Safety Woes

Alright, warning, bitchfest to ensue....
Why does it seem that everytime I get a safety that can perform on a Ren Faire stage and is good at being a safety they end up being jerks on the personal side.
But, on the flip side, if I get my friends to safety for me they either are crappy performers or are not interested in acting. Unfortunately for the performing I do at Ren I have to have a safety that can do interactive improv acting, sing and safety.
My other bitch is that they try to coat tail ride, and nothing irritates me more. For example, my "new" safety, who happens to be someone I had performed with in a non-fire capacity for a few years now, and I went out Friday night. She started talking to some guy and was telling him that she is a fire eater...right in front of me. He didn't believe her at all (he thought she was drunk) and I couldn't beieve it. Then when I was doing my spinning in the rain she was supposed to safety for me and just didn't feel like it, though she was already at the party it seems that her hitting on a friend of mine who is not interested in her was more important. I spun, Whipping Boy told her it looked cool and her comment was that she didn't miss much. I also have a big audition thing this coming weekend, which Whipping Boy and Prometheus...my two most heralded compatriots in the fire stuff...are going with me. She tried to talk Prom into skipping this audition to spend the weekend with her! Now I am pissed. It sucks too because as I said, I have known her for a few years and counted her as a friend, so this really hurts.
So my choices seem to be either train a friend to act and risk the show being a little uneven, or keep getting back stabbed by a performer who can hold their own?
I suppose I could try to regress this into business only and act like a boss but that doesn't really make a good raport when trying to work as a team onstage.
I am so frustrated!
Comments? Suggestions? Commentary?

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Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

http://www.pyromorph.com

Tough call, Pele.

I think it's basically another case of people being people...these issues come up in all walks of life, friendships, performance arts, music bands, family.

On the flip side, any performer worth their salt will usually be a tenny weeney little bit of a glory hog, even if it's only in front of the crowd.

What might be better (just a suggestion, may not work depnding on the person) is to find someone who does a lot of backup singing or chorus work/supporting roles in theatre. As long as they are well adjusted, (not seething with pent up jealousy) they may well enjoy not being centre stage and eb the better choice as a safety or back-up.

Some actors are very good at playing second fiddle, especially if the role is defined early on as being second fiddle...

Just a few thoughts, it still runs just with luck and finding the right people, hopefully this may have helped to narrow it down...

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Charles (INFERNO)

newdolbel@hotmail.com
http://juggling.co.nz