thick & fast they came

Avatar for suziq_3
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
thick & fast they came
7
Sun, 04-02-2006 - 7:27am
at last & more & more & more........
one stress on top of another.
as my company is arriving for a dinner party at which my h got inexcuably drunk(& then got the great idea to take all the kids to the park.i was mortified)a phone call came.
it was the mother of my head counselor for the summer camp i direct.this camp is a source of anxiety for me altho everyone else insists it's good for me.
anyway,my counselor can't do it.
leaving my entire counselor count at.........zero.
what nobody else knows is that i am not even qualified for the job...i cannot for the life of me direct or stage a play,much less a musical number.my family says..you can do it.
uh...no i can't.this is what my counselors took care of last summer...bless their hearts.
so i really do not want the added stress...the anxiety & i can just imagine how the boss man will react.
but it's because HE is SO CHEAP that i cannot get help.last year i took money out of my own paycheck & i STILL can't get help.
i emailed 1 person telling her she can have the camp.if she doesn't come through i am screwed.now my name is mud at the theater(previous post)AND close to home.
Avatar for missyflanders
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 04-02-2006 - 11:22am

Sorry your day did not go as planned and that you are still having problems getting counselors. Wish there was something more I could do for you. It is just too far of a commute for me to volunteer to be a counselor, LOL. Can you explain to your boss that you need to be able to offer more money to get counselors? Even better can you just quit and save yourself the aggravation? It seems to be causing you a lot of stress? Do you get any enjoyment out of it? If you do great, keep at it. If not, maybe you should reevaluate your commitment and reasons why. It seems like you have enough to keep you busy at home without dealing with this. JMHO.

Missy

 
 
Avatar for suziq_3
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sun, 04-02-2006 - 6:44pm
i did quit & my boss was more understanding than i thought ...
but my h...well i didn't expect his reaction.he's worried about me sitting around all summer & thinking too much.
nothing is fun anymore.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-28-2006
Mon, 04-03-2006 - 3:01pm

SuziQ,

HEre are some resource to find theatrical camp talent.

try craigslist in your area http://www.craigslist.org/
you can post volunteer and stipend pay work.

there is also Backstage. com http://www.backstage.com/bso/index.jsp

If those don't work. contact colleges in the area of your Camp facility, a lot of time 2 or 3rd year theatrical student will be willing to take on a summer job for the experience.

If you don't mind m y asking where is your camp located. I have many established theatre contact i would be willing to post your job needs to my contacts. I am also avail in the summer and traveling is necessarily out of the question for me. IF you need to talk i am more than happy to help with getting it together.

keep your chin up,
Chrisitne

Avatar for suziq_3
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-03-2006 - 4:59pm
i'm in brooklyn ny...the BIG problem w/ getting summer help is that even tho as director i was paid 25$ per camper,my boss who is responsible for paychecks does not pay very well.last year he paid this girl he ended up firing 200 per week but this summer he only offered my head counselor 120 per week.another counselor he gave 75 per weeklast year i gave up 200$ per week out of my own paycheck to keep things fair.AND to get a musician which he refused to pay.SHE refused to return because of him.
no one who is valuable is willing to take that little & i wouldn't expect them to.
see?its a headache just keeping everyone happy.
besides the fact he wants me to do stuff in addition such as take the kids on the subway all the way to the beach.
i haven't taken the subway in 10 years AND i would have a nervous breakdown taking my own kids to the beach much less 12 or so strangers' kids.
he also wants me to get involved in winter vacation camps & i can't keep doing that to MY kids & sacrificing their vacations.
the woman before me didn't want the headache after the first year & now i don't think i do either.too many other people(my kids)depending on me.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-28-2006
Mon, 04-03-2006 - 5:37pm

SuziQ,

I just moved from Brooklyn to Staten Island. I think i know your boss. sounds like someone i work for before.

There are people that will work for little or no money in the summer. It is harder in NY than other places but I have seen it happen. It is a day camp, right? not sleep away? Refer him to Wingspan Arts here i NYC, They Staff and fund After school and summer day camp programs in the City. They have access to existing teacher& program facilitator rosters. Folks that work regularly with similar programs.

I read the rest of the response to your post after i posted my comments i think i read that you quit, right? well in that case i will stop offering help re: staffing, if you are still there I can help you by either assisting or finding someone for you i know for college age performers that are always looking extra work and i also know a actress without children that baby-sits for extra money-- a day camp be right up her alley. She lives uptown so it's not like it would be a huge thing for her to travel to Brooklyn.

If you ever want or need help holler I am just a ferry and subway ride away. I think you can Email me though my profile. If not post to me here and i'll post my email.

Keep on keeping on. PLease don't hesitate to contact me if you need something.

Christine

Avatar for suziq_3
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 04-03-2006 - 6:23pm
i hardly expected you to say you just moved from bklyn.
how funny is that?
thanks for all the info.you are a wealth of knowledge
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-28-2006
Mon, 04-03-2006 - 6:31pm

I thought the same thing when I read that you were in Brooklyn. I never meet people online that are in or around NYC. I moved from Carroll Gardens to St. george, SI. I miss brooklyn but love love love SI.

Christine