Youth theater rehersal dilemma

[Beaniemom]

Dd9 auditioned for her first musical and got a part. At auditions we were given paperwork listing rehersal and performance schedule and given the chance to list conflicts. We had no conflicts but aparently a lot of other participants did so the director sent out an e-mail saying that in addition to 2 hour rehersals on 2 weekdays and 4 hours on Saturday they might extend the weekday rehersals to 9:30/10:00 pm and add Sunday rehersals.

 

Is this typical of theater? I was schocked to already have such big potential changes when rehersals don't begin until May. To be honest, I am not sure Dd will be able to participate if all these extra rehersals get added. We get precious little family time as is due to dh's work schedule and to have both days of a weekend obligated is not really fair to my other 2 children. I did e-mail the director back and explain that the Sunday rehersals could be a conflict for us. Am I wrong to be upset?

[Anne in CA]

That is total overkill, as a theater mom for many many years, it is not unusual for this much rehearsal two weeks before you go live, but three rehearsals a week is pretty normal. Four, especially when some of them are that long is a lot for kids. I don't think you're wrong to be upset, but theater is such a great hobby for young people I would try to make it work. My kids learned:

 

How to follow directions

 

How to work through conflict

 

How to act/ sing

 

How to put together sets

 

How to memorize

 

How to block a set

 

How to be quiet back stage.

[Starr]

We found in community theater that the younger children were often not expected to stay as late or have as many rehearsals. Some nights only the principle actors were needed.

[Ali in OR]

We've had fabulous experiences with our high school productions that also involve a lot of kids and community members. Tech week (the week before the show begins) and the actual week the show begins have "all call" rehearsals that go until 9 pm. Before that, kids were usually done by 8:00 and often weren't even called if the rehearsal was for dancers, main characters, etc. They do explain the commitment up front and encourage people to quit then (before rehearsals begin) if it would be an issue. And some always do. There are usually other people they can cast if needed.

 

I think everyone in the shows really enjoys the rehearsals and being part of the show, and while it's nice to have your time back when the show ends, there is always a bit of a let down. They miss being in the world of the show.

[8circles]

I think it depends owhat level of theater this is. Ds12 has done several shows with the children's theater here and yes, it is a big time commitment - we do have to consider the rest of the family and accepting roles. We've allowed him to do one show every 2 years or so. But he's been called-back for another show which would make 2 in a row and we're thinking about it.

 

There are usually 2 rehearsals in the week and one (rarely 2) on the weekend. It comes to about 15 hours/week. Papers need to be signed by the schools that they won't penalize students for missing class. At out theater, if you have that many conflicts with the schedule, you wouldn't be cast.

[lmrich]

We have had that happen to us as well with one theater. It was so frustrating. But we love theater in our home, and we do our best to be upfront with the directors about our time.

[Pink and Green Mom]

We found in community theater that the younger children were often not expected to stay as late or have as many rehearsals. Some nights only the principle actors were needed.

 

This has been our experience with community theater here as well.  The only exception was the week or two before the performance.  Things ran a little longer then and everyone was expected to be there.

[QueenCat]

I'd say it's pretty typical, especially in the last 2-3 weeks of rehearsals. We've been involved in three different community theaters (all amateur, no professional actors) and they've all been this way, with later nights and more rehearsals. The really young kids wouldn't be kept as late on the weeknights but I'm talking the few that were under about 7. This was actually one of the reasons dh was more willing to homeschool, as ds was really involved and the late nights were really hard when he was in ps.

[UCF612]

Our children's theater isn't like that. At the beginning you sign up for either the Mon/Wed group or the Tues/Fri group. They have 2 full casts that alternate performance nights. They do a Thursday daytime show that is a mixed show of mostly homeschool kids (since everyone else is in school). They did add an extra hour to rehearsal as it got closer to the show but that still ended at 7:30.

