I'm currently Co-Directing my former High School's fall production and I forgot how much High School Theatre gives me a headache... especially when the cast is large.
Number 1: No one ever memorizes their lines until the week of the performance. As an actor I remember being terrible anxious about my peers who didn't know their lines. Now it's even more frustrating as a director. Not to mention someone who's in 2nd year theatre in university and is surrounded by serious actors who learn their lines on time.
Number 2: Respect is always an issue. I find that most Drama Teachers are more like friends to the cast than teachers and this tends to make the actors of the play more comfortable and less respectful.
Number 3: Focus! gonk Most of them can't even last 20 minutes without going on a tangent or sitting down or playing with a prop. They don't really take it seriously until we tell them they have two practices left and then they look at us like we're the ones who were being slow pokes!
That's my rant.
As for the production, I have some problems that if anyone has some solutions to, I'd be thankful.
1. As the make-up artist also, I'm doing each person's make-up. However, I can't seem to get across to one male that you wear eye-liner on stage. I've tried the "look at the difference" thing and it doesn't matter to him that I've taken classes on make-up either. I'll eventually just give up and he can have dark eyes on stage, but if there's someway I can get through to him, I'd like to. (P.S. All the other guys put it on fine)
2. One of the girls is playing a male workman, but she has a Hijab. (The Muslim head covering where see the face, just not the hair and neck) We tried a cape idea, but it looked ridiculous. Currently we're just going to ignore the fact she's wearing one, but if someone has an innovative idea, I'd love to hear it!
3. Anyone have any tips on painting on tribal tattoos? I'm using oil and water-base theatre paint, but It's the designs I'm having trouble with. Of course I looked online, but a lot of the designs are hard and I need the designs to cover arms and legs and chests so they have to be big and plentiful.
4. Other than "Cast, Crew, Special Thanks, and Director's Word" what are some other things found in a theatre program?
