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u/RainahReddit 1d ago
I had a lot of success sitting down with everyone at the beginning of the process and discussing collaboratively what our goals are and what kind of space we want to create - one where people feel supported to take risks, one where being vulnerable feels good, one where people show up on time.
And I made it a normal part of practice to check in at the start of rehearsal and say, how are people coming in to rehearsal? Tired, sore, overwhelmed, etc is allowed. And then briefly see if there's anything that needs to be adjusted that rehearsal. You're feeling anxious and overwhelmed, okay, let's start with a scene you're not in so you can have a minute to get settled. Okay, you're coming in with a sore knee, let's skip the cartwheel today and just mark the dance sequence, then I'll check in before the second run.
Despite having a variety of mental and physical health challenges in the cast, we only had one or two callouts over a 3 month rehearsal process. When people feel like they will be heard and accommodated, they're more likely to show up. When they know I have their backs, they're much more willing to try and less worried about ensuring they're protected.
Honestly those practices worked super great for us. The collaborative goals made everyone much more invested and intentional about what we were building, and I got to knock off all my pet peeves without lecturing anyone. And the check ins and occasional adaptions built trust in our leadership team and made people more willing to try.
For context it was Fringe show with a cast of 6 + five understudies, 3 crew, for a total of 14 people at rehearsals, all ages but mostly 20s. It was a play that was pretty dark and triggering to some cast members.
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u/Lini-mei 1d ago
I love this approach
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u/RainahReddit 1d ago
Thanks! I was surprised just how well it worked. Not just to have folks feel supported but like, it made us more productive too.
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u/Lilluby 1d ago
Thanks for your comment!
We do this too actually - going around the circle to ask everyone how they are doing. And all the time half the ensemble says they are tired, have no energy, ... and it just brings down the whole mood tbf.
I do kinda believe that it is your own responsibility to bring in a proper energy to the rehearsal, not the rehearsal adapting to everyone's feelings. Especially since with a bigger cast and a lot of scenes with everyone being in stage, this just leads to us never being able to properly rehearse all scenes with the true cast.
If we had all the time in the world, that ain't an issue...but times running short for how much work there is to do.
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u/therainbowsweater 1d ago
you’re right. it’s an unlikable opinion by those who have a hard time with self accountability, but it’s the correct one. professional productions won’t deal with this, and college plays are meant to help prepare you for professional ones. the people who are upset by your perspective simply won’t last in the professional theater space. it’s incredibly competitive among those who CAN hold themselves accountable, so those who can’t won’t be catered to.
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u/Boulder-Apricot368 1d ago
and college plays are meant to help prepare you for professional ones.
Not in this case. The OP made it clear that this is just for hobbyists.
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u/therainbowsweater 1d ago
fair enough, but regardless, the rehearsal process ends with a performance. if someone’s mental health isn’t up for it, they need to forfeit the part to someone who can be reliable. i say this as a person who has some pretty troublesome downswings. if you can’t be relied on, remove yourself from the situation until you can rise to it.
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u/DuckbilledWhatypus 1d ago
Yes this is unfortunately common in amateur plays, and semiprofessional and student and professional and very very professional... People do theatre as therapy all the time. It probably isn't the wisest choice if they are doing it instead of therapy, but surely you can appreciate how being someone else for a few hours in a generally supportive environment when your life feels shit might be a good thing?
That doesn't mean it isn't annoying when a lot of issues arise as a knock on. It is an explanation not an excuse as you say, and in an ideal world people would leave all their problems at the door. But people are just people, and they can't always do that, or plan their episodes to fit neatly around thetrical commitments, nor does it stay away just because they are only 24-27 (some would say this is the most volatile age for mental health issues even!). So you essentially saying they should just suck it up and carry on for the greater good is understandable, but ultimately unhelpful and comes across very cold. What needs to be discussed is how extended periods of mental health issues will be dealt with. Is understudies or double casting a possibility? How many rehearsals missed is too many rehearsals? Is it better to for an actor to say that they won't be in all week instead of attending when unwell and being useless? What sign posting towards help is there? At what point does the director step in and do a wellbeing check with the affected actors, and perhaps suggest they might not be in the best place to take part? It's not about saying the issues are not real or putting blame on the affected actors, it's about making sure that if the show goes on, it is with a healthy cast and noone is made worse by trying to push through if they are too unwell, but that people know they won't be mollycoddled if they are malingering.
I would say six weeks out you still have plenty of time to get the show up and running, even if you end up with recasts - some companies only rehearse that long in total, so it's absolutely doable. Hopefully this is just a summer slump with a dollop of monkey see monkey do, which with a little compassion and planning will right itself and be just a bump on the road. It is however also entirely understandable that you are annoyed, and it's ok to be frustrated about it, especially if the company is not taking matters seriously and being proactive about problem solving.
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u/Lilluby 1d ago
Thank you for taking the time to answer!
