under rehearsed

very interesting thread! I've never heard of the ratio to which Logos refers, but it's something to think about. The "shit happens" factor mentioned by kissthetide & seconded by Labrug is of course always there, but I guess the Team working to put on a show to the best of their collective ability must also do their best to disaster-proof themselves, ie) prepare & rehearse as much as they reasonably can, within the constraints of the rest of their lives. No brainer, I know. I do think sometimes things fall apart due to an idividual's poor time management, laziness (not generally consciously), or a combination of these (we are not all as noble as Jeff believes, although most of us do give our very best). I believe the best thing a director/stage manager can do at the outset of a production is to make sure the Team is clear on the goal (great show), resource requirements (rehearsal & own time), & any known limitations to achieving the above, and ask the Team for a commitment to achieve that goal. Yes, the shit may still happen, but if everyone pulls their weight from the outset, the Team will be more resilient to problems. Perhaps a Team meeting (I'm getting annoyed at my capitalisation too, but it's to highlight a point) at the outset of rehearsal at key stages would also help to ensure everyone is on track & no surprises. All sounds a bit corporate, but we can learn useful things from anywhere, that can then be applied anywhere else - how good is that?