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jrisingThere was a fantastic discussion at the Rocky party about the state of the cast. The vocal consensus was this:
There's an undercurrent of over-professionalism at the show. In small but definite ways, the drive for professionalism stifles some of the fun of the show and makes working at it a chore. Because the show isn't as much fun, it isn't as good, and the audience has noticed. Both directors, theater 3, and Acid's absence were blamed for these problems.
It's so tough to disentangle real harmful effects from nostalgia. So, tell me: do you agree? Have we gained the world and lost our soul (or raised the bar and broken our backs)? The drive for screen accuracy can push us to do better, but if it drives out jokes and connecting with the audience-- if our performance just duplicates the film-- do we want it? The cast members used to work up the audience waiting outside before the show. Does anyone do that now? We have such a great group, and we can fix these problems, but maybe not without big changes.
Feel free to post anonymously or email me separately.
There's an undercurrent of over-professionalism at the show. In small but definite ways, the drive for professionalism stifles some of the fun of the show and makes working at it a chore. Because the show isn't as much fun, it isn't as good, and the audience has noticed. Both directors, theater 3, and Acid's absence were blamed for these problems.
It's so tough to disentangle real harmful effects from nostalgia. So, tell me: do you agree? Have we gained the world and lost our soul (or raised the bar and broken our backs)? The drive for screen accuracy can push us to do better, but if it drives out jokes and connecting with the audience-- if our performance just duplicates the film-- do we want it? The cast members used to work up the audience waiting outside before the show. Does anyone do that now? We have such a great group, and we can fix these problems, but maybe not without big changes.
Feel free to post anonymously or email me separately.
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no subject
Date: 2007-05-23 03:24 am (UTC)Ways to improve things.
I think the first way things at the show can improve is if people would TAKE A MOMENT TO STEP OUTSIDE THEIR CLIQUES AND CIRCLES. It really irks me that some people won't give others the time of day. I know people will be quick to say this isn't the case, but it verymuch is. Especially now that I am in a position where I *need* to speak to more people, it really boggles me how I have been blown off so easily by some. I think there needs to be a LOT more communication at the show and less after-party politics involved. Not everyone can go to afterparties and bond and have these conversations about things. I wish it weren't the case, but more and more I've seen people drift into what can only be described as high school cafeteria politics, and I think that for the health of the show it has to stop. We are one cohesive unit. We are Full Body Cast. I don't care who your ex boyfriend is or who you flirted with at a party or how drunk you were or X Y or Z. I care that your cue is next and you need to do something about it. I care that there's a prop or a setup that needs to get done, and if someone is too busy gossiping backstage to do their job, there's a problem. I think that the gossip and clicqueyness is a major morale dimmer and something that is eroding away at the cohesive fabric of FBC.
The second thing that needs to change is the US vs THEM mentality. This kind of goes to my first point but yeah, the directors arent there to hurt us. Alex and Gary and whomever else are there to help and guide the cast. If they make a rule (say, no leaving during the show) it isn't out of spite or to ruin our fun, it's because it is necessary and has been made necessary by neglectful actions. I remember in the other theater everyone bitching and moaning about no smoking by the back door. It wasn't to inconvience anyone! It was because people's loud voices would carry to the audience and distract them. If Tracy shushes people backstage, it isn't because she doesn't want them having fun, it's because they're being too loud. I don't understand this mentality that the directors are huge spoilsports. I come to the show to DO A GOOD JOB AND FULFIL MY ROLE first, and hang out SECOND. Yes, this is a volunteer theater but even so, it is still theater. It is still a show, first and foremost.
And finally, what can improve the show? Action. Action instead of complaint. One of the reasons I enjoy being at FBC so damn much is because I look forward to spending time with everyone else on props. We work so well together with really minimal problems. Why? Because if anyone ever has a problem, we talk about it and do something rather than just letting stuff fester and making passive-aggressive blatherings. Things are going really, really well, and I like to think it is because, above all else, we RESPECT each other. And that's something that has to be important for the show in general. If we show respect toward the other actors, crews, etc, we will all have a better time.
If you RESPECT being at the show, you will want to do a good job. You will know the proper time and place for a joke. You will know when to be serious and when it is appropriate to deviate from the screen and be funny. Because you're taking it seriously. SERIOUSLY is not a bad word. And it doesn't mean ANTI-FUN. It just means that you take pride in what you do. You can be taking things seriously AND playing a joke or deliberately flubbing something. It isn't mutually exclusive.
I look forward to the day when posts like this are moot and we're all just being raving lunatics about how awesome everything is. Indeed.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-24 07:32 am (UTC)The cast vs. directors mentality is another problem, and I think you're exactly right about why it shouldn't exist. But I think in part that perception is partly a result of Alex and Gary's approach to directing. There are some ways in which a clear division is important, but if it's causing an us vs. them-ness, than it's gone too far. I think FBC is a community of volunteers, before it's a show.
Finally, ditto on your comments on action, respect, seriousness, and pride. Well said.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-24 01:00 pm (UTC)As for cast vs. directors, you'll always have that. Just like if you walk into any factory in the country you'll get an "us versus management" attitude. If there's no "them" then all you have left is the collective "us" and while that may be great for a commune it doesn't work at all in the real world of a theater troupe. There are plenty of decisions that should *not* be made by "the collective" and in fact, you wouldn't want to and even more than that most of you wouldn't even want to know those decisions are being made.
no subject
Date: 2007-05-25 01:14 am (UTC)To some extent, I agree that there's always an us vs. management distinction, but I've been involved in two other Rocky-sized groups that similarly have important collective projects to pursue and decisions to make, and similarly have that distinction but (I think) with less of the division. I think the difference is in how information flows. You and Gary are great at taking feedback, and I certainly appreciate that you're there to make a lot of these decisions. But I don't think that the decision-making process (the information going into it, and the different options considered) needs to be secret. It leaves that the rest of the cast to react to your decisions, rather than feeling like they're their own.