Wow

Only 22 shows left.  Last time I checked, I was the musical director.  Something happened in tonight's show that's never happened before, but it was such a major issue that it absolutely cannot happen again (and I'll try to explain clearly for the non-theatre crowd out there).  We use a click track (essentially a metronome) during 3 numbers, and I hit the button that triggers the click.  During "Steppin' to the Bad Side," I give a cue to the 4 actors onstage to cut off the notes they're singing (at the point in question), then I cue both the actors and the drummer onstage to start up again, while I press the button.  Well tonight, I gave the cue - the drummer (Trevor) went with me, and the click track started.  However, the actors decided to come in a beat late.  This is a huge problem, because there are recorded vocals later on in the song.  Therefore, once the vocals started, I had to yell measure numbers at the band to adjust for the missed beat.  Thankfully, everyone got lined up before a huge catastrophe occurred when the ensemble comes onstage to do their most difficult dance routine of the show.

So, as musical director, I went to each of the 4 guys who were involved after the show and told them individually that I'm calling a 10-minute rehearsal tomorrow night before the show.  Do you know that three of the four admitted that they don't even look at me for that cue?  Do you know that all four of them blamed either me or Trevor for tonight's gaffe?  But at least three of them reluctantly agreed to the rehearsal, without giving me sass.  One had the nerve to give me lip in front of Trevor, Darryl (keyboard 1) and Ray.  Are you telling me that he would be talking back to any other musical director?  How can an ensemble member give the MD sass for giving him a note - i.e., doing my job?  What, because this is my first time as MD of a touring company?  So I gave it back to him.  I don't care if this hasn't happened before, it will not happen again, and we're gonna run this a few times to make sure we're all on the same page.  Jeez.  Well, if nothing else, I've definitely grown one hell of a backbone on this show, and when I get my next show, I'll be a hard-ass from day one, so that there is no confusion about where I stand and that I won't be taking any crap from anybody.  Sometimes, these actors drive me insane.  This is not a democracy - I'm the MD, and if I call a rehearsal, then your ass will be at the rehearsal.  Period.  OK, I'm done.  I need a drink - going to take care of that right now...