Conflicts & Headshots & Scripts! Oh My!

Once the casting process was complete it was time to move on to other tasks.


Conflicts!

First, we had to double check each actor’s conflicts against our potential “early” rehearsal schedule. And, a couple of actors came up with new conflicts… that they couldn’t avoid, so it was back to the scheduling drawing board. Johanna, Corey & I got together over burgers and a beer or 2, to reschedule. We selected 2 new dates and communicated these to the cast. Okay, good… handled… Next!

Headshots!

Some of the already cast actors still had not sent our stage manager digital versions of their headshots and bios for the website and the program. Why not? Actors get busy, yes, but so, do stage managers, and directors and producers who are all handling, 2 or 3 jobs, and auditions and other readings, etc. And, of course, sending out several requests is frustrating for a stage manager, and unduly delays thwart attempts of a DirWriterActor [TM] trying to complete a website and design a program on time. But as it turns out, the culprits are junk mail mailboxes and spam blockers! Some emails, need follow up phone calls, and texts, and reminders, indeed… frustrating, yes, but these things are all settling down and coming through. Okay, next!

Scripts!

So, I’ve got one last shot at cleaning up the script: removing typos, building slightly stronger character motivations, polishing up punch lines, etc. before taking the final PDF copy of the file to the printers for professional printing. A normal reading often uses music stands on which the actors can place the … WAIT, WHAT?!?! (I had just gotten a startling email.)

Oh My!

Uh-oh... One of our newly cast actresses has just sent me an email which she was loathe to write, but, her bank account gave her no choice. She had just been offered work that landed right on the date of our Mirror Mates reading! She had to take the job; (It paid really well.) so, she had to back out. Damn! She was wonderful in that role! Oh, my. Now what? … Of course, this kind of thing happens all the time… though it’s never really easy. So, I sent an email with the difficult news to our behind the scenes crew. And while I was still mourning the loss, Johanna, our director shot back an email, saying… what about that other actress – (who was also brilliant!) – but didn’t get cast for various reasons that had nothing to do with her talent! So, I got on the phone and called her agent, who, just happened to be someone we had been attempting with on another front, (but that’s another story) and before the morning was over, our wonderful actress, was replaced with another wonderful actress! Wow! It is not always that smooth! I feel very fortunate! Let’s hope that’s the end of the re-cast shuffle! We do indeed have a wonderful cast and I’m very excited for the Read!


...Okay, now, so, where was I? Scripts, yes! Scripts. Well… suffice it to say that the professionally, printed & bound scripts have come in and have been distributed to the cast & crew! Now they will be able to hold the thing with one hand while they read and “emote” with the other as they “run” circles around on the “set”!

(The “set” of course, is a taped out on the floor version of the stage diagram. You’ll see.)


Meanwhile… oops! Nevermind. Gotta Run! First rehearsal is this Sunday, April 17th!

Much to do! More soon…16 days to go!


Much Love!
Bill