how do help keep drama down?

Answer 1

I'm just enjoying the fact that everyone has to translate the question for themselves before taking a stab at answering it.

Answer 2

I'm guessing that you're trying to hold down the interpersonal dramas in a cast. This is a problem for any group of people, but actors often pride themselves on being emotionally unstable. They think it makes them more open to the foibles of the characters they're playing.

The most important thing is to cast people who aren't going to propagate drama. People who have a history of provoking conflicts with other actors will have a hard time getting into my shows.

Unfortunately, I can't keep them out entirely. Nobody is entirely without pride, and I wouldn't want them to be, but it's an opportunity for people to accidentally step on each other's toes.

So it's important for there to be somebody whom everybody in the cast respects. I usually try to do that as the director, but it's often a stage manager or assistant director. This is a person with a history of fairness, who goes out of his or her way to consider all sides to the story. If there is a dispute between cast members, send that person in to work it out.

The directing crew must be above all suspicion. That means no foolin' around with the cast. That's no fun, but you're in charge and you have to be the adult when everybody else isn't. I don't exactly discourage my casts from foolin' around with each other, but I do try to keep ahead of the situation. I usually have close friends in the cast who hear the rumors before I do, and if I hear about something early I can try to head off problems.

Casting in particular is a huge source of drama. Try to be as fair as possible. Don't give favors to your friends or boyfriend/girlfriend. In fact, don't even APPEAR to give favors. If your friend wants the lead, make sure they know that they had better do more than just be the best. They must be OBVIOUSLY the best. Otherwise you'll get sniping, and sniping is going to be dangerous.

Sometimes you have to ask somebody to swallow their pride. I've had plenty of times where one cast member was being crazy and I've had to ask others to just take it without fighting back. It means that sometimes I make an unfair decision because the crazy cast member will do something crazier. But that's not a blank check to them: if they get crazy enough I'll drop them from the show. And when it comes time for me to cast them again it's a serious black mark against them, and I let other directors know it.

You can't get all of the drama gone, but you can keep it to a minimum by keeping on top of the situation, heading off problems early, and by being absolutely beyond suspicion of unfairness yourself. Try to keep sane, friendly people around you as much as possible. And good luck.

Answer 3

Sand bags are good for holding scenery flats in place/down without damaging the floor of the stage.

Answer 4

Elaborate just enough to make a point, nothing more.