've worked at, we would have been in so much trouble. But I've seen community theatres/high school productions do that sort of thing. One time a cell phone went off in someones pant pockets during the show! It was Put On Your Sunday Clothes in Hello Dolly lol

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When the co-president is also the prop master and also the publicity person and is also in the show. (oh wait, that was me-----phew!) It's a labor of love----

These are my experiences from high school theatre:

-When the director makes 'Stage Door' a musical, adding songs from the time period such as 'Cheek to Cheek' and 'Someone To Watch Over Me,' along with deciding to make it set at Christmastime and forcing half the crew to make snow out of white trash bags.

-When the crew fights over who gets a headset.

-When half of the ensemble girls are on the catwalk helping the girls on stage sing "Forget About the Boy" from Millie to make it sound stronger (and when some crew girls join in).

-When all of the actors crowd around 4 mirrors trying to get their makeup on.

-When you give your black pants to an actor (as a techie) because they have to get stage blood on their pants during the show and then have to throw the pants in the sink in the backstage bathroom, and wash them so they won't stain before the next show.

-When techies pretend they have something to fix/set during intermission so they can see who is in the audience.

-When the crew eats all of the stage food after the final show before it gets thrown away.

-When actors and techies are doing their homework backstage.

-When the costumers (me) hide the actors' costumes because they left them on the floor and didn't hang them up like we we told them too.

-When the director has everyone in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" wear Converse, and has Puck wear an outfit made completely out of fur and it actually turns out great.

-When half of the company is up in the catwalk watching the show.

-When people in the wings poke their head out and try to watch the show and are in full view of the audience.

-When the props crew doesn't like a lead and puts some sawdust in their soup that they have to consume onstage, and then they have to pretend that didn't just eat something disgusting.


Oh goodness, I love theatre. =D

Updated On: 12/21/08 at 10:41 PM