One of the downfalls of directing

[windelina]

Dealing with the bureaucracy of paying for things, like...say...costumes.

I can't just go purchase and get reimbursed. They don't do it that way.
Last time, I could borrow the school's VISA and use it. But no more.
I can't purchase with cash, unless it's less than $35 to get reimbursed.

No, what they want me to do is submit a voucher and get the check cut in advance.

Okay - now how the FUCK is this supposed to work for buying fabric? Hell, for buying anything!?!?!!
I go out and find it, figure out how much it is, ask them to hold it, and go buy it later.
Except that "later" in this instance is going to be a week later, pretty much, because I go directly from work to rehearsal and rehearsal isn't done till 9pm.
And try and adapt this to buying FABRIC.

I have no frikkin' idea how much I'm going to spend (except that I will stay within budget). I don't know if I will find what I want at one store or at several. I don't know how much yardage I will need, I don't know the prices.

This is goddammitall fucking impossible. Maybe if I were a teacher I could do it because I would be done teaching by 3pm, could go shop, come back before 5pm and get the check I needed and be done with it. But see how I can't do that???

Edit:
Things just got clarified. I ask for a check cut to a specific store for ... $500. I got to store. If I purchase over, I pay out of pocked (try to keep below $35) and get reimbursed. If I purchase under, I get cash back and return it to school.
So - easier than I was thinking, but still a bit silly.

So, I can at least get this done this weekend now.

Comments

[lexinatrix.livejournal.com]

Can you have the fabric store ring the fabric up in 35-dollar increments? And submit the reimbursements one at a time. ;)

[eqe.livejournal.com]

That's insane. What's the dollar figure involved here?

[windelina.livejournal.com]

Well, my total budget is $1000 and I can blow several hundred at one stop at a fabric store...

[eqe.livejournal.com]

Wow, you make much nicer costumes than the ones *my* high school plays were done in.

The clarification makes (more) sense. Though the getting cash back thing is still annoying.

[windelina.livejournal.com]

The budget for the show is $4000. $1000 for costumes, $1000 for set, and $2000 for everything else (tickets, paying the royalties, renting the scripts, posters, publicity, etc.).

I'm actually wondering if I can do these costumes for that much...mainly cuz I've got such a huge bloody cast.

costumes

[obafugakum.livejournal.com]

hey, we have a dark brown velvet guy's outfit that we are willing to donate. i don't know how much it is what you are looking for, and it needs a little repair work, but it's yours if you'd like it. we're coming up at not this weekend but next for the Betsy thingeriedobob, and we could bring it with us then....

Re: costumes

[windelina.livejournal.com]

Well, heck - a costume's a costume and I (personally) believe in donating clothes and such to theatre companies.

So, yeah - I'd love it!

When you get in to town, give a call and we'll arrange a rendezvous. (six one two - two two seven - two two six zero)

Re: costumes

[obafugakum.livejournal.com]

Sounds good, i now have your # in our phone. this outfit is one that Nathan got from a theater sale long long ago, and it's nice enough that we haven't been able to bring ourselves to ditch it, even though we haven't done anything with it. so it is very nice to have it be going back into theater usage.

[lio.livejournal.com]

Which show are you doing, again? I thought I remember you saying Guys and Dolls but I can't remember...

Call me about that tech position! 612.964.6115 I are teh geekiest dood 4 da job!

[windelina.livejournal.com]

We are currently doing Kiss Me, Kate.

The spring show at the high school is "The Crucible".

It's a good space with alot of potential (especially if they finished the orchestra pit). It's got a full working fly! The technical aspects really need alot of work there through neglect and nobody to advocate for what needs to be done. (The theatre teacher for the previous 3+ years was/is a nutbar and it sounds like she had absolutely NO clue about the technical stuff.)