How Do You Handle Expanding Workload in a Gig?
Mel @ brokeGIRLrich / May 18, 2022
How Do You Handle Expanding Workload in a Gig?
A while back I found myself juggling quite a few things: starting a PhD program, organizing corporate events online, and getting ready to move overseas. However, an unexpected delay with my visa meant I had to stay in the US for a bit longer.
Always looking for more to do, I figured, why don’t I take up a small, short-term stage management gig before I leave? I didn’t need anything big, especially since pay cuts are common in the industry. Just as I was on the lookout, a last-minute gig appeared in one of the many Facebook groups I belong to.
It was a week-long job at a local theater in New Jersey, not far from home. The pay was decent for show days, though not so much for rehearsal hours. It was a re-run of a show with the same cast but a new director and management team, which seemed manageable. The show lasted 90 minutes, with a 15-minute break halfway through. All good, right? Excited, I applied and landed the gig.
The producer asked me to join her for brunch at the venue. While eating, she mentioned wanting to reschedule a Zoom read-through due to a performer’s conflict. I was surprised – no one had mentioned this to me before.
That surprise seemed to set the tone for my next few weeks. It turned out none of the original cast was participating—they’d recast the whole show. Additionally, I learned of a weekend of rehearsals in New York City, a detail not originally disclosed.
Needless to say, these surprises caught me off guard. Had I known about the NYC rehearsals and the related expenses right off the bat, I might not have applied for this gig. While the pay was okay for local work, the added commuting costs diminished the earnings.
Then things got even more complicated. Some of my actors failed to memorize their lines or remember their staging. Just as we were wrapping up final rehearsals, the director announced an extra day of rehearsals—something I wouldn’t be able to attend due to pre-scheduled commitments at my corporate job.
I had to think quick: I wanted to do my best, but I wasn’t responsible for the consequences of poorly planned rehearsals and underpaid crew. After all, you get what you pay for. So, I ended up doing my best while dealing with a not-so-pleased director.
In a surprising turn of events, opening night wasn’t a disaster. The more prepared actors carried the show, and the audience seemed clueless about the backstage chaos.
Have you ever had a gig where the schedule kept changing? Did you adapt or step up to express your thoughts? Do you feel stage managers should perpetually be on call during a run? Does pay dictate availability?
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May 18, 2022 in Stage Management.