The exam is next week. I'm doing all the work like writing and rewriting scripts, training, editing music, and gathering the props. I'm playing Wendla (the lead character) and directing. The girl playing Anna is the only one who shows up at practice, but she doesn't work well when the cast isn't complete. The girl playing Martha went home interstate for Chinese New Year because it's the only time of the year she gets to see her parents. The girl playing Ilse has IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and often misses practices due to sickness; but she never misses work teaching ballet classes. The girl playing Frau Bergmann is working for her mother in law's business, has marriage and financial problems, and is simply not in shape for performing the exam.
Recently I dismissed Frau Bergmann from the team for her uncooperative behaviour and rewrote the script. She protested, said that I wasn't being fair for firing her instead of Martha, who is away. I told Frau that's because Martha had permission and we have planned to work around that; whereas Frau wasn't picking up nor returning phone calls, doesn't text unless she needs to vent out her personal problems, and she doesn't practice in her own time.
I was supposed to talk to Frau privately today to make sure that we're kicking her out not grudgingly but to lift some weight off her and free her to deal with her personal problems first. To avoid misunderstanding, I didn't want to do it by phone or email so the earliest I could see her in person was today. However, Ilse already told Frau over the weekend that I no longer like her and want her out, so Frau wouldn't listen to any explanations from me and called Anna in front of me to ask her what I had told her. Frau also managed to talk to the lecturer before I did, so the lecturer ordered me to not kick her out.
Now I want to kick out Ilse for not respecting my prerogative for communicating decisions, and this has messed up what little harmony was left in the group. Ilse has been missing practice as much as Frau has, but the only reason why I saved her was because she turned up last Friday when I issued her the final warning. Frau did not come but sent me 10 text messages with all her excuses, so she's dismissed, no questions asked. I gave Ilse another chance and she blew it.
I need to communicate this to Ilse now because time is running out, but she is not picking up the phone. Today the doctor ordered total bed rest for her.
Martha and Anna are waiting for the new, 4 actor version of the script to be e-mailed. However, since Ilse is no longer part of the team (none of these girls know yet), I think I should be modifying the script again to a 3 actor version. Should I email the 4 actor version anyway and apologise for additional modifications once we get to 3 actors? Or should I just email the 3 actor version and explain everything later?
How do I make sure there's no hard feelings? All four girls, including Ilse and Frau are very good friends of mine, but I have to be fair with the teamwork. We're very tight knit; I just don't want this decision to create a rift in our friendship because this is like me pushing them off the cliff to fail the semester and re-enroll next year. Also, I don't want Martha and Anna to be intimidated by me and hate me for doing this to two of our best friends. Sure, I can explain to Anna in person tomorrow, but I won't be able to explain to Martha until she comes back on D-Day!
And finally, how do I convince the lecturer to accept my decision? She's insisting that I should keep Ilse and Frau because in the real world I will work with difficult people, and the unity of the team is part of the tests will have to pass. This exam is no exception. But I disagree, because if actors in Broadway treat rehearsals the way Ilse or Frau do, I'm sure they'd be fired right away and the director would either replace them with new actors or write out their characters altogether; because it is the director's job to ensure that the show goes on no matter what.
Please help. Thanks in advance.Hard working director of a failing cast up for drama exam next week. what should i do?
ahh, it's always difficult to work with an uncooperative team. what i do is get the whole group together, if you're friends, not to work, but just to meet, maybe at a coffee shop or something to talk, and hang out. just to show that you are all friends. and then maybe you can ask them to listen to speaking, and explain to them how you've been working really hard, and you feel that it is not fair that they are all dropping out on you, it is alot of work to keep adapting a script, and you would love if you all could work together. then say, however since this is an exam, and it is importnat, you did what you did for a reason, and explain the reasons in such a way that it seems like you were thinking about them like with Frau, how its best she figure out things for herself, and IIse to take care of her health.. like you are thinking about it for them, as opposed to doing this for you.
if you coudl talk to all of them, and get them allll on the same page, and then say that you will go talk to the lecturer, and explain the situation.
yes, i think you are absolutley right if this was any other director they would have fired them, i know the director of my school play surely would have, you get kicked out for missing 3 rehearsals maximum without valid reason..so don't forgot to explain to them this career path is a commitment, and that its a cooperative thing.
if they cant all get together and meet. then email them and explain to them, so that everybody reads it, and maybe even CC it to the lecturer. its less personal, but then they'll have time to read %26amp; reflect.. or even give them letters (weird but it worked for me once!) so that thtye just understand whats happenin..
as for emailing the script. if you are sure that it is a 3 people script. then email that out, you dont want to leave the option open, explain later, you are the director after-all, it is your call, and as far as i see it, it is a valid call.
good luck :) i hope this helped even a little.. (:
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