[GailV]

I think it's crazy to add that much rehearsal time AFTER auditions and conflicts have been submitted -- they're going to run into the issue that you have, that people will have surprise conflicts with the new times.  However, if they're saying that only a few cast members will be called to these new rehearsals, or that your dd  might be called to only one or 2 of the new times, I wouldn't be quite so concerned.

 

But, yeah, if they didn't spell out initially that you were signing up for Saturday AND Sunday rehearsals every week, and that's now the expectation, I'd be peeved.  (I'm reading the way you wrote it to mean that these extra rehearsals will be the entire time they're rehearsing, not just tech week -- the week or two right before the show is always crazy in community theater and your entire life is sucked into final rehearsals.)

 

As to whether it's too much rehearsal overall, that depends on how many weeks they're taking to put on the show, plus how organized (and well-supported) the director is (helps if they have an  organized stage manager, great music leadership, a good choreographer).  We've been in one group that only rehearses twice per week for relatively short times each day, but takes months before they're ready to perform (the couple of weeks before the show have hours of rehearsal almost daily); and we've been in another group that puts on show within very few weeks but rehearses several hours per week including most of the day Saturday (and has long rehearsals daily right before the show).

 

 An organized director takes less time to rehearse, but there's a limit to how little time it can take.  Sometimes having a group of kids learn group numbers is like herding cats.  

[Seasider]

Changes occur, but those shouldn't be extra rehearsals. They should be alternate rehearsals if they are accommodating members that have to miss previously scheduled dates. In our experience, the rehearsal schedule is posted, but not all cast members are called to every rehearsal.

 

I would add, though, that it's "unprofessional" (not the best word for a youth activity) to audition for a show and then list a bunch of rehearsals you have to miss. A show usually has about an 8 week production time, which should be made a priority for its relatively short duration, because absences impact so many others. In our experience, anticipated conflicts had to be listed on one's audition form - they weren't something brought up after the fact. So too many could affect the casting decision, it should, IMO - either you commit or you don't, no halfheartedness.

Edited April 14, 2016 by Seasider

[Annie G]

The youth theater group our kids performed with didn't call every cast member to every rehearsal.  Also, the local community theater that casts all ages is very mindful of kids and even though their rehearsals often run until 11 Pm, they let the kids go by nine.  Can you clarify with the director whether your dd's part will require her to be at all rehearsals? 

 

Parents don't stay at rehearsals unless they have a job to do- are you expected to be at rehearsals?  If not, at least you could spend family time with dh and your other kids. 

 

Tech week will be intense- it'll probably be nothing but theater obligations. g 

 

 

[Jenny in Florida]

Is this a community theatre production or a tuition-based youth production?

 

If it's a tuition-based youth program, then that seems like both a lot of hours and not a great indication of the professionalism and organization with which the program will run. Typically, those kinds of programs run like any other extracurricular activity, with a set schedule and clear expectations up front. As others have said, rehearsals do get longer and more frequent as the show dates approach in order to get the show ready on time. But it would be somewhat unusual to have the whole schedule/expectations changed in between auditions and the start of rehearsals.

 

Is it possible the director is considering adding those rehearsals more as "options" just to make sure everyone gets in the required number of hours a week and that not every cast member will need to be at every rehearsal? That doesn't sound like an idea way to run a show, but it might make it more manageable for your family if the director knows up front your daughter will be there for the originally planned days and times but not on Sundays.

 

If it's community theatre, then, while I wouldn't say it's "typical," it wouldn't be unusual. Most of the community theatre productions my kids did rehearsed three or four evenings a week for three or four hours, then ramped up during tech week. And the schedule was never set in stone. Honestly, performing in community theatre is more like an unpaid job than it is a hobby. My kids thrived on it, though, and had a lot of wonderful experiences.

Edited April 14, 2016 by Jenny in Florida

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

 

Our youth theater programs won't cast kids with too many conflicts. So I am surprised to hear they are accommodating them.