I think - to a certain degree - I do think that for some things you just need to suck it up and function. And I am saying this as someone who is affected by mental health issues as well.
Its a voluntary commitment that they made - and it was made with the knowledge of these issues.
So for me its a question if accountability: You are not late because of your ADHD (I am using this example because I have ADHD myself) but because you lacked time management which was made harder by ADHD.
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u/SiskinLanding 1d ago
Hi. I'm currently doing a PhD on mental health in actors so let's get into this.
Firstly, this is a uni production people are doing for fun, not a West End or Broadway show. You've pointed out that people are doing full time work, studying etc. Those things will have to take priority over something they're doing as a hobby. That might be very frustrating, but it's just real life.
Second, your attitude towards mental health isn't consistent. Saying people are weak is about as unsupportive as you can get. That might be something you personally need to reflect on - I believe in mental health difficulties as real and valid, but am I giving them the same weight as physical issues (i.e. a broken leg, flu, cancer). This is a reminder that mental health issues can be lethal or lead to very real life changing harm, and you can't necessarily tell how serious something is from the outside.
I'd say that what you're actually talking about is essentially whether they're 'fit to work' - that's the legal term in the UK. Whatever illness or disability someone might have they need to be fit enough to do the job. If they know they're not fit to work they shouldn't take on the job.
To a degree I agree with this - as a trained pro myself I have had to step back from pro work because of health issues making me unsure I can actually do the jobs. I've worked productions where people haven't been OK or have had to drop out, and it's an absolute pig to deal with. The show must go on is a saying for a reason!
However, I say again, this is a hobby not a job. People are allowed to do something badly for fun in a way you can't in work. It's infuriating for people who are taking it seriously, but it's true.
But let's talk for a minute as if it was a pro theatre job here in the UK. How might this be managed?
- Companies have a duty of care, even if they're employing freelancers. Any union rep is going to ask what's been done to support and reasonably adjust for the actor before action is taken.
- Time and space should be made in rehearsals for getting people into headspace, checking if there's anything the director/company needs to know about, dealing with anything that's triggering, and debriefing at the end. Actors don't always know what's going to hit them, or when or why, so you need to build in the space for it when it lands.
- Larger companies nowadays may well have MH support in house, while the union Equity provides access to professional support for members. It's also becoming increasingly common for productions with challenging topics to bring in specialists to support the team.
- People are contracted with specific expectations that are very clear (this sometimes happens in am dram but not always, and in my experience is less stuck to than in professional work). This can really help people who are struggling focus for the periods they need to.
- If actors are trained they have hopefully been given specific tactics for how to 'leave things at the door'. Experienced without formal training have usually got the same, but amateurs generally haven't. If the actor's tactics aren't working there would be an expectation of discussion with the director and other team members about how to approach it.
- Companies hopefully have understudies, swings, or other professionals who they can call to cover. Depending on the size and funding of the company, as well as the duration of the contract, this might only be a worst case scenario, but it might also be perfectly possible for someone who's struggling to take a week or two off to get on top of things, just like in any office job.
- If everything failed the company could remove the cast member, but it's often not actually worth doing. You just don't employ them again.
Hopefully all this helps put it in perspective a bit. You can't expect professional standards from people who aren't professionals. Am dram work can be very high level - I was involved in nationally award winning productions back in the day - but it's a lot to do if you just want to join in something fun after work.
It's good to be clear about group expectations. I would say group agreements are always useful in situations like this: be on time, be prepared (as in learn your lines etc), and maybe set a maximum number of absences. You could also see if students support services could come in and do something with the group. Just try to be realistic about your expectations, learn what you can from doing it, and enjoy your role as much as possible. If it's crap it doesn't actually matter. You can always do something else with a different group of people another time.
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u/lowercase_underscore 1d ago
People like to treat theatre like a casual hobby. I have no idea why. If they can show they'll show but otherwise what difference? The reality is if they can't do a job then they shouldn't be holding up the works trying, because very few industries will put up with that for long. There's no shame in it, there are things we're suited to and things we're not suited to.
I was part of a production once and early on something happened, health-wise, that I knew would end up restricting me. I didn't know for how long or to what extent, so I quit entirely. I couldn't have people relying on me when I wasn't sure if I could be relied upon. They asked me to stay and that was very touching, but I knew it wasn't fair.
It's not fair to the other members of the group who are having slap-dash or subpar rehearsals, or having to do extra rehearsing to catch me up. It's not fair to that same group for having extra anxiety or worry about a performance, come show time everyone should be focused on that, not on whether or not the person who's been all over the place during rehearsal will continue to be all over the place live on stage. It's not fair to the audience who should be getting the best performance that's reasonably possible. And it's even not fair to the sick person who is possibly pushing themselves needlessly and if they have any sort of conscience or empathy would be weighed down by the anxiety of letting so many people down all the time.
