The rehearsal process is short, maybe a month max for straight plays. Once you get past the grind of blocking and memorization, the director doesn't have much time to shape and mold things to make the show fit their vision. Which means that actors have to swallow their insecurities (of which actors notoriously have many) and incorporate everything they're given. Fast. It's an exercise in feedback loops at break-neck speeds. And believe me, directors don't like giving the same note twice.
What I'm getting to here is that feedback has become a social event in theatre. I don't mean that there is pizza and noise makers, just that it's done as a group. Every night after a run through, the entire cast will sit down for however long it takes and go through the director's notes -- of which there will be many pages. Given the timeline, there is no time for debate. If you start a discussion with the director, you are wasting their time, as well as the time of all your cast members (who are on the clock). It doesn't matter if your feelings are hurt, or if you have some lame excuse -- at that moment, you're always wrong and the direct is always right. And the only thing going through everyone else's head is, "Take the note." There isn't a single actor in the world who wants to work with someone that can't take criticism.
The real rub is that all of these opinions are completely subjective, yet deeply personal. Because that's art. Ultimately, you just have to know your shit and be willing to think on your feet. In you're spare time, study what you're given and think about actual ways you can incorporate it. The big realization is that it's collaborative art. Everyone is working together and NEEDS to be willing to work towards the same goal. If you don't, you're the bad apple. Directors will simply stop casting you.
I don't know that any of this can be incorporated into the tech world. Maybe this is how we should do code reviews or design meetings. Or run startups. Heck if I know. But it's not something I've personally encountered in any other social groups so far.
If an actor disagrees with the director's note, the rule is to try it once and see how it goes. Once you've done that, you can toss out additional ideas or expand on it, but you have to at least do it once.
If the actor simply wants to give the director or other actors general notes that they aren't immediately involved in, the answer is "no way." The director was hired to shape the overall vision of the show. However, that's not to say that they are infallible. Good directors will generally ask people they trust to come in and watch the show and give feedback. The Artistic Director (the director's boss) will also usually give feedback.
And ultimately, directors get reputations. Actors can choose who they want to work with and theatre communities are small. Just a few months back I watched a director get fired and completely ostracized because she was downright mean when it came to giving feedback. She would use insults and fear to control actors. I doubt she will ever work in this area again.
The rehearsal process is short, maybe a month max for straight plays. Once you get past the grind of blocking and memorization, the director doesn't have much time to shape and mold things to make the show fit their vision. Which means that actors have to swallow their insecurities (of which actors notoriously have many) and incorporate everything they're given. Fast. It's an exercise in feedback loops at break-neck speeds. And believe me, directors don't like giving the same note twice.
What I'm getting to here is that feedback has become a social event in theatre. I don't mean that there is pizza and noise makers, just that it's done as a group. Every night after a run through, the entire cast will sit down for however long it takes and go through the director's notes -- of which there will be many pages. Given the timeline, there is no time for debate. If you start a discussion with the director, you are wasting their time, as well as the time of all your cast members (who are on the clock). It doesn't matter if your feelings are hurt, or if you have some lame excuse -- at that moment, you're always wrong and the direct is always right. And the only thing going through everyone else's head is, "Take the note." There isn't a single actor in the world who wants to work with someone that can't take criticism.
The real rub is that all of these opinions are completely subjective, yet deeply personal. Because that's art. Ultimately, you just have to know your shit and be willing to think on your feet. In you're spare time, study what you're given and think about actual ways you can incorporate it. The big realization is that it's collaborative art. Everyone is working together and NEEDS to be willing to work towards the same goal. If you don't, you're the bad apple. Directors will simply stop casting you.
I don't know that any of this can be incorporated into the tech world. Maybe this is how we should do code reviews or design meetings. Or run startups. Heck if I know. But it's not something I've personally encountered in any other social groups so far.