Little known fact, take 2
As I posted last night, you do not need water to run a show.
Unless it is an effect for the show.
In this case, it wasn't.
As Othello was killing Desdemona, the wonderful fountain above our stage (it's in the apartment building above us) began to leak. Again. (Yes, this has happened before. Twice now.) Water a sand began to pour onto the bed where Desdemona lay dead and Othello was waiting to kill Emilia and himself. It was raining on them.
Matthew called a halt to the show. The amazing and glorious tech staff began the scramble to clean up and to assess the damage. After about 5 minutes, they realized that the rain was not going to stop any time soon. Together, Joy and Matthew decide to cancel the rest of the show (10 minutes worth.)
As the house manager, my job was to deflect questions from the angry mob leaving the theatre. A highlight: A woman comes up to me and after asking "what happened? What's going on." she tells me that "Cancelling the show was the wrong decision." I tell her "The safety of the actors is our primary concern and it was impossible to continue the show." We go around and around for a few moments until I say "Ma'am, it is live theatre." Her response? "Live theatre goes on." Even after telling her that it was impossible IMPOSSIBLE to continue the show and human lives would be in danger!!!! Some people just don't get it. THEN her friend starts in on me: "What happened?" I tell her our standard response "Technical difficulty." She gets defensive that we're "Keeping secrets." I tell her that I just don't know, I wasn't backstage and she announces to everyone within earshot that "Oh!! It's a big secret, they can't tell us what happened!!!" I give up and just say "I'm sorry. If you'd like to come back and see the show, please let the box office know."
Some people.
If you'd like to read more, click on Kate Automation or Matthew over there on the right. There's pictures!
Unless it is an effect for the show.
In this case, it wasn't.
As Othello was killing Desdemona, the wonderful fountain above our stage (it's in the apartment building above us) began to leak. Again. (Yes, this has happened before. Twice now.) Water a sand began to pour onto the bed where Desdemona lay dead and Othello was waiting to kill Emilia and himself. It was raining on them.
Matthew called a halt to the show. The amazing and glorious tech staff began the scramble to clean up and to assess the damage. After about 5 minutes, they realized that the rain was not going to stop any time soon. Together, Joy and Matthew decide to cancel the rest of the show (10 minutes worth.)
As the house manager, my job was to deflect questions from the angry mob leaving the theatre. A highlight: A woman comes up to me and after asking "what happened? What's going on." she tells me that "Cancelling the show was the wrong decision." I tell her "The safety of the actors is our primary concern and it was impossible to continue the show." We go around and around for a few moments until I say "Ma'am, it is live theatre." Her response? "Live theatre goes on." Even after telling her that it was impossible IMPOSSIBLE to continue the show and human lives would be in danger!!!! Some people just don't get it. THEN her friend starts in on me: "What happened?" I tell her our standard response "Technical difficulty." She gets defensive that we're "Keeping secrets." I tell her that I just don't know, I wasn't backstage and she announces to everyone within earshot that "Oh!! It's a big secret, they can't tell us what happened!!!" I give up and just say "I'm sorry. If you'd like to come back and see the show, please let the box office know."
Some people.
If you'd like to read more, click on Kate Automation or Matthew over there on the right. There's pictures!
posted by ruehllin at 2:14 PM
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