 

We are used to a lot of rehearsals in a short period of time.

[redsquirrel]

Dd9 auditioned for her first musical and got a part. At auditions we were given paperwork listing rehersal and performance schedule and given the chance to list conflicts. We had no conflicts but aparently a lot of other participants did so the director sent out an e-mail saying that in addition to 2 hour rehersals on 2 weekdays and 4 hours on Saturday they might extend the weekday rehersals to 9:30/10:00 pm and add Sunday rehersals.

 

Is this typical of theater? I was schocked to already have such big potential changes when rehersals don't begin until May. To be honest, I am not sure Dd will be able to participate if all these extra rehersals get added. We get precious little family time as is due to dh's work schedule and to have both days of a weekend obligated is not really fair to my other 2 children. I did e-mail the director back and explain that the Sunday rehersals could be a conflict for us. Am I wrong to be upset?

 

It does seem like a lot of rehearsals for a play. And the problem is that the director didn't have a good grasp of what would work for people before she made the rehearsal schedule. I could have told her that Saturday rehearsals won't work . The director shouldn't have changed the schedule after the commitment was already made. If she didn't know until later, it would have been better to let people know first and THEN make the casting based on who could commit.

 

Sundays are a common rehearsal day for a time limited activity like a play. Saturdays are when kids have things like dance, instrument lessons, gymnastics, sports, etc. If they schedule for Saturday, they lose three quarters of their actors. I am guessing the director didn't know that, maybe? That leaves Sunday for things that only happen for a few weeks or a couple months.

 

For example, my sons are both ballet dancers. But, they also like to participate in a local youth theater company. They can only do that because the theater company has rehearsals on Sundays from 1-9pm.  BUT they aren't required to be there from 1-9.  It isn't unusual for them to only be called from 2-5:30, for example.  That does increase as the performance date gets closer, but it's only a few long days. The better run the company is, the better they are scheduling such things. And if possible, the younger kids are called and dismissed earlier.

 

Now, be warned about tech week.  Tech week is the week leading up to the performance. During show week, you should be prepared for rehearsals every evening and they will generally run a bit later, to 9pm or so. They have things like lighting rehearsals and blocking rehearsals and dress rehearsals etc.  That is just the nature of the beast.

 

Are you expected to stay for the rehearsals? In my experience, it's just drop off.  For example, tech week is crunchy, but at the same time it's sort of easy because both boys are gone from 5-9 and I can get a lot of jobs done around the house, lol. I just feed them frozen burritos or grilled cheese for dinner.

[justasque]

Dd9 auditioned for her first musical and got a part. At auditions we were given paperwork listing rehersal and performance schedule and given the chance to list conflicts. We had no conflicts but aparently a lot of other participants did so the director sent out an e-mail saying that in addition to 2 hour rehersals on 2 weekdays and 4 hours on Saturday they might extend the weekday rehersals to 9:30/10:00 pm and add Sunday rehersals.

 

Is this typical of theater? I was schocked to already have such big potential changes when rehersals don't begin until May. To be honest, I am not sure Dd will be able to participate if all these extra rehersals get added. We get precious little family time as is due to dh's work schedule and to have both days of a weekend obligated is not really fair to my other 2 children. I did e-mail the director back and explain that the Sunday rehersals could be a conflict for us. Am I wrong to be upset?

 

It sounds like there were enough conflicts that the director couldn't cast the show well without changing the schedule.  It is a GOOD sign that the director is looking NOW at the rehearsal schedule and adjusting to fit the needs of the cast and the show. 

 

I would not be upset - I would be pleased that they are on top of this now, and that you have the opportunity to talk to the director and see if it's going to work for your family with the new schedule.  

 

As others have noted, you should ask what the schedule is likely to be for your particular child - many of the rehearsals might not include all of the actors.  And you should find out which rehearsals are "tech week", for which usually everyone is expected to put life on hold and focus on the show.  

