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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

WWYD/What would you think if this happened?

40 replies

EvilTwins · 09/02/2014 19:23

I need advice from strangers

I'm a drama teacher. Doing school play next week. I'm obviously very involved, and so I need an outsider's perspective.

Two girls have been quite lax in their attitude towards rehearsals. We have had 4 full day rehearsals at weekends (I know - it's a lot to expect) and they have been very well attended. Where cast members have let me know in advance that they can't attend weekend rehearsals (for example if they spend weekends with NR parent) then I have been very understanding. Today was a really important rehearsal - the show is next week. Two girls didn't turn up. One emailed to tell me that she wasn't feeling well, but this is on the back of emailing yesterday to say that she had a "dance thing" and so would be late. Last time we had a Sunday rehearsal, the same girl emailed on the morning of the rehearsal to say that she had a dentist appointment (on a Sunday?) The others told me today that it was a lie (which I'd figured out already...) The second girl just didn't show up. She told one of the others to tell me she had to "go somewhere".

I am very sympathetic usually, as many of my students have complex lives. However, I think it's unfair to the others, who have put in so much commitment, to allow these two to continue, and obviously I'm also worried that they won't know what they're doing in the performances because they've missed so much important rehearsal.

So - I need opinions. What would you do if you were me, and how would you feel if one of these girls was your DD, and was asked to leave the play two days before opening night?

OP posts:

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 09/02/2014 20:29

EvilTwins - have they all been warned that not attending rehearsals will put their place in the show in jeopardy? If so, you need to carry through on that.

If they haven't been warned, you need to pull these girls aside on Monday and tell them that if they aren't up to the standard of the rest of the chorus, because they couldn't be bothered to come to the rehearsals, they won't be in the show - end of.

You are right that it is not fair on those cast members who have shown such so mittens for these two girls to get to bunk off rehearsals and still be in the show (risking cock ups because they are under rehearsed).

AwfulMaureen · 09/02/2014 20:36

Re-cast. I was in one of the best Youth Theatres in the country as a teenager and the rule was that you came to rehearsals unless you were dead. A broken leg wasn't an excuse basically...you came in a wheelchair.

As a result of this stringency, most of the kids who stuck it out got places in the best drama schools in the country and the standard of performance was outstanding.

Original poster

EvilTwins · 09/02/2014 20:40

Thanks for the advice, all. I think I'll speak to them first thing and see what they have to say. The girl who lied about the dentist is my biggest concern tbh- she might have emailed today but I don't believe that she's telling the truth. She also failed to turn up on Friday when they were performing a scene in lower school assembly, though she was in school.

Morethan - I do get what you're saying, but we live in a rural area and kids get school buses in and out. We can't rehearse for more than an hour after school because of this, and lunchtime is only 45 mins. The weekend rehearsals (we only do Sundays) have always been the times at which the show pulls together, and obviously cast and parents know about it up front. The kids love the full days, and really work together as a team when they have them.

My feeling is to pull them out. Not fair on the others to keep them in.

OP posts:

Lottiedoubtie · 09/02/2014 20:48

Absolutely pull them out.

They presumably knew the rehearsal commitment when they took on the show.

Sunday rehearsals are a fact of life for school productions (hell I have my exam classes in on the Sunday before a practical exam).

You need to send a strong message to everyone else who was committed and did show up.

Original poster

EvilTwins · 10/02/2014 21:06

For anyone who's interested, both girls saved me a job in the end - one sent a message via one of the others to say she's decided she doesn't want to be in it any more, and the other just didn't turn up to the tech rehearsal today.

Thanks for all the advice.

OP posts:

morethanpotatoprints · 10/02/2014 21:48

*EvilTwins still respectin ya.

I should have asked or even known you would have let them know about sunday rehearsals.
I'm glad your problem is solved.
I do tend to come from the importance of extra curricular activities, and juggling so many.
It isn't a problem for dd anymore since the extra curricular became the curricula.
Good luck with the production, break a leg.

Marmitelover55 · 10/02/2014 22:04

Glad it has all worked out.

My DD2 is in an annual am dram panto. They rehearse every Sunday afternoon (and adults mon eve) fof 41/2 months. If they miss 2 rehearsals they are out. It is very strict, but it would be a shambles if they didn't do this.

DD1 is in her school drama club and tonight came home with a letter about a production in May. We have to sign if to commit her to attending every rehearsal before the show.

So yes I think you could/should havd asked these girls to leave.

Lottiedoubtie · 10/02/2014 23:46

Teens can be strange creatures, perhaps they got 'the fear'

What a shame for you and the cast though.

wordfactory · 11/02/2014 07:52

At DD's school you would be dropped. Commiment and attendence are part and parcel of the performing arts. Anyone who doesn't undersdtand that will not do well.

cory · 11/02/2014 09:00

Glad it all worked out, I would definitely have been in the "cast them out into the outer darkness" camp. In dd's youth theatre somebody got removed from a speaking part for a similar reason. And slightly off at a tangent, anyone who thinks being in the chorus isn't glamorous enough shouldn't be there at all, once you get beyond the primary nativity play stage.

senua · 11/02/2014 09:38

Glad it sorted itself. It might be an idea to spread some mis-information (after the performance) along the lines of you pushing instead of them jumping, just to put the fear of God into future years' cast members.

Break a leg!

DeWe · 11/02/2014 10:22

My dc all perform (13, 10 and 6yo) -they've just finished doing panto this week.
For all of them I would feel that either if they were the child who had let you down, or others in the group, that it would be perfectly fair to drop them-particularly the one who claimed to have a dentist appointment. Unless you phone the parents and they explain a very good reason.

It spoils things for all if people don't turn up to key rehearsals, and it also lays you open next year for people to think "they got away with it last year".

I think next year, give them a list of rehearsals at the start and ask the parents to mark any they can't attend. If they can't attend key rehearsals as a general rule they can't be in it.

Oneglassandpuzzled · 12/02/2014 12:40

Weekend rehearsals are very common at my daughter's school. It is made clear at the outset and if you don't attend, barring genuine illness, you're out. Even the genuine illness is frowned on.

But that's the way it has to be to put on something that is of a very high standard and what parents would expect.

offblackeggshell · 12/02/2014 13:39

Maybe they got wind of this thread, and just saved you doing the deed!

ChocolateWombat · 12/02/2014 18:59

Totally understand you need weekend rehearsals to get everyone together and to get the long time slots needed for rehearsals. Great commitment from you.

I would spell out in writing, with future plays, what the level if required commitment is. I would spell out what the consequences for non attendance at rehearsals are. Remove the grey areas. Make sure the kids and parents know in advance.

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