Im not a genius but I should be

Dear Stagehand:

I was at rehearsal and my co-star (I wasnt the star but whatever...) totally freaked out after a scene we did. I thought the scene felt rather well, but as soon as we were done, he started yelling and freaking out about me invading his stage space. What gives?

How do I handle this? Go to the Director?

-------------------idle actor


Poor fool. Ive seen this before. Its kind of odd that someone would invite scores of people to see them perform and then complain about space. These fragile egos must be dealt with swiftly. But no, dont bother your director if you can avoid it.

You need to hash this out with the actor. How you handle it is going to make a big difference in the outcome. Dont confront arrogance with equal part arrogance. Many issues can be dealt with through simple communication and consensus. If you dont do this you will have a rather uncomfortable run of the show, feeling that you might fringe upon their space or you might resent each other for the whole situation. Still not working? Still not getting through this closed off actors approach? Unable to find a reasonable situation you can both be happy with?

Go to your stage manager or your union deputy (if by chance youre in a union show in Texas). Try not to wine to your director too much. Especially if the other actor happens to be standing right next to you when you do.

Thats just dumb.


Dear Stagehand: I was just cast as a super. What does that mean? Im too embarrassed to ask."
-too shy

Ah understandable, its just a fancy-shmancy word thats all.
Think of it as:
Super scenery! Scenery that moves, kind of like an extrasometimes you might have a line, mostly not.

More precisely it derives from:
Supernumerary \soo-puhr-NOO-muh-rair-ee;
noun:
1. A supernumerary person or thing.
2. An actor without a speaking part, as a walk-on or an extra in a crowd scene.
OR As for (a fine and sadly humorous) example:

And yet, important as its role has been in the history of civilization, the bookshelf seldom even gets mentioned in the program; it is treated as a supernumerary, taken for granted, and ignored.
-- Henry Petroski, The Book on the Bookshelf

Some people would call this a sort of paying your dues, so dont feel less important.

If your part of a show your part of something bigger than yourself. Take from it and learn, help create something. Good Luck! Er...I mean break a leg .

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* The Stagehand Advice-Copyright 2006 by Theatreport