Rules…rules…rules! I’m sure if you could ask any of my cast members about their drama coach, they would say that I have a plethora of rules for them to follow…some that seem important, but others that just seem like a control-freak has gone mad and taken over their lives!!!!!!!!! Oh, my…that was dramatic…but then, I am a drama coach!

I actually lightened up a bit this year about the rules during rehearsals. Last year I had no-iPod, no electronic devices, no tree-climbing rules…no tree climbing? Yup, I had to make a no tree climbing rule to keep one boy in particular out of the trees. This year, I threw that one completely out when I looked behind me and saw 7 people hanging from trees and realized that they were probably burning off a ton of excess energy that desperately needed to be burned off (I then made a mental note as to how close we were to the hospital and how fast I thought an ambulance could get to the park…I also programmed 911 into my cell phone, just in case). Anyway, what is ironic about the no-iPod rule is that two of my actors lost their iPods at the park this summer…I tried REALLY hard not to say, “I told you so,” but it was really, really difficult!

So, my most important rehearsal rules were simple - no gum, sunglasses, or food on stage; I will confiscate electronic devices if they become a distraction to myself, their owners, or fellow cast members; and nothing to drink but water. No gum as one can’t possibly speak Shakespeare with gum in their mouth…no sunglasses because I have to see how they’re expressing themselves facially, and eyes are a VERY important part of that…no food on stage for the same reason as no gum. And water is important for a couple of reasons - they need to stay hydrated, and we need to avoid sticky messes from other drinks.

Backstage rules become even more important, and although they are similar to rehearsal rules, the penalty for breaking backstage rules is even more severe than breaking rehearsal rules…what penalty, you may ask? When I figure that out, I’ll let you know. Anyway…here are my backstage rules:

• No gum.
• No food.
• Water only.
• No electronic devices at all (if actors say they need cell phones for emergences, give YOUR cell phone number to parents and make sure they know how to reach YOU in case of an emergency).
• No touching hand props that are not for your role.
• No friends or family members backstage.

Thus far, according to the backstage managers who have worked our two dress rehearsals, the cast is doing a wonderful job backstage…not just obeying the rules, but paying attention to the cues, their props (only their own, not other actors’), and doing what it takes to make the production outstanding. And that is one important purpose of backstage rules…it reins in the nervous energy by limiting what they’re allowed to do and helps to focus them on what they need to do.  And based on what I saw at last night’s dress rehearsal, my Highland Players are ready and raring to go tonight…in 8 hours and 15 minutes!

Posted Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:09:05 and filed under Actors, Staging Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.