Sunday at 10 p.m. is when it all begins. First you strike the set (the process of dismantling, storing, and discarding materials used in the show) from the previous show, then its your time to shine! (Also known as your time to start living in the green room, where cast and crew have special access for their tech week to sleep, do homework, run lines, etc., until the show goes up on Thursday.) As a techie, that gives you four days to get your crap together and make the show happen. Personally, I have had many experiences with Brandeis tech weeks so far and numerous others during high school. By now, I know to expect spending hours in the shop and all my other free time sitting in the house doing homework/napping, yet the life of a tech-week techie still surprises non-theater people; even friends who have seen me through this time and time again don't understand! Here's the general theme of my conversations with people during a tech week:
1. How's it going?
Depends which day of the week this question is asked. Sunday: tired; Monday: good; Tuesday: about to have 17 mental breakdowns; Wednesday: can't English anymore; Thursday: what just happened?
2. Is the set done yet? Lights? Costumes?
HAHA no.
3. How do you get it all done in four days?
Not a clue.
4. You do ALL that?
Apparently.
5. Did you do the homework for [x] class?
Homework? I have to do that during tech week? Heh, no.
6. Are you coming to class today?
No? I don't know. What day is it?
7. Did you remember to eat?
Ugh, I don't have time for that. Can you teach me how to eat and do carpentry at the same time? Either bring me food or stop asking.
8. You fell asleep in [x] class again?
Yes...2 a.m. extensions tend to have that effect in a 10 a.m. class.
9. Why don't you take a break and not go in today?
Oh, okay, so the show just shouldn't have a set? Do you want to go in and build it for me?
10. Why can't I get into the green room?
'Cause that's my new home.
11. Are you ignoring me?
No. I think my phone is under a pile of sawdust though.
12. Where are you?
Building 17 set pieces at once. Relax, I'll be a real person again on Thursday.
13. Are you alive?
Define "alive."
14. When did you have time to write this?
Peek over my shoulder in IGS.
All kidding aside, although tech weeks are long and crazy, they're also some of the most rewarding weeks as well. There's no way to get closer to your friends than to work with them side by side to create something beautiful, and you never have to worry about looking silly or communicating solely through grunts because they've seen you push through a 2 a.m. extension to get as much as you can done for the show. Most importantly, tech weeks are a time to learn to be grateful for your friends and the people around you. Everybody involved works through tech week together, and whether it's your non-theater friends bringing you coffee in class, or another techie stepping in to help when more people/functional brains are needed, tech week is a week where friendship and community become the most important things in your life.
