Important rule for actors: Check your props before the show…

Yes, it should always be in the same place. Yes, someone else knows the track of your prop (though that also means that person knows the track of ALL actors’ props but whatever).

HOWEVER!! Shit happens. Things happen that may mean something interfered with the usual pre-show checklist. Crew members are at the theater working hard to make sure everything is ready for the performance.

Things happen.

Set pieces need repair, props need repair, props are being created from scratch, set pieces are being created from scratch, the stage needs additional care, and so on.

New things are thrown at us (the crew) on the daily if not hourly.

Yes, an actor has a lot on their plate for a show. However, part of that should be checking your props before  the audience ever enters the building. NOT one minute before you go on.

This issue I speak of was a unique situation where a prop was being repaired by a professional and we had a backup to use in its place. Apparently they returned the prop to the actress and not to me (the one in charge of props).

The actress didn’t tell anybody the prop was returned and though I asked everyone who saw the person hired to repair the prop, none of them saw the prop.

So I put the backup in place (the setup takes a good amount of time) but literally one minute before she goes on, she realizes she never brought the prop from her dressing room.

Now, I need to be clear about something: Props should rarely be in dressing rooms. There are a few exceptions, but those are case by case exceptions.

The actress ran to her dressing room (in the theater, a good distance away) and when she made it back….it was literally the line she was supposed to enter on. I told her there was no time to change out the prop. She argued with me. But I wasn’t about to hold the show for this.

Anybut, she went on with the backup and was upset. Sorry, not sorry. I did let her use the repaired prop later in the show (even though it messed up the continuity, but whatever it was a dress rehearsal runthrough).

But on the plus side: She’ll never do that again.

Short day, but a LOT got done…

Today was a short tech rehearsal (only 6:30p-11:30p instead of 11:30a-11:30p), but things that were giving us trouble yesterday were solved. Hooray.

However, I have discovered an unusual phenomenon that is costing me props. Apparently, down stage left of the proscenium of the stage….there is a black/worm hole that is swallowing props.

First, an onion was thrown into a box seat and was never seen again. Then a recorder was thrown (though I was sitting right upstate of the proscenium and heard it land on the floor) and disappeared!

I mean I checked everywhere, even the orchestra pit. And OF COURSE they’re two props that we don’t have backups or spares for..

Anybut, my hope is that I’ll go in tomorrow for our second 10 out of 12 (11:30a-11:30p) and both props will magically be back on my table….because house crew or custodial found them.

We shall SEE!!

Well, isn’t that JUST the way…

Today was our first 10 out of 12!! Such an early morning and lots to do.

There was rumblings among crew, designers, and actors that we wouldn’t make it to Act II. BUT we did and got through the first 2 musical numbers so HELL YEAH!

I mean that may have been a bit overdramatic, but sometimes we don’t even get through half a show the first 10 out of 12. I’m always suuuuuper excited when we get through the first act.

Although that wasn’t the only excitement today. It’s never a good sign with the Assistant Stage Manager actively finds you to tell you something instead of asking over the headset. But that’s what happened to me.

I was waiting to assist actors with a large prop and we were paused for spacing, lights, and rail (the people who fly flats and drops up and down on stage). The ASM crossed the stage to tell me that security said a tree branch fell onto a blue VW bug…..MY car. I’m the only one in the cast and crew who drives one so immediately everyone who heard this knew it was my car.

Unlike most people I didn’t freak out. I simply said, “of course it was my car.” The ASM suggested I check my car and move it. He covered for me while I ran to where my purse was, grabbed my car keys, and ran outside (also while I doing this, over the headset was a lot of chatter about the incident). A lot of the House Crew followed me out and (thankfully) one even made sure I took pictures in case I needed to call my insurance company.

LUCKILY, and by some miracle of karma…there was no damage. I and about five house crew members circled my car and found no damage. The branch wasn’t that big, but a huge branch was ready to fall from the tree. I moved my car to a spot under NO trees and went back to work.

The Stage Manager was still talking about the incident especially after our Crew Chief (who also followed me outside) suggested any cars near the tree should move. She decided it was a good time for a break and everyone ran out to make sure their car wasn’t one of the other three still parked under the tree.

And that was it. The first 10 out of 12….what, you thought I’d go into more detail? Now, now, you know I can’t….plus, soooooooo much happens during tech week it would take book lengths of posts to share all of them.

