How do I deal with a diva?

Question:I am in an upcoming production of "Little Shop of Horrors." The show runs for two weeks, seven shows in total. Five of those shows will be with the "lead" cast, and two with the "understudy" cast.
Here's the thing.
I am playing Audrey in the understudy cast, and I absolutely HATE the girl that is playing Audrey in the lead cast. She is a total diva, and always complains about everything. Her boyfriend is also in the cast, and they are always making out at rehearsals and being totally unprofessional.
No one in the cast can stand this girl! Even the director hates her and is always angry with her. She is possibly the most annoying girl I have ever met.
She also treats me like dirt, just because I'm her understudy.

How do I get through another week of rehearsals with her walking all over me and pissing the whole cast off?
Help, please?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I am in an upcoming production of "Little Shop of Horrors." The show runs for two weeks, seven shows in total. Five of those shows will be with the "lead" cast, and two with the "understudy" cast.
Here's the thing.
I am playing Audrey in the understudy cast, and I absolutely HATE the girl that is playing Audrey in the lead cast. She is a total diva, and always complains about everything. Her boyfriend is also in the cast, and they are always making out at rehearsals and being totally unprofessional.
No one in the cast can stand this girl! Even the director hates her and is always angry with her. She is possibly the most annoying girl I have ever met.
She also treats me like dirt, just because I'm her understudy.

How do I get through another week of rehearsals with her walking all over me and pissing the whole cast off?
Help, please?

The best thing you can do is show the director and the rest of the cast how professional you can be!
You will be rewarded in the future! People will remeber her bad behavior and they also remember people's graet behavior. Every person you come in contact in the world of theatre should be treated as someone you plan on working with in your future, because you never know when you may see them again- and they may be the director! I'm not suggesting you be fake to them just ot get something, just be nice, genuine nad most importatnly professional. That means not wasting any of your postive energy by ging her negative energy through gossip, telling her off, or causing conflict. Honestly when try to do tell-off someone who has this sort of "DIVA" attitude, they are usually so absorbed in themselves that they don't "get it" anyway. So its just waste of breath, time and energy to yell at them or try to tell them off.
I would spend that energy on being prepared as understudy (ya never know, karma is a *****, and- oops she may loose her voice or something and nt be able to go on) and try to being the best undestudy you can, so when you get your chance onstage you will shine!
Also spend time forging meaningful relationships and bonds with other people in the cast you DO like. Once you start having fun with them you'll foget about "Little Miss Unprofessional" and she won't even matter. Finally you can distance yourself and limit your interactions with her to only when you have business with you. A lot of actor are sometimes intimidated by their understudies because they know the understudy is just one performance away from possibly being better than them. So they feel a need to break down their focus and esteem in performing the role- it's very selfish. Never fear not everyone is like this, I've been in show where the lead has made arrangements for the understudy to go on so that their family can see the play the role and they can get something out of their hard work.

But unfortunately, there is usually ALWAYS someone in cast like this, in my experience not always the lead, sometimes its a bitter girl in teh chorus. They spend too much time creating a negative situation instead of just enjoying the experience of just BEING in a show!

Good luck!

And remember being a diva is a state of mind not a state of "bitchiness"....or the wouldn't call me Good Diva!!

try going to therapy. send her off to somedeserted island to be never heard of or seen again. or have the whole cast play pranks on her or something like really mean ones that would force her to quit. but dont do any damage to the costumes, sets, etc. or if u wanna play nice try having the whole cast be super duper nice to her cuz being nice can go a long way sometimes. or try convincing the director threaten her by telling her if she doesn't clean up her act he'll make her the understudy and you the lead or just plain old fire her.

Think about this- she doesn't matter at all. She's the one whos being a brat. If she starts to get on your nerves think about this- Everyone hates her and you are the one who is acting professional. Just imagine her tripping or doing something embarresing on stage. Also if she is treating you like dirt tell the director and maybe she could be kicked of. And when she talks trash to you just ignore her. and when she complains ignore her also. Just remember you lines and dont let her distract you.

tell her to her face and infront of the cast that she's acting like an amatuer and that some of the cast are beginning to question her acting ability. When she's doing a scene. snigger from time to time, just loud enough for her to hear you.

You can't control her behavior; just work on controlling your own. Your job isn't to make her a better person or a better performer. Your job is simply to give the best performance you possibly can in your two shows. Don't lower yourself to her level. As much as possible, blot her out of your consciousness. Focus on your own singing and your own acting. Doing an excellent job is the best revenge.

The term is often used with a negative connotation. This derives from the implication that a star who is a "diva" is arrogant, difficult to work with, high-maintenance, manipulative, fussy, highly strung, privileged and demanding. He or she does not believe the law and accepted rules of courtesy apply to him or her. Professional actors often use this term to describe someone who desires the stage spotlight over others.

The word originally comes from the Italian, meaning 'goddess'. As everyone is saying, YOU be the professional one. Ignoring bad behavior is the best way to handle it - people like that are insecure and needy, and being ignored is the one thing they can't take. She'll be remembered for all the wrong reasons - you be professional, keep your head up and don't sink to her level.
Remember: good acting is 'child-LIKE', not child-ISH'.

don't deal with her at all. let the director deal with that. YOU go out there and shine like the star that you are! trust me, the director will remember when it comes time to cast for a show again. TRUST!