The director demands a script change minutes before showtime. How will you salvage the performance?

Minutes before the show begins? The show is in my hands and the answer is NO. I was a stage manager for years. I’m happy to change it for the next show but not for the one about to start. That is too disruptive for everyone involved including the audience and especially for the cast and crew.

I will tell the director that we can discuss this topic later, changes are not made this way, and definitely not in the last minute.

If it's a licensed production, reach out to your licensing rep. No changes can be made until you have explicit written approval, which can take time. If written permission is not possible, the organization may not change the text. Doing so violates the organization's licensing agreement. If it's an original work and the author is involved, have a conversation with the director, author, and any other impacted parties to make sure that any changes reflect the author's intent, prioritize cast and crew safety, and are necessary to tell the story.

The impact is, script changes cannot be done minutes before opening night. The entire cast and crew have been rehearsing a specific show for weeks, and while there may sometimes be "last minute" changes in the final weeks of rehearsal, there is absolutely no way to accommodate script changes minutes before opening night. New lines and blocking cannot be memorized in minutes, and new staging and tech cannot be implemented in minutes. These things all take time.

Again, too many reasons to not do script changes on the fly. Flustered cast members can make mistakes on established cues and that throws the tech staff off.

The impact with a last minute change is usually on the cast and crew. I would stand fast and see it open as written and rehearsed. Access and if need be reevaluate but I’d be hard pressed to change anything especially a rewrite

Hay que naturalizar un poco el bloqueo, no hay que temerle. Es a?go inerente a los seres humanos y a cualquiera que enfrente una situación nueva. Es parte inherente del proceso.

comprendre la teneur des changements et leur raison. Si c'est une contrainte incompressible, alors rassemblement de l'ensemble des personnes impliquées pour partager le défi et chercher ensemble les solutions possibles les moins impactantes (par exemple: salle de spectacle avec un risque de chute d'objet suite à dégat des eaux .... nous avons déplacer le décor afin de protéger les acteurs et la scène a pu se réaliser sans changement de scénario et explication au public...)

No. They are not trained for moments like this. They are trained to do what was rehearsed in the weeks leading up to opening night.

Possibly at a midweek rehearsal if warranted but not before an opening unless it’s again a catastrophic happenstance… then you would depend on your actors on stage to be the professionals they are

Enough things can happen during live shows to keep the tech crew busy. Jumping around cues or changing them without enough preparation can be dangerous. The stage is an inherently dangerous place and part of the Stage Manager’s job is to make safety the highest priority.

Una reunión extra curricular puede ayudar a unir más el grupo, como puede ser una comida. ésto permite lograr un clima más cálido y cercano.

This is essential. Give the talent the sides as soon as possible. Give them as much time with the new changes as possible. Trust in their ability. They were hired for a reason.

Según mi experiencia, un equipo de trabajo cohesionado es capaz de afrontar cualquier vicisitud que se le presente, esto se logra desde el inicio del proceso de montaje, el talento del elenco salva muchas veces las peores tormentas que pueda atravesar una producción teatral. Nos pasó en una producción de Las aves de Aristófanes, el sacerdote se enfermó y con la ayuda del coro que recito el texto y un actor que mimo la acción se sacó adelante la obra. Fue un elenco muy unido por el amor y el talento al teatro.

Minutes before opening night seems highly unlikely and most likely wouldn't be coming from the director either. If changes are introduced the same day as a performance- which does happen on occasion for a new show in previews- the cast should have an opportunity to run through any changes to ensure that everyone involved in the scene on stage and off can run through their track safely. If needed, "cheats" can be developed with lyric or line changes hidden on pieces of scenery or props. But safety would always be the first concern! If the changes get requested too close to curtain, they will just have to wait until the next performance to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Things happen, either the director changes things in the last minute or a cast member is unable to perform at that moment in time, it is your talent and your cast members that will get you through. That's show business and the show must go on!