Anybut, tomorrow is only a half day of rehearsal, BUT we also have our first rehearsal with the orchestra which is honestly my favorite part!

Zero days until Tech Week…

Okay to be fair, today was more of an ease into tech week. We were in the theater for the first time and got to space some of the opening scenes and songs.

Tomorrow though…10 out of 12. 11:30 to 11:30. Full day of tech rehearsal.

Here we go.

One day until Tech Week…

Last day in the rehearsal hall. Last run through without the full set and costumes and lights and sound and everything else!

Tomorrow we’ll be in the theater for a short rehearsal before it all begins.

I’m very excited.

Two days until Tech Week…

W’re reaching the point in rehearsal where I’m ready for the theater. I’m tired of the rehearsal hall. I’m tired of not seeing more of the show.

I enjoy watching the show get better in regards to the actors, but until they get on the stage, get in microphones, get in costume, etc….there’s a wall that can’t be overcome.

I’m ready to break down that wall and let this show evolve to the next level. It’s time to add the details, add the extra spices that will make this show even better.

Two days….

Three Days until Tech Week…

Today was the Designer Run. All the Designers were there to see all the work we’ve been doing the past 15 Days.

First half of the day was cleaning some last minute things, then an hour dinner break (which was actually a half hour lunch for me since I had to set for top of show).

Then we ran the show for the Designers with no stops. It went very well. Everything made it onstage when it needed to and there were few fumbles. It wasn’t perfect, but it got laughs, some tears, and cheers.

HOWEVER!! During one of the most emotional parts of the show…..I accidentally leaned against a light switch and half the lights shutoff, but I quickly fixed it. But I was the only one on that side of the rehearsal hall. All the actors were either onstage or on the other side of the rehearsal hall about to enter the scene…Needless to say, it was very obvious I did it….

Anybut, rehearsal Saturday is going to be first half notes from the Designer Run and second half cleaning/another run-through. The need to do run-throughs as much as possible before tech week is important. For one, the actors build the stamina for the show before needing to build stamina with costume changes and other factors. For another, our Director is actually not going to be attending tech week. We have the Assistant and Associate Directors who will be filling in, but our Director wants to do as much as he can before he leaves.

Sunday is going to be….no, I’ll leave that to be a surprise.

But FIRST, I get a day off! Hooray!

Four Days until Tech Week…

We did a run through today. It went well….especially for not actually practicing a few transitions between scenes. Though it’s still hard to gauge the timing of things without the full crew and shift move pieces.

Tomorrow though…is the Designer Run Through (yeah, I capitalized that shizz). This is where we do a full run through for, you guessed it, the designers. They get a chance to see the show and ask questions before we get into tech week.

I love/hate Designer Run Throughs. On the one hand, we tend to get out early. On the other, I’m running around like mad trying to make sure the run through goes as smoothly as possible…it always does, but I get stressed about it anyways.

Anybut, fingers cross it goes well!!

Five Days until tech week…

Excitement today.

Recording happened for a tap dance to add a little more sound where needed.

Finished props were brought in.

Apparently an actor was offered a dog by a homeless person at Chipotle….I don’t know the full story only what I could glean from passing conversation.

Personally, I fixed props that needed some updating to help out the prop designers.

…I also had a little bit of struggle today. It’s hard sometimes to be in rehearsals when it’s a struggle day. Sometimes it’s hard to watch people singing, dancing, and performing while I do legitimate work for the show, but nothing physically demanding. It makes the Imposter Syndrome grow stronger…kind of like the Dark side…except not as fun.

But I power through the struggle. I power through the thoughts trying to bring me down.

It doesn’t hurt that there are a few actors who go out of their way to make everyone laugh. And a few who always ask me how I’m doing. Sometimes that’s all I need. Just an acknowledgement that someone is happy I’m there.

Anybut, enough of that. Going to be doing something special tomorrow! Well, the actors…not me. But I get to write about it.

Six Days until tech week…

We’re going to begin doing stumble throughs and run throughs today. Time to put this behemoth together and see how much actual time there is between scenes. See who has to do what…at least in the rehearsal hall.

We’ll also see if there will indeed be enough crew backstage…we can kind of tell in rehearsal, but until we actually have all the moving pieces it’s still a guessing game.

Anybut, that’s all I got for today.