10 Team building practices to bolster cast unity
(Photo: Loyola Theater Arts and Dance Department)
by Laura Bengs, Guest Editorial
Theater programs can very often fall victim to division: the lead actors, the minor roles, the tech crew, etc. Missed connections and a lack of collaborative opportunities can create a gap in performance unity, one felt deeply by participants and in some cases, one that can even be evident to an audience.
Especially in educational settings, what a student takes away from the experience is heavily based on who they interact with and the nature of those interactions. So as the director, you can play a critical role in uniting artists and ensuring they have a positive theater experience.
Team bonding efforts need to be authentic and genuine, which can be challenging to orchestrate, especially during limited valuable rehearsal time. But, the return on this investment can be critical to the outcome of your production, so it’s worth dedicating time toward nurturing the creative team dynamic.
In the ten years I’ve spent directing musical theater productions at the high school level, I’ve found success with combinations of these team-building methods:
1. Welcome check-ins
Everyone carries around burdens from the day. Younger actors are asked to transition from task to task so quickly, then launching right into a rehearsal schedule doesn’t give them time to process the day. (This is true for adults too!) Help each other offload those burdens and clear your minds to engage in meaningful work by checking in to start. Here are a few specific check-ins that have gone over well:
Structured greetings. Give everyone a greeting to give one another. One of my favorites is, “I’m glad you’re here today.” (Often these are involuntarily followed with a hug.)
High/low. This can be done by going around and having each student share or just asking for volunteers. Actors can share a high from the day and/or a low from the day (or from the last time you met). I especially like this one because there are opportunities for positive sharing as well.
Focused meditation. Lead your group through a welcome meditation in which you ask them to acknowledge thoughts and feelings from the day, then let them pass and clear their minds for meaningful work.
2. Start by talking about the show
It can be tempting to jump right into the specifics of the show and get excited about who is singing what song, which combinations of people get to do which choreography elements, and interesting blocking moments, but dedicating the first few rehearsals or meetings to discussions about plot, theme, character arcs, character dynamics, and historical context can not only spark more meaningful acting choices, but it can also give your actors a common ground to walk on.
Regardless of the role in the show, it is important for us all to be in agreement about the story we are trying to tell. Actors can have the opportunity to ponder where they fit into that story and begin to make meaningful choices about their character, and tech crew members can be strategic in building and artistic choices in creating the set. They will see the value in each storyteller participating in the project.
3. Veteran-newbie mentoring or “cast buddies”
Perhaps the most important asset to your cast/crew are the people new to the group. They will be the future of your program. However, it can be easy to focus on your veterans as you know them the best and they have invested the most in your program. Why not give them the opportunity to invest in each other?
I’ve previously assigned Veteran-newbie partnerships where someone with a lot of experience (either in my organization or in general) is paired with someone new to the group. I’d facilitate the first few interactions, and then encourage them to continue communicating and collaborating. Some beautiful friendships have developed out of these partnerships, and it’s a great way to build the legacy of your program.
4. Tech rehearsal “Secret Santa”
Or with my group, this was called “The Secret Norman Sunshine Squad.” Tech rehearsals include long hours and at times, lots of stress. Some actors are used frequently, growing physically and mentally exhausted, and some actors are sitting for the majority of rehearsals, mostly spectating.
The Secret Norman Sunshine squad functioned similarly to Secret Santa in that names were put into a hat and each person participating had a secret receiver of gifts. Somewhere in the theater, there were baskets, bags, boxes, etc. with each person’s name on them.
Throughout the week (or several weeks, depending on your rehearsal process), each person was encouraged to deposit continual notes of encouragement, treats, pictures, etc. into the bags to keep people’s spirits high. Some students got so into it, they started putting items in everyone’s baskets. It is a beautiful way to show every participant their value on and off of the stage.
5. Take a retreat
Actors in school are extremely overloaded with commitments, even while the production is running. Because of class commitments, rehearsals are typically only a maximum of three hours long. So, about one month before we opened our musical, we would book a retreat about an hour outside of town to get away from it all and really focus on the show and getting to know each other.
We’d spend the bulk of the day rehearsing, but we’d make sure to build in plenty of downtime (structured and unstructured) so that everyone had an opportunity to mingle and bond without all the distractions of daily life. There wasn’t a year that we didn’t come back feeling emotionally refreshed, reinvested in the show, and full of love and appreciation for each other.
6. Facilitate cross-training on each other’s jobs
Nothing creates more appreciation for someone else’s job than when you have to step in their shoes and recognize all they are responsible for. This technique can be particularly effective in bonding the cast and the crew, and it can be done relatively informally. Require a “building day” for your actors where they have to come in and contribute to elements of the set. In the past, we’ve had actors paint, assemble flats, dress the set, fold programs, and complete any number of tech jobs.
While the actors may not recognize their appreciation at that moment, they show a certain appreciation for the efforts of the crew moving forward. I’ve also used the crew members as stand-ins for blocking rehearsals, as substitute readers/actors when there are absences, and as impromptu demonstrators for teachable moments. (And an added bonus, I’ve been able to convert quite a few tech crew members into actors just by giving them a taste of what it’s like!)
7. Rally the leadership
Stage managers, dance captains, section leads, and all your student leadership positions are extremely powerful assets that you can and should empower to work for the betterment of your organization. I’ve held countless “after-hours” meetings where we pose a question to the leadership group, ask them to solve a challenge or plant seeds of excitement. This can be done if effort is lacking, if there are concerns around an individual or small group, or if there are specific tactical hurdles the production is facing. You’ve selected these leaders for a reason, and in my experience, they’ve been extremely eager to rise to the occasion.
8. Get involved with the school
Stay on the lookout for student organization fairs, assemblies, homecoming events, and other events around the school that will allow your group to recognize or promote themselves as an entity. At the public high school I directed and taught at, there were many opportunities for making a “cast video” or occasions to sport a “show T-shirt” that let the cast members show their pride in our project. If they feel like they are a part of something and belong to something, they often take that commitment more seriously and invest more into it.
9. Keep it light
There are certain moments for focus and productivity, but be on the lookout for moments for fun. Every theater professional that I know got into it because it was fun, and although you may be fortunate to grow young theater professionals, the majority of your participants are here to have fun. So, give them what they want. Embrace a funny moment and run with it. Play with them. Sing along. Keep it light.
10. Be you
It’s easy to get caught up in work and moving things forward, but don’t forget to savor the experience and allow yourself to be open to getting to know the people you’re working with. Attitude and unity come from the top down. If you’re someone people believe in and can get behind, you set a collaborative, positive tone that permeates throughout the organization.
Whether you give one of these strategies a shot or employ all ten, have confidence in the fact that just by taking pause to think about ways to improve your group dynamic, you are already an effective leader! Apply the strategies that best fit your organization, and benefit from the positive relationships you and your artists will develop along the way.