Theatre Etiquette - Multiple Shows?

MeercatJ,

I am beginning to understand that you feel quite strongly about the situation you have been put in for this show. I imagine that I would feel somewhat similar - after all, at the end of the day, it is you that will have to present this show to an audience and therefore you who will have to deal with the audience's reaction to the show.

I would like to clarify a small point: My "friend", as you put it, is actually just someone I worked with on a production of Annie up at Roleystone Theatre a couple of years ago. I had almost forgotten him until I read this forum topic and saw that the theatre company in question was KTW. The issue that has come up since you posted your initial topic is very similar to the one he described to me - that is why I mentioned him. To be honest, I thought him to be exaggerating his experience when he first told me - he seemed to be quite dramatic and somewhat childish. I am only now giving any weight to his tale because a completely different person is describing the same set of circumstance several years later.

I applaud you though for standing by your comments. Too many people will back down when they are questioned. I'm not involved in your show, so I don't know exactly what has happened or what is happening now - I can only read what I see on this site (until I see the show anyway!) and make opinions from the information presented. I also stand by my opinion - however good or bad this musical director was, I believe she (and you and the rest of your cast for that matter) have been wronged by the director and - to a point -  the stage manager.

I put this to you: Your initial query was regarding whether it is okay for someone to work on two projects at once right? You feel that it is not fair because then that person is not giving their full attention to either project. Well, is this not what your director did in the first place? I know he did not work on another theatrical project, but he did divide his attention, time and focus. Do you think all of these issues would have occurred if this director had been totally committed to your show and therefore been present at the first five weeks of rehearsal to oversee what the musical director was doing? I believe all of your issues would not have existed if this director had given his full committment to the project. Be angry at you musical director if you want - by all accounts you feel you have more than enough reason to - but don't protect this director. I agree with earlier posts saying that a director can dis-appear once the season has begun (this is often a good thing) but to dis-appear for the initial five weeks of the rehearsal period... Perhaps he should have said no and let another director give the time and energy that this show deserved to receive.

Kyle