3 more days...

Sometimes we use the term "train wreck" to describe a person who is a complete mess in life. Well, I think it's safe to say that with the DWW, the train has derailed, plummeted into the ocean and killed a dolphin on the way down.
Only 3 days left with this nonsense, but plenty of wonderful things have happened since I wrote last...and by wonderful, of course I mean extremely disturbing, unnecessary, insulting and ridiculous. Let's review!

1. The DWW has made at least 8 children cry during this particular leg of the workshop. These are children, ages 8-12, who barely speak English, are away from their parents in a big city and were supposed to come here to learn how to sing and dance. Fun right? WRONG! Granted, these children seem kind of unmotivated, spoiled and a little lazy. I mean, their parents had enough money to send them halfway across the globe for three weeks to do a Broadway camp, so they're probably not too strapped for cash. These kids, though adorable, are also pretty whiny. But more than that, they seem like they didn't know they were supposed to come here to learn a show. So of course, rather than adapting to the situation and figuring out how to deal with this specific group of children, the DWW constantly complains that they aren't like kids from previous years. Yeah, that's gonna help. Just keep whining and maybe they'll get better. The DWW also tries such approved educational methods as intimidation, threats, public humiliation and insults. Yes, the DWW made an 8 year old girl stand up by herself to sing a song, and when she wouldn't do it, she was publicly berated for a good ten minutes at a high volume of voice, then sent into the hall. The girl is 8! And she doesn't speak English! So yelling at her does absolutely nothing but scare the crap out of her.
The best part is that afterwards, the DWW attempted to justify her actions to everyone (which she does pretty much every time she does something crazy). Somehow, I do not believe that the little girl "deserved it" because she didn't do her homework. No one deserves to be viciously yelled at in front of their peers. The DWW also yells at them every time they won't "act" full out. Well, news flash, that's what they're here to learn. How to act! And the DWW gets mad that they don't have any instincts and won't show feeling. So do an acting exercise with them! Take some time and really work on the fundamentals! Obviously yelling at them hasn't worked for three weeks, what makes you think it will work now? UGH!!!!!!! There is absolutely no excuse for the way this woman speaks to human beings.

2. The head of the school where these students are from was crying in the hallway because of how horrible the DWW was being to her students, but when she tried to tell that to the DWW, the DWW spun it around and basically told her "No, you're crying because these students aren't as good as past students." Really? The DWW loves to tell people what they think, as if she knows better than me what I think, or better than you what you think. Well, I know what I think. And I think the day I delete your contact info from my phone is the day I dance a jig down 42nd street.

3. Phone etiquette: The DWW's new favorite thing is to come out into the hallway while I'm on the phone with someone she has just told me to call not 2 minutes before and start yelling "Who are you talking to? Hang up. Bye! Bye! Bye! Hang up now! Bye!" This has happened twice now while I'm on the phone with coworkers trying to figure out a problem that she has asked me to fix. She's like a needy five year old that wants attention and a snack. If it happens again, she might be snacking on my hand slapping her across the mouth. So. RUDE.

4. The DWW is the most entitled person I have ever met. She behaves as is being the boss means she can say, act and get whatever she wants regardless of how it affects other people. The other day our intern was reviewing a dance with some students and our stage manager was messing with bags of costumes. I was returning from the restroom and the DWW snaps at me that we need to move a table of accessories into the room from the hall. It's definitely a two person job, and seeing as we were the only two people in the hallway, I figured we would just pick it up and move it the 2 feet around the corner and through the door. But as soon as I grab one side of the table, the DWW WALKS AWAY! I stand there for a second confused, then I peek my head through the door, she's standing against the wall drinking coffee. She looks at me and says, "Rachel, that table needs to be moved now!" Right, I thought that's what we were doing until you decided to take a coffee break. So basically she refused to help me move the table even though she wasn't doing anything and all of the other assistants were doing other tasks. So I had to go get the intern and take her away from reviewing with students so we could move the table. This also happened with a piano bench a few weeks ago, except that time she just stood in front of it, pointed at it and said, "Rachel!" I'm sorry, are you some sort of princess that can't be bothered to move a 2 pound piano bench because you might break a nail?

This position has been the worst experience of my life, which is unfortunate because I did like working with the students, the guest artists and my coworkers. Everyone involved with the project was lovely, except the person "in charge" of the project. And that person felt the need to micro-manage everything and everyone so much that she made what could have been the best summer gig ever into the summer from hell. Luckily I will take with me several lessons on how NOT to treat people, how NOT to run a company, how NOT to be a teacher and how NOT to deal with stressful situations. I'm wondering when's the last time this woman took a professional development course for herself, because her education "methods", if you can call them that, are appalling.

I think the best way to see someone's true character is to see how they treat the lowest man on the totem pole, or the person with the least status in the company. I think this blog has successfully revealed this woman's true character, and trust me, you don't want none of that.
3 more days until FREEDOM!