We're running on adrenaline now

12 Days until this play opens.

For the past 7 days, the hours at the theatre have been brutal for the production team, crew and everyone in our relatively small 12-person ensemble. Most have full-time day jobs and a week of nights ending between midnight and 3am can take their toll. Despite the rough hours, our spirits are up and we're still having fun putting this thing together.

We’re now through the phase of the rehearsal process traditionally called 'tech' and last night we attempted our first dress rehearsal. It was more than an “attempt”, I guess, because we actually made it through with many bumps, but no catastrophes, and our cast is off-book (i.e., they know their lines). Our technical & dress rehearsal process for this production (The Fair Maid of the West Parts I & II) is a new one for us. There are so many cues in this show (sound, lights, fog & projections) that we’ve drawn the process out over the course of 10 days. It's paid off, too. We've never been in such a good place this many days before opening.

Tonight, we’re “OFF”, which in a small theatre ensemble like ours actually means “NO REHEARSAL, but plenty of WORK”. Instead, there will be a crew of people working at the space (and elsewhere) tonight. None of them will be “OFF”. The designers will be making adjustments and adding missing elements to the set, lights, sound & costumes. There’s marketing and audience development work to be done, the programs need to be finished and proofed, and the actors, who in almost every case are double-tasking in support of one of the aforementioned areas, will need to stop early enough to get home and prepare for tomorrow’s dress rehearsal (which again won’t take place until they’ve spent 8 hours working their day jobs).

If we don’t let up one bit, if we push through the long nights and stress, if we keep finding ways to inspire each other and be creative…well then, there’s plenty of time.