Our backstage area was a single room that was dressing room, makeup area, and green room all rolled into one, in addition to also being storage for every costume the company owned. To say there was very little space would be a huge understatement.
When working in a space as small and cluttered as this, the behaviors of fellow cast members becomes much more noticeable and often annoying. As a result, I have written the Unofficial Backstage Code - a list of rules that, if followed, might prevent you from becoming a - forgive the pun - outcast.
- Thou shalt not lounge around in your tighty whities.
- Breathmints are mandatory.
- Do not "shush" people. It is condescending and rude. If people need a reminder, they should get it from those in authority, not fellow cast members.
- Don't take up more than your share of the space.
- Stay out of the wings unless you need to be there. Don't block high traffic areas.
- Do NOT bring messy food into the backstage area. Especially stuff that is also smelly. Especially if you don't have enough to share.
- This is theatre. You are not here to find a date.
- If you HAVE found a date, the rest of us do not need to see or hear about it.
What rules would you add?
Comments
written by Kristen Carter, July 30, 2009
proper hygiene in general is a big must!
written by Ali, July 30, 2009
haha thank you for #7!
thou shalt not invite thousands of people backstage to say hi, especially after half hour. Yes, I will occasionally slip in to say break a leg to a friend and then slip out when there's plenty of time until curtain, but when people bring their friends back for a full tour "oh, here's dorothy doing her weird vocal warm up, here's her curling iron..." highly unnecessary.
respect theatre superstitions whether or not you believe them. saying the name of the scottish play just freaks some people out, okay?
hee hee I sound angry
written by Katie Foster, July 31, 2009
our stage manager comes by and does deodorant checks. not kidding. it can get bad otherwise.
written by Heather Thompson, August 06, 2009
Though shalt not gossip backstage... The ears are listening and if you wouldn't tell it to someone's face don't whisper it about them either...
written by Kelly, August 17, 2009
I DEFINTELY second Ali's post about the Scottish play.
And in that same realm of superstition, respect whatever ghosts roam the theatre, just for peace of mind.
written by Kathleen Sera, August 17, 2009
Having been in a show where it was so loud in the dressing room that I could not hear the program sound and missed a cue, I think that instance would give me the right to ask people to lower the volume
Also, use hairspray in a well ventilated area! No fun sitting in a giant, smelly cloud.
written by Qymana, August 29, 2009
While on the subject of hairspray,
Ask before using people's stuff.
I was in Footloose last year, set my hairspray down for 5 minutes when I picked, it gave me a pitiful little cough and died. Sad day.
Oh! and Don't try to mask odors with perfumes and body sprays. Not only does it make everything smell worse, the perfume is bad for your vocal cords if you're about to sing. Yep Yep.
written by Ali, August 30, 2009
yeah, I don't appreciate people squeezing between me and the mirror to rummage through my makeup box. It's pretty much the only time I have diva moments. some of ma stuff is expensive, and I don't want to get sick from people using my makeup, and....ahhh. Hairspray is an especially big issue.
I put my name on ERRYTHING with black sharpie, which slightly helps.
written by Dan Lee, September 18, 2009
Do NOT and I mean DO NOT! Slap me on the A$$ as I walk out to the stage. This isn't a Locker Room! Thank You Very Much!
written by Katarina Andersson, October 13, 2009
Keep your area neat, even if it means arriving at the theatre early to straighten it up. That way it won't interfere with other people's space, and once the show starts everything will be in order (once places is called, there's enough craziness. It's good to manage whatever can be managed beforehand.)
Make sure your warmups don't interfere with other people/what they're doing. Common courtesy of a shared space.
And lastly but always worth mention- prudeness has no place in musical theatre (though a green room is not a strip joint.)
written by Lisette Markham, October 20, 2009
One of my first summer theater seasons, I was a Princess of Ababu in Kismet with an awful costume that left the belly bare. I was required to wear 'Texas Dirt"-a reddish makeup- on all exposed skin, even my bare feet and toes!. (I am a fair blond.) It was rustic setting, with only a curtain between dressing rooms. I was very modest at that time. I quickly learned to wear leotard/bathing suit type undergarments for modesty, since the guys frequently came through the ladies dressing room. By the way, I showered twice every night and it still was weeks before the stain disappeared from between my toes!
I have dressed behind clothes racks- and under hoop skirts! (Pull it up to your neck and change your tights/undergarments under the skirt!) I changed into pants using the skirt method while waiting in line for a paystub with 600 extras in Disney's movie Secretariat last week.
Find that balance between basic modesty, without prudishness, that makes you and others comfortable. Respect the other cast members who may not care to see it all hang out!
I second the rule- don't interfere with other people's space!!
NEVER pull a prank on a fellow cast member that may cause a gaffe on stage and harm the performance or show!
The last show, I carefully laid out my costume change next to my make up box with my shoe change. I had a fast change in a darkened room. Someone piled all their costume peices all over my carefully planned change. I was digging in the dim light!
written by Katie Kirby-Rogers, October 21, 2009
I've found that if there is a ridiculous quick change that a team of fellow actors are VERY helpful. I had the girl's solo in One More Angel from Joseph and then had to be back onstage in a different costume by the beginning of Potiphar. I had the other Bankers each hold a piece of my costume/props and they all dressed me at once, it was fantastic. But one night someone moved my stuff where they thought it went and I just barely made it onstage and my costume was all askew. To say I was mad would be an understatement.
So my number one rule is.... If it's not yours DON'T TOUCH IT! I can't tell you how many times our director used the old adage "Prop is short for property" but it never seemed to sink in for the younger cast members.
There's my rant. Hope this helps!
written by Catie, October 27, 2009
another tip is (and a common courtesty EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW!) don't ledave water bottles back stage. it is more the stage crew has to do. We shouldn't have to clean up what SHOULDN'T be back stage. No food or drink backstage EVER! shfkjsdlfjkmlkmjsadfjk makes it harder on the crew.
written by sara, December 15, 2009
Yes, I agree, big rule is don't do anythign to piss of the backstage crew. In the show I'm in now, a girl who had to wear a wig was getting help from some family members after the show getting all the bobby pins out, and I overheard her say 'Oh, don't worry about the bobby pins. Just throw them on the ground.' I wanted to smack her, then ask her if she wanted to be the one to have to pull all of the hundreds of bobby pins out of the vacuum when they get all caught in it.
And also, don't be bossy. It's stressful enough without people telling you that you can't change in the dressing room because people who actually need to use it are changing then. So rude. I understand that crowded dressing rooms are uncomfortable and hot, but everyone has an equal right to use it. And also, if you're feeling rather modest, please, get over it. In a 5 by 10 room stuffed with costumes, people, makeup, counters, etc. there is no room for you to set up a little personal dressing room, with costumes and chairs arranged into a little curtain, taking up at least half of the room. If you want to change in a corner, behind a clothesrack, in the bathroom, fine, whatever, but don't become a diva for the sake of modesty. It draws more attention to you changing, anyways.
That's my rant!
written by Daisy, February 21, 2010
You'll learn soon in theatre that the people in your production are like family. Nice, yes. But do you always get along with family? No! Even if that particular director/fellow castmate/ member of backstage/technical worker is annoying you, don't bother them (or implode). Use your acting skills and pretend like you love them more than life!
written by Robin, June 08, 2010
Do NOT go into the guys dressing room if you are a girl and dont go in the girls dressing room if your are a guy ( lets just say that girls scream when guys try to go into their dressing room. they dont care if the show is happining or not )
