[Meg Savilonis]

Hi, all,

I will be posting various reminders in the coming days, especially in light of some concerns that have been expressed and brought to my attention. Clear communication is essential, so if you have any questions about a process or expectations, you should come directly to me, Jen, and/or Diana for clarification and discussion.

To that end, a first set of reminders:

1. You have been asked to create an account on the Callboard so that you can check the calendar and access other essential information. You have also been added to the production’s Google Drive. As a part of the team, it is your responsibility to check these sites for information to stay up-to-date. Email reminders are sent out, of course, but you should be checking the Callboard every day. (That is literally the purpose of a callboard.) And you should be reviewing material in the Google Drive as directed.
2. The original calendar, as was noted at the time it was handed out (and since that time) provided an overview of our production calendar. Detailed rehearsal calls are published every week (and reminders sent daily as applicable). It is your responsibility to check the calendar at the start of each week so that if you notice any oversight (e.g., a conflict you had previously noted), you can alert the stage manager as soon as possible (instead of the day of a scheduled rehearsal).
3. A month on the calendar is not a month’s worth of rehearsal time. I realize that for some, November 10 might seem far off and plenty of time to get into performance-ready shape. However, it is important to note that rehearsals are only 3-4 hours long, and they are held only 4 days a week, and in those limited hours we are working on acting, dance, and music. So, between now and tech weekend, there are 18 scheduled rehearsals, at basically none of which every person in the cast will be in attendance. It is precisely for this reason that your director, musical director, and choreographer are asking (and expecting) you to devote time and energy to reviewing the script, score, and choreography at some point during every day and to be responsible for working on the material so that you can come to rehearsal fully prepared even if that means having questions. We know the difference between an informed question and an “I haven’t looked at the assignment carefully” question. Informed questions are always welcome.
4. Please listen carefully. If you are ever uncertain about what your director, musical director, or choreographer meant by something, please be sure to ask for clarification. (Cutting down on chatter will help make sure that everyone is able to listen well.)

A last note for now: Yes, ideally, theater is fun, but it is also work. As your directors have tried to reinforce many times, as a collaborative art, theater requires commitment of time and energy from all of the people involved in a production.

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