Why did you join tech? “I really wanted to be on tech because I love the whole environment of theater. I was on the cast for Rent, and I really wanted to see the other side of things. It’s really cool because they’re so different, but the show doesn’t come together without both sides.”
A sneak peek of (and behind) the One Man set
I spent the last week in the haze of my first tech week, which saw crews working tirelessly to put finishing touches on their work to prepare for this week’s rehearsals and shows. The run crew, the group of people who manipulate the set and move props onstage between scenes, was assigned, and I was trained on when and how to spin periaktoi number three. I also lent a hand across a variety of crews, helping props build a faux wine list, ferrying food items between the fridge and backstage, and holding metal plates in place as they were drilled.
In short, my tech week experience was exactly what I was assured it would be—full of late nights, lots of work, and even more laughs. In between jobs, we danced around the stage, and someone was almost always singing. I watched as the lights, costumes, and paintings that had been created in isolation suddenly merged to become what I could see becoming a show. By nine p.m. on Thursday, April 4, just one week before opening night, the twelve of us still in the Performing Arts Center leaned back in chairs, gazed up at the stage, and cheered.
Today, April 8, marks the second of the dress rehearsals that lead up to the show. Beginning tonight, I will be posting hour-by-hour coverage on what the production looks like behind the scenes and “in crunch time.” Be sure to check back in for that story, and congratulate your friends and classmates working on the production for the hours they are putting in.
The above photographs are your sneak peek of the One Man, Two Guvnors set. Paired with explanations straight from those who created them, they are meant to draw you in to 1960s Great Britain, where you will find yourself beginning Thursday, April 11 at 7 p.m. You can purchase tickets for the show at frhs.booktix.com.