It's here folks! Every college theatre person's favorite part of the semester- tech week. From the moments of laughter to sheer exhaustion to somewhere in between, tech week can be a roller coaster. Here are some of the thoughts which may go through your mind:
1. Why are we holding?
You've been standing in a pool of light for several minutes since hearing the words, "Hold please," over the God mic, and you simply do not know what is going on.
2. I'm so hungry.
But... I can't eat in costume.
3. I'm in the green room, and it's silent. Did I miss my cue?
A three minute scene has taken forty minutes to tech, and you are on in the next scene. Suddenly you hear it, and your heart skips a beat - nothing. Was that me? Am I on? You run, you check. That was not you. You come back. You repeat this three or four or five times. The one time you think, "we're probably not moving on yet," the ASM comes to tell you you're on. You run.
4. I have a huge paper due this week, and I have one sentence.
It's not even a good sentence. The funniest part is you thought to yourself beforehand, "I'll write this paper during all the down time I'm gonna have during tech."
You were wrong.
5. Dear cast, please stop talking.
Quiet on stage please.
Quiet backstage please.
Quiet, please.
Please, just be quiet.
Please.
6. It's dark out now.
I've been in the theatre for ten hours. It was light when I got here. Now it's not. I miss the sun.
7. I absolutely ate too much during dinner break.
You were very hungry, and dinner break FINALLY came. Maybe you went to a restaurant with some of the cast members. It was likely a restaurant where you could get a lot of food for a little money, because you know, college. Perhaps it was a Chinese buffet. Now you're filled with noodles, fortune cookies, and regrets.
8. My costume feels very tight.
Maybe it's the buffet thing. Maybe it's because you've been in it for twelve hours. Women had small frames during this time period. You're suffocating a little.
9. Where can I nap?
Green room couch? Stairs? Across a row of seats in the audience?
10. Is there time to nap before my next scene?
It's all about the naps.
11. Why are we still holding?
It has been a very long time now. You can't even imagine what is going on behind the tech table at this point.
12. How many different shadow puppets do I know how to make?
Tech is a great time to hone in on these important skills.
Tech week will almost always prove to be a test of patience, professionalism, and stamina. Love it or hate it, at the end of the day, tech week really is a good time to bond with the rest of the cast and crew and make the show come to life.
Happy Tech Week!
