My friend Kootch directs theatre at the high school where he teaches. He's been doing it for a very long time and he really seems to enjoy it. Bravo.
I'm only in my 3rd year directing the one act play for competition at our local high school, and I am totally frustrated.
In my first two years I have had to replaced a main character each year, shortly before performance time, for different reasons. This year I swore that I'd go with a small cast so that I wouldn't have to deal with such problems. I only have three main speaking roles, and the cast was well assembled, if I do say so myself. The three work very well together and I've been very excited by the acting work they've put together.
There was some initial concern about one of the actors maintaining passing grades in all her classes, but she's sworn that she'll keep the grades up.
Then, last night, I got hit with other news.... One of the performers was arrested on a felony charge ... hit and run with a school bus, driving without a license, driving through a school bus stop signal.
So far it's all heresay, but I have a meeting this afternoon to discuss the consequences.
This, Kootch, is why I'm thinking of not doing high school one act any more. I'll stick to writing 'em. Dealing with this kind of crap every year really sucks.
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Wow. That is really sucky. I have to say in the eight years I've been directing one-act (two at W-K, my sixth right now at MCW), I've not once had to replace an actor, major or minor. Grades are occasionally a concern, but the kids I've cast have always been pretty responsible. (I once lost two actors in an all-school play due to drinking violations, though.) I think I'm a bit more selective with my one-act casts. Then again, I think actually being in the school every day helps me to keep an eye on them during the show, and know a lot more about them before auditions/casting.
Okay, the "I'm a bit more selective with my one-act cast" hits a raw nerve there. First, I think that the casts I put together are really top-notch, and this year's was incredible. The work the three of them were doing was easily college level. Also, I am not generally picking a handful from a roomful of auditioners. I think I only had nine people audition this year (22 last year).
Being in school and knowing them a little better most certainly would help. I only know these kids from their interest in theatre. I don't know anything else about their work ethics or habits. I know that hurt me my first year. Last year was pretty unpredictable -- only the student knew he was dropping out of school and moving to another town once he turned of age (the day after competition -- the fact that he told me before hand at least gave me the opportunity to replace him with time to rehearse [but I still only had a week to put in two people, one who had never been on stage in his life]). And who could predict the mistake made by the young woman this week? She's never been in trouble, had just moved to live with her father who got called away for work and she made a number of bad decisions on one day. I don't think being in the school would help me in this case.
Still, the group is pulling together and are determined to do SOMEthing. I brought them four scripts today. They really like two of them. We'll continue to look at scripts and make a decision Monday evening whem we meet again.
Sorry. When I said I was a bit more selective with my one-act casts, what I meant was "I'm a bit more selective with my one-act casts than I am with my all-school play casts." I didn't mean anything to do with your casting. Bad writing on my part.
So are you thinking about doing a different show then?
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