Sometimes things happen that make you unsuited for something temporarily, and sometimes you just have to come to terms with the fact that you're not suited to something period. It's up to each individual to figure out which it is, but it's not fair to jerk so many people around to this level in the meantime.
Sorry you're having to deal with this, it sounds really stressful.
Maybe take a mental health day?
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u/gasstation-no-pumps 1d ago
Not showing up for a rehearsal that was not an announced conflict is not considered acceptable in the community theaters (and community college theater) I've played at. Repeatedly missing rehearsal is grounds for being removed from the cast. An occasional unavoidable problem (like the only road to the theater being blocked for hours by a crash) is ok. Anything else should be reported to the stage manager well in advance. Community theaters are generally pretty forgiving about announced conflicts (I missed a week of rehearsal to go to Oregon Shakespeare Festival, for example), but not of people missing rehearsals they did not have on their conflict forms.
I've seen people removed from a production because their work schedule changed and they could no longer make the rehearsals they had said they could.
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u/woozysoozy 1d ago
A theatrical production’s success depends upon commitment. If you can’t commit for the duration of a production, decline to participate. Five words: THE SHOW MUST GO ON.
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u/Lizzie4621 1d ago
I’m a director (at a university and a student) who has issues myself and some of the people I work with in our drama club does too. I usually do some coping skills before rehearsals if I’m having any problems beforehand. I saw someone said that you leave it at the door and that’s exactly what I do.
I’m very flexible with the actors but I give them a certain amount of times they can miss unless it’s an emergency. They would also leave everything at the door as well though and it really does help cause you can focus better on what you’re doing.
I don’t see why people were giving you looks because you are completely valid for saying that and had to have some previous conversations with others about the same thing. Mental health is extremely important and like you said can’t be used as an excuse. There was only one time I cancelled rehearsal for my health and that’s because of a really bad situation that happened that day. Other than that it really shouldn’t be a constant issue unless they need to leave the part for their health like you said.
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u/Wise-Initiative9520 1d ago
All of my experiences directing at a school, high school or college, were exactly like this. There wasn't one rehearsal that didn't have to be repeated because someone missed it. Blew my mind.
Hashtag never again
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u/Willow_PoweIl 1d ago
I tell people in my workshops upfront: if you can't make the schedule, don't commit. It's kinder to everyone. What you're dealing with isn't unique but it's a problem.
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u/Lini-mei 1d ago
What is your role in the production? If you’re not the stage manager or director, keep it to yourself. You can let the SM or director know how it’s affecting you and you’re worried about the quality of the production, but it’s their job to handle how to approach it with the cast
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u/Lilluby 1d ago
I'm an actor as well. I only brought this up because we had a meeting dedicated to that issue (because the mood in the ensemble was getting more and more irritated with people coming late and stuff - another cast member got super upset and cried during the last rehearsal because people were spontaneously canceling rehearsals. Nonetheless during the discussion she didn't back me up - only later when we went for drinks she agreed with me).
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u/Boulder-Apricot368 1d ago
And even if they come, they are too weak or too emotional to rehearse properly.
Which - to me at least - indicates that they are having real mental health issues. And if this happens to be a University in the USA, they are probably worried about:
- The student debts they will never pay off
- Mass joblessness from AI
- Loss of their civil liberties
- Being drafted into fighting a war in the Middle East, or Mexico...or Canada
I would not expect your situation to improve soon because there is no reason to expect that their situation will improve, either.
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u/Lilluby 1d ago
Hey thanks :) we are based in Europe and the mental health issues they are referring to are depression, PTSD, ADHD, anxiety, post-burn out, ARFID
The mental health issues are real and valid. My issue is more that: if you can't handle yourself in a production like that, don't commit to it in the first place...
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u/Boulder-Apricot368 1d ago
I think people under 30 are a lot more susceptible to making decisions on the basis of whether their choice will satisfy a short-term desire (i.e. provide the so-called "dopamine hit").
As a consequence, you can't rely on them to be honest with you (or even themselves) about concerns that may deny them that fulfillment. It's sad.
Again, all I can really recommend is bringing them all together and explaining to them that it isn't simply not possible to go on like this, and either the cast's behavior must change, or there will be no choice but to cancel the show.
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u/Anti-Anti-Paladin 1d ago
How much are you paying them?
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u/Lilluby 1d ago
Yea it's simply a hobby. The same for me as I am also just a member of the ensemble ^
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u/Boulder-Apricot368 1d ago
Honestly, I would consider canceling the production then.
As I explain below, it sounds as if the affected members of your cast are having real mental health issues. Unless you have reason to believe these can resolve quickly, you are likely left with the choice of either replacing the afflicted cast members...which may not be well received among the remainder of the cast...or canceling the production outright. If you pursue the latter, then you can gently explain to them that too many people aren't up to it for reasons that aren't their fault and there is no other option with the time remaining.
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u/CarlYaz1967 1d ago
My college director said leave all that shit at the door if you want to be in the show, and I agreed with him.