Theatre disaster! Can someone help me save our play?

Question:I am the male lead in a play next month, and I do not know all of my lines, though I am making good headway - I am not the only one. The female lead is about where I am, and many of the minor parts don't know their lines or blocking.
Worse yet, spring break starts tomorrow, so we have no rehearsing for 2 weeks. Good time to learn lines, but it leaves us with not much to smooth things out.
Another problem is attendance. This is a college class, so none of the parts are double cast or understudied - if someone flakes out, we have to assign their part to someone who already has one of their own. People skip class all the time, too, so the class time we have never runs well - we skip around, cut scenes short, or have people read scripts for other parts because someone isn't there.
Lastly, our director is a very poor teacher. We went into the class expecting to be able to take the reins on set design, cutting the script, etc, but instead he gave us his vision for it. (CONTINUED IN EDIT)

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I am the male lead in a play next month, and I do not know all of my lines, though I am making good headway - I am not the only one. The female lead is about where I am, and many of the minor parts don't know their lines or blocking.
Worse yet, spring break starts tomorrow, so we have no rehearsing for 2 weeks. Good time to learn lines, but it leaves us with not much to smooth things out.
Another problem is attendance. This is a college class, so none of the parts are double cast or understudied - if someone flakes out, we have to assign their part to someone who already has one of their own. People skip class all the time, too, so the class time we have never runs well - we skip around, cut scenes short, or have people read scripts for other parts because someone isn't there.
Lastly, our director is a very poor teacher. We went into the class expecting to be able to take the reins on set design, cutting the script, etc, but instead he gave us his vision for it. (CONTINUED IN EDIT)

This is certainly a complex situation! First and foremost though - like it or not the Director is the Director and calls the shots. That's just the way it is. As for the other aspects of the situation, I suggest you do the best you can within your own circle of influence. Specifically: paying attention to your own lines, your own blocking and character development. You alone cannot possibly handle the load you are describing. If the play tanks due to all the probs' at least YOU will be able to hold your head high and know that you gave your role everything you could give it. The rest will just have to take care of itself. The saying, "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link." applies to theatre as much as anywhere else.

Hard to overlook all these things, I know. I've been there myself!

I know the feeling. Meet with others during spring break. See if you can go to the college for rehearsal time. I hate people like that, that take Drama because they think it's easy credits. Realistically you probably have about 80 min a day to practise which is not very much especially if it's a full length play. I've had to deal with shoddy directors too and granted as a director I tend to try to get things my way a lot but I try to get the actors to expand ideas. Like if I say I want this scene to be dream like they can expand off of that and maybe have no faces or strange props etc.
What you guys need to do is all pull together or else you won't get it done. Are there a core group who are dedicated? Have everyone meet over the break and work on your weakest scenes and run through the whole play several times. Even see if you can get people to memorize some lines to sub in if someone doesn't show for the final production.
Going into teaching use his example and keep reminding yourself that he went about it the wrong way. As for a lead I was lead, co-director, stage manager, and costume designer for my 2nd production, but they were only 1 act plays and in High school drama class with a teacher who would rather let curtis and I take over (which we did)

My acting instructor always tell us that we can't start acting (not that we are not allowed, but more like being an actor) until we know all our lines. Every play they produced, actors are given only 1-2 weeks to know their lines off book. Since we had this instructor, our acting program improve 5 folds. Your teacher is probably stressed out and actors not prepared stresses him out more. Too many suggestion only make things worst. He might be a poor instructor or director, but still it is his word that should be followed. Remember the adage: To many cooks, spoil the broth. As an actor, we are in training to be able to follow the director's vision no matter how bad it is. It is about the process. I am not siding with anyone, only to the production and commitment to your public. 2 weeks will give everyone plenty of time to pull it together, if everyone is willing. Find what are your priorities. If the theatre production is your priority, get everyone to work that 2 weeks. For some or most college students, Spring Break is important. Pick one and live with the decision.
If you kids feel you can save your play, work on it the best you can. If you kids are ready 100 % to work, then the blame is someone else on its own.
Remember you can't act till you know all your lines off book. For how can you, if you don't really know who and where the character is coming from within you.