Journal of a Assistant Director South-40 Facade 1987 Nine incredible people were at the core of the project known as the S-40 Facade. The cast put in time, as did many other "sub-committee members", but the bulk of the responsibility for this very expensive project was placed squarely on the shoulders of only nine people. This number, let me assure you, was enough. We did get the building up and a show was performed despite the odds of 20 to 1 which were being placed against us by the Greek facades on the lot. Little did they know that sheer determination, not to mention stupidity, pushed us all to our limits. Most of the steering committee, however, wound up sick, behind in schoolwork, or both. Needless to say I do not recommend that nine stupid people again attempt the impossible. With that introduction I will attempt to enlighten you as to some of the things you should and should not do when attempting to produce a facade for the S-40. 1. Obviously I recommend a steering committee with at least 12 people on it. AT LEAST. I also suggest that some sort of mechanism be set up for recruiting other helpers early. Get names, numbers, and commitment to work early. {I apologize that this list has no coherent structure, as I am going to simply add things to the list as I think of them.} 2. Budget for food on the lot. Hungry people need to be fed and as a member of the steering committee you do not have the time to run to the Rat or the Deli. {I spent every spare second on the parking lot, sleeping there for two nights.} Not to mention that hard working helpers appreciate food and will stay long and work harder. 3. Tell your cast members as soon as you choose them that they are expected to spend at least two hours per day on the lot during Thurtene Week. They can accumulate the hours by working in large chunks, but they must put in time. If they do not help out they may not have a stage to perform on. Our stage was still being worked on seconds before the first performance. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING. The cast has a vested interest in the structure of the facade and should accordingly help out. If they are warned in February, it will come as no surprise. 4. One tip for dealing with a cocky cast member. Let him or her know that no one is irreplaceable. Not even the lead --- if someone is not pulling their weight or is behaving like a pompous *** then drop them. The analogy I like best is as follows: Thinking that you of all people cannot be replaced is a delusion of your own mind. As an example, I ask you to place a pail of water in front of you and place your hand in the water to represent yourself. Remove your hand and look at the space that your hand has recently occupied to see how quickly and easily your position was filled. 5. A facade is a false front. All we had was a building. {i.e. no 3-dimensional work.} It is up to future committees to do what we left out for the sake of our sanity. 6. Props person is a FULL-TIME position for one person. If the cast is large, you will need two people. START EARLY. I mean we're talking February! He or she MUST have a car. The campus bookstore for some unknown reason did not sell pay telephones, old luggage and cookie tins--just a few of the items that I needed to acquire. Veterans Village and other thrift stores are your best bet for cheap, authentic props. 7. Be sure that money is budgeted for gas of the people who will be running all over eternity for materials. DO NOT worry about personal gas and facade gas getting mixed up. Eventually all running around is facade work. 8. T-SHIRTS No I don't know how this became the job of the Assistant Director, but it did. Downtown Imprints had the best prices. $4.75 per shirt with two colors. The service was GREAT. I ordered 3 medium, 27 large, and 10 extra large. I would recommend zero medium and a larger ratio of x-large to large. Say 15 to 22. MORE SHIRTS! Perhaps order some in only one color for the general workers and 2 colors for the cast, steering committee, and harder workers. Don't monkey around with payments. Budget so that the shirts will be free for those who earn them. Keep track of who receives one. 9. More Rollers and Paint Brushes. Again, I shouldn't have had to worry about this, but I did. Be sure that there are enough for everyone who wants to work. (DOZENS) Buy small brushes and paint sponges for detail. Sponges are cheap and they make straight lines when you use them. 10. When painting use liberal amounts of tape to protect areas you do not want painted. For a straight line: 11. Always wash out brushes if they will not be in use in the next hour or so. We wasted a lot of material through carelessness. 12. On the same line of thinking. Cover paint cans. Do you know what happens when you don't? It's not a pretty sight. 13. Line up ticket takers in advance. Call to remind them beforehand. A job NOT for the assistant director...she/he is too busy with the production. 14. One thing which you might consider is having an ensemble outside with 6-8 people singing and dancing songs related to but not in the actual play. No other facade does this and our location is perfect for this type of "extra". This could also push you over the top in winning the Burmeister Cup. 15. Buy a large cooler for the green room with lots of healthy food for both cast and crew during Thurtene week. 16. By the way the green room was great. Keep it as a room for the cast and steering committee. If everybody and their uncle uses it, things get lost and the place gets trashed. No other facade has this type of room and they all end up dressing in the bushes behind the facades. 17. When there are no people on the lot...Nail the doors shut. Competition is severe and this could and does lead to vandalism, theft and nosey people poking around at 3 am. Thurtene guards the lot so if you nail the doors shut, it generally keeps people out. 18. Above all, remember this is fun. When you're 80 and in a rocking chair you can explain to your grandchildren why you built a building only to tear it down two days later. You have to be a special kind of psycho to enjoy this perverted form of self-inflicted torture. And if you're looking for another excuse as to why you should spend so much valuable time on a facade, think of it in this way...If your Washington University degree fails to land you a job in the real world, you can always get a job as a carnie. 19. Finally. Budget for champagne. Remember to drink champagne for defeats as well as victories. It tastes the same and sometimes you need it more.