Yesterday's rehearsal began our week of tech before Midsummer opens on Thursday night. Today the crew met at 11 and worked out the load in and out of the set. And boy was it a long process. For each show we have to set up the multi-leveled platform set, unload a variety of set dressing, all the props, 3 tents that have to be set up and placed properly for the boys and girls dressing room as well as front of house. Then the various other odds and ends have to be unloaded and sorted to the right spot. All of this also has to happen in 100 degree weather, while wearing long pants for protection. Whew! We managed to get everything set up in about an hour and a half, which is pretty good. Then after tonight's rehearsal we have to take it all back down and load it into the UHaul, only to come back in less than 15 hours to do it all again. Definitly a lot of learning going on. There's so many things that I wouldn't have thought about being important or causing a problem when trying to move a show outdoors to various locations.
Another project I'm working on is creating the program for the show. There is someone on the board that usually does the program who suddenly stopped responding to all forms of communication. So less than a week before the show opens I got a new project dumped in my lap. Luckily I could use the format from the last show and just do some editing, drop in new cast bios, new cast and crew lists. Then there was creating all of the break a leg notes and sponsership ads and getting everything to look pretty. As of now it's almost complete. I'm waiting on my boss to proof it, add some things he wanted to get in and then it will go to the printer soon.
The last big and exciting thing involved with this show is the music. Because it's set in the 1980's the music is a huge part. We have 2 boomboxes that some of the actors bring on and off stage playing the music off of cassette tapes. The stage manager did all the sound design, but I'm going to be the one back stage helping run the boomboxes from back there and making sure the right ones go on and off at the right times. We spend a good amount of time with Jason today tracking which boomboxes (one decorated in bright pink spike tape, the other in neon green spike tape) are used when and who takes them on and off.
This experience has been a whirlwind and all happened extremely fast, but I've already felt like I've learned a lot. Getting to meet Jason and work with a different director has been quite the experience, and I hope he's someone I can keep in contact with after he returns to New York on Friday after opening night. Well, back to work editing the program before dress rehearsal tonight.
No comments:
Post a Comment