It's ironic that actors spend weeks practicing for a show - and then when they get on the stage, most of the effort is in fixing technical problems with the lighting, sound and set pieces.
Today was the second day of Tech Week for the cast of the First Stage Theatre production of Disney's High School Musical, and it was a tough one for cast and crew alike.
It started at 11:00 a.m. as the cast ran through a rehearsal. Like most Tech Rehearsals, it involved a lot of stopping and adjusting lights, mics and the placement of set pieces. It makes for a slow and difficult rehearsal, but to their credit, the cast and crew kept their cool and worked through the problems. We finally wrapped up around 4:00 p.m., so everyone took a dinner break and then returned to the theater at 6:30 p.m. for another go-around.
It's unusual to do two rehearsals in one day, but we are crunched for time, with only three days to get ready before our first performance. Luckily, we had the advantage of today being a holiday for most of our cast (Veteran's Day, natch).
So how did it go? Frankly, it was awesome! Oh, there were a few minor tech glitches - set pieces that weren't quite set right, actors arriving on stage without the right props, that sort of thing - but for the most part, it was an excellent run-through. One good reason for that is the talent of our cast - it's an honor to work with a cast made up of some of the most talented performers in the Tri-State.
Tomorrow's the dress rehearsal (which is virtually identical to the actual show), and then Wednesday we do our first show in front of an audience. Keep those fingers crossed!
2 comments:
Lest we forget...
I know you are very busy opening your own show this week, but I wanted to make sure that we don't forget our friends over at Marshall who are staging The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.
I went to see the show in previews tonight and it was wonderful. The director David Cook describes this show the best in the program: "a farcical romp which pays homage to the many cliches of the murder-mysteries of the period." And that it is. It is difficult to go long in this show without a laugh-out-loud moment.
Both new and familiar faces graced the stage and did it so well. I want to send out special kudos to our own Chuck Herndon who did a brilliant job in his debut on the Marshall stage. Anyone who has seen any theater in the Tri-state has probably had the privilege of seeing "Chuckie" in a show. He was hilarious and held his own among the talented Marshall veterans. In fact, the entire ensemble did a tremendous job.
This show, once again, had terrific sets, costumes, and lighting design. I love sitting in a playhouse and forgetting I'm watching a show. The tech design was second to none.
In this busy theatre week, I wanted to take a second and give an enthusiastic nod to the cast and crew of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. Well Done!
PS. I hear things are really coming together over at HSM. Can't wait to see it later this week. Break a leg!
Thanks for the reminder, Stephen! I have been swamped and neglected my duty to give the Marshall show more coverage - but I've been lucky to post at all this week for obvious reasons. Appreciate the review of "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940," and I certainly urge everyone to check it out. MU's Theatre Department puts together incredible shows - I'm sure this one is no different!
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