Theatre Etiquette - Multiple Shows?

Having recently directed Beauty and the Beast in Newcastle, I had my entire cast commit to our rehearsals from August, and we started rehearsal in late June for an opening of late September. I was very lucky that this happened, because Newcastle music theatre people have a habit of being involved in at least 1-3 shows per year. It is very frustrating from both an acting and a directing point of view if you don't have those people there. Even if they are only fillers, they are there to do a job. I only had 24 in the 'ensemble' in B&B, and i can assure you, if even one of those were missing it made a huge impact. I have now moved to Perth and am finding the same frustration as an actor with people not being at rehearsal, for other reasons apart from 'other shows', in my book, you miss rehearsal for 2 reasons, illness (deaths included) and work. But I always used to say to my casts, in the last 2 weeks b4 we go up, can you please change your shifts. Enough notice was there. Meercat, your idea of an MD is what I have always been lucky enough to have up until now. I love my MD to death, but here we are 3 weeks out, and he is not only trying to make things work vocally for the cast, but he is in the show as well trying to remember where the hell he is supposed to be on stage. Ah well.... Cal DON'T LET THE BASTARDS GET YOU DOWN