 

You're also right at the point where one dc might have something that means they miss a family activity that day.  It's a new phase of family life, and you will have to consider how to balance the needs of the dc and the needs of the family as a unit, on an ongoing basis, when deciding what kind of commitments you will make.  We are an "activities" family, and throw ourselves full force into all kinds of things for our dc, but not everyone wants or enjoys this.  That said, kids can get a lot out of a well-organized activity, and teens especially tend to do well when they have a life full of projects and goals and a community of peers to work with, so the challenges involved with having active kids can pay off considerably in the long run.

[Beaniemom]

Thank you everyone who replied. This is definitely a learning experience for us. It is a small non-profit arts organization that is only 3 years old. Just over 30 people auditioned for the play ( Seussical Jr.) so I guess the director is doing her best with the situation. They did set a "no conflicts after this date" from the beginning. I think we will just take it as it comes. It is a new world for us but I think it will be a good experience.

[Seasider]

Thank you everyone who replied. This is definitely a learning experience for us. It is a small non-profit arts organization that is only 3 years old. Just over 30 people auditioned for the play ( Seussical Jr.) so I guess the director is doing her best with the situation. They did set a "no conflicts after this date" from the beginning. I think we will just take it as it comes. It is a new world for us but I think it will be a good experience.

Your kids will have a blast! And they wil sleep well at night, musical theater is real work! Suessical is a fun, fun show 😄

[catz]

If it was 30 people auditioning, that is a pretty small pool to work with. It isn't unusual for 100-200+ people to audition for a community theater show here and then it gets to the point where if you have conflicts you may not be considered for a role.

 

I would roll with it, but I also wouldn't be af aid to say some of the new dates don't work if they really don't. It is unusual for a huge schedule change once the schedule is published here. Performing arts have been a great outlet for my kids though and we always take at least a short break between shows.

Edited April 14, 2016 by WoolySocks

[Jenny in Florida]

You're also right at the point where one dc might have something that means they miss a family activity that day. 

 

Yep. This is the reason my son used to wear a t-shirt with the slogan, "I can't. I have rehearsal."

 

If you have a performing arts kid, it's just part of life.

[redsquirrel]

Seussical is super fun. And with only 30 people, well, you play the hand you were dealt. It sounds like you can expect a solid rehearsal schedule soon, and that is good. It looks nuts when you get it, but then it's all over in the blink of an eye.

 

And, yes, this is what life is like when you are in the expressive arts. But, for my kids at least, it has been so worth it.

[GailV]

Oh, that's a fun show!  What part is she playing?

 

By showtime the kids will all be BFFs!

[Beaniemom]

Oh, that's a fun show! What part is she playing?

 

By showtime the kids will all be BFFs!

She is one of the Wickershams. She also got called back for Jojo but I think for a first time out it is a good thing she got a Wickersham instead.

[GailV]

The Wickershams are great roles!  As my dd says, they're supposed to be crazy, so whatever you do is right.

[kroe1]

Anything goes in theater. Professional, paid gigs usually rehearse for 8 to 12 hours daily two weeks prior to showtime. The cast is expected to be off book from day one. Community theatre usually rehearses daily for two months for a few hours each night. Rehearsals on Sunday's should be expected since shows perform on Sundays, too. Giving grief to a backstage manager or director is a sure fire way to keep your kid from getting casted again. It is a small world and everybody talks.

[Tsuga]

I empathize with your irritation, and agree that it's a lot at nine.

 

However, as justasque pointed out--it's that age. We have four kids. We make it to one game each at least, one major performance per season at least, and they make it to most of their practices. That is literally all we can do. Not all kids go to all things. The rule is basically, you're going to attend one concert, one performance, one big thing for your sibs per year, ideally two. That's the level of activity.

 

I do feel for you but I think you should try to commit to ONE season and see how it goes. This is not the entire rest of your life. It will pass. See how it works. And break a leg!