Motherhood sucks....

[petesgirl]

Hopefully the email will help. I can’t imagine that there isn’t some other crew job that she could do. I’ve never heard of a production to turn away a willing and enthusiastic helper.

Right?! It seems odd that they can't/won't use her for behind the scenes stuff-can you really have too many of that crew??

[hellokitty]

I'm sorry, that stinks. I think that it's worthwhile for you to email the director, just to see if there are options. My kids haven't been involved in theater, but as a baseball mom, I saw my son get rejected from travel baseball, not bc he's not good enough, but bc WE (my husband and I), didn't go to frickin' high school here and the clique of families in travel baseball are bc the parents went to high school together. It's crap like that, just pisses me off. My son was so sad, I wanted to have him try out or another team, but he said he wanted to be with the team local to our school district. Well, it's a super cliquey school district, my kids were born and raised in this school district, but we don't, "belong," bc my husband and I didn't go here? It's just completely stacked against logic.

[TwinFoxes]

Essentially saying that DD has so much energy and is so enthusiastic about working on the play, she would like to help out at the rehearsals, too... Essentially, "being an usher is fine, but she wants MORE"! I would guess that they always want help with something! Another option, if she is okay with it, is to just show up and be put to work !

I agree, you/your DD need to show her enthusiasm. I think that would be met with a better result than just writing and complaining.

Part of me thinks if the director knows your DD is shy (like ours does), then maybe s(he) is trying to be "helpful" by not giving them a bigger part. Not to say that's right, bc I do think it can be the role of teachers to help kids grow/expand/etc.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Which makes PP's idea of showing that your DD really wants to be a part of the production a good one.

[123LuckyMom]

maybe s(he) is trying to be "helpful" by not giving them a bigger part. Not to say that's right, bc I do think it can be the role of teachers to help kids grow/expand/etc.

I’m hoping this is the case! This is terrible, and the only thing that’s good that might come out of this is an important lesson for your DD that other people cannot read her mind and may take their cues from her behavior. Waiting years to work up the courage to participate wasn’t a strategy that worked for her, because the teachers may have seen her waiting as lack of interest. Next time, maybe she could try “speaking” up, even if it’s in the form of a written message saying something like, “I feel too shy to participate, but I wish I didn’t. Maybe next time I’ll be ready.” I think a teacher knowing your DD wants to overcome her shyness would try to help her. I hope that happens now. It’s awful that she feels so bad! I’m sorry!


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[alleycat]

I emailed the director Thursday night asking if DD could help in any capacity, even if it's a small one, in addition to being an usher. I haven't heard back. The first rehearsal was yesterday after school. DD was sad to see all her friends go to rehearsal while she had to come home.

What's a reasonable amount of time to wait before I contact the director again or maybe I should contact the school?

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[SnuggleBuggles]

In our school handbook it gives staff 24 hours to reply to messages. Do you have a similar resource to check with?


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[alleycat]

In our school handbook it gives staff 24 hours to reply to messages. Do you have a similar resource to check with?


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We don't have a handbook, at least not that I know of. The director is not school staff. She is the owner of the local theater school.

[buddyleebaby]

I wouldn't have hesitated to speak to the director. Are children mandated to participate? How do kids "audition" for crew? Did the director know she was interested or is everyone just assigned a role? I have never heard of a school that was not able to accommodate children for stage crew- there is so, so much behind-the-scenes work to do.
If you don't get a response by Monday, call. They can find her a spot.

[elbert]

I’m so mad/annoyed/aggravated on your behalf! It’s absurd that they don’t accommodate everyone who wants to be part of the crew! As a theater parent of a kid how has had her fair amount of heartache, I’m stunned, shocked and plain ol’ pissed off about this. I truly don’t understand. Totally worth pushing this...nicely, of course, but firmly.


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[KpbS]

I wouldn't have hesitated to speak to the director. Are children mandated to participate? How do kids "audition" for crew? Did the director know she was interested or is everyone just assigned a role? I have never heard of a school that was not able to accommodate children for stage crew- there is so, so much behind-the-scenes work to do.
If you don't get a response by Monday, call. They can find her a spot.

I would try to speak to the director in person on Monday and explain. Surely they can use an extra set of hands. This is a school/kid production after all! Gracious. I really hope she gets to participate.