I am choreographing for a high school musical. I have been dancing, acting and singing since I was three, have two degrees in dance and choreography. I have been choreographing a show for the high school I work at. It is the second year that they have had a show, last year the show was horrible, and included people dancing on stage barefoot.
AFter months of work and time, the first rehearsal I missed two weeks before the show the director changed alot of my choreography with asking me or getting my opinion. She has no experience, no degree, only has expereince working on middle school musicals. She changed this bc her daughter, who was one of my main dancers wanted to add some technically diffult things, that they cannot do.
After this has happened several times, and her not giving me a chance to adjust back to the way it looked good. I asked her to remove my name from the show.
I am not sure if this was right. What do you think??
2007-02-20 07:22:26 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Theater & Acting
No...No...I did not miss two weeks. It was a Wednesday night rehearsal, and I have another job on WEDNESDAY nights only. I was stating that she changed my chor. two weeks before the show!!!
HAHA...I would never miss two weeks of rehearsal!!! I was there everytime she wanted me and me!!!
2007-02-20 10:20:57 · update #1
The director was rude about it...there is such a thing as collaboration. She sat down with me on several occasions and told me what she wanted for certain numbers, and I did just what she asked.
I am not putting down middle directors...I respect directors and all they have to do I have been a director, chor, and technical director for a show all on my own, so I know how much work it is!! I was simply stating that she had no degree, and actually has no experience.
I did not whine or complain to anyone. I simply asked her to give me time to fix what she changed to make it look good, she choose not too, so I asked her to remove my name.
Directors do have say all...but most good ones and experinced ones know not to step on someone else's work except to give collaboration, which was not done!!
2007-02-20 14:37:26 · update #2
Unfortunately, it sounds as though you've been a victim of nepotism and / or a director who doesn't know the meaning of the word collaborate. I've had lots of experience directing shows, choreographing shows, directing and choreographing shows and so on -- A director's word, is typically the end all and be all -- but most director's should defer things to the people who are working under him or her... if the director didn't like the costumes he probablyu wouldn't sit down and sew all new costumes a week before the show, but should address his concerns with the costumer... if he didn't like the lights he should speak with lighting designer about it, not go into the light booth and reprogram all the cues.... if he doesn't like the choreography, he should explain what he doesn't like or would like to see more of or less of on the stage...
If I did a lot of hard work and choreographed 9 numbers in a show and 2 or 3 got changed for whatever reason I probably would have requested that the credits in the program specify something to that effect... so the credits in the program would read
choreographed by Pete Peterson
choreography for "hanky panky" and "chunky munky" by the little slut daughter of the director....
or her name or whatever
you worked long and hard and should get credit for the work you did...
2007-02-20 07:39:41 · answer #1 · answered by thechewtoyboy 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you're looking for us to sympathize with you bashing middle school play directors, you'll have to look elsewhere. Most of the posters here are students. Others of us are teachers. If you think school theatre is below you, why did you agree to choreograph in the first place?
Was your director's decision rude? Yes. Ill-advised? Possibly. However, someone with your experience should know that the director's word is law. Like it or not, she gets the final say.
Yes, you can ask that your name be removed from the program. And that's about the extent of it.
2007-02-20 12:31:38 · answer #2 · answered by waldy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The director is ultimately responsible for everything on that stage. As a director, I agree with you that, if she was unhappy with your choreography, she should have asked for changes.
HOWEVER -- you missed two weeks? That is inexcusable unless you had some kind of an emergency. If I were faced with having to make changes and didn't have the choregrapher available to make them, well then, I'd have make them myself.
And your explanation is unclear: "She changed this bc her daughter, who was one of my main dancers wanted to add some technically diffult things, that they cannot " Her daughter wanted to add moves that they couldn't do? "That they cannot" add the moves to your choreography? I'm not sure what you mean here.
Regardless, she's the director, you weren't there, and she was well within her rights to make any changes she saw fit.
That said, you are well within your own rights to have your name removed. If you feel what's up there is not a representation of your work, you should not have your name on it. Of course, if you were paid, you'd be under a moral obligation to return your salary, since you feel the work you did isn't represented or being seen.
2007-02-20 09:28:13 · answer #3 · answered by frozengrocer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She's the director, it's her prerogative. It's probably in the best interests of the show that you not make a big deal out of it. The last thing your production needs is division popping up two weeks before you open. Try to think if it's really worth it to cause undue stress on the production as a whole.
2007-02-20 11:29:03 · answer #4 · answered by Fenician 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is strange that with two degrees in dance and choreography as you claim, you would waste your time working for a high school show. And besides this, the director has the final say so in all things concerned, so you will have to suck it up and stop your whining about it. That is really very unprofessional.
2007-02-20 11:33:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You could always use the name Allen Smithy.
Sounds to me as though the director needs to get her act
together. She seems to be more interested in her little
prima donna then she is the show.
Find a job in your field.
2007-02-20 07:39:27 · answer #6 · answered by producer_vortex 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you are wasting your talents working at a high school. Move to NYC (5,6,7,8... Fosse, Fosse, Fosse!)
2007-02-20 10:23:25 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