Within the world of professional theatre, summer stock is its own thing entirely. A company will put up several shows one after the other over the course of, usually, less than three months. This means that time is tight, hours are long and tensions run high, and managing can be a challenge, especially if you are a first-timer like me. Luckily, I have picked up some useful tips along the way.
1. Eat Well and, When You Can, Sleep Well
The first thing to understand about summer stock is that it is non-stop. Productions are put up back-to-back without breaks in between, so you are rehearsing one show during the day and then performing another at night. It is crucial to eat and eat well in order to maintain the necessary level of energy to work. Also, value what time you have to sleep; you’ll need it.
2. Accept That You Will Be Tired
In light of the fact that you will have very little time to sleep between ending a performance at 11 p.m., not actually getting home until midnight, and having to be at rehearsal by nine the next morning, you are going to have to simply accept that you will be tired. However, as I have discovered through my own summer stock experience, being tired does not preclude you from being happy and fulfilled.
3. Bring Something to the Table
The defining characteristic of summer stock theatre is that several shows are put up in a very short amount of time. This means that the director and the rest of the creative team of any one show in the season have no time to luxuriate in the rehearsal process. So, it is important that you, as the actor, bring your own additional work to the table. Do research. Make bold choices. Ask questions. This may seem like going beyond the call of duty, but in reality, it is simply doing your job.
4. Be Prepared for Anything
Rehearsal schedules change all the time, so you must always be ready to work. Make sure you are up to date on when you are called and are always prepared with the necessary rehearsal materials. Ladies, remember your rehearsal skirts. Gentlemen, bring your show shoes to work in. Furthermore, it is common in summer stock companies for actors to be asked to assist with some technical work. This may include painting sets, rigging flies, or any other tasks on which the tech crew needs additional hands. So, always be prepared with some work clothes and a good attitude.
5. Be Kind
This may seem like a no-brainer, but as the rehearsal process gets underway and people start getting more and more exhausted and more and more stressed, tensions tend to rise significantly. Remember that you are not the only one who is tired and you are not the only one who is working hard. Doing your best to maintain a warm, positive, and fun work environment will help keep you sane, and it will make people want to work with you in the future.
6. Watch and Learn
If you happen to be young and inexperienced in the world of professional theatre like myself, summer stock allows you the opportunity to work closely with seasoned professionals, and you would be remiss not to take extensive mental notes. Watching great actors is crucial to becoming a great actor, and this doesn’t just mean studying their performance. It means studying their process, taking note of the paths they take on the way to “performance ready.”
7. Remember How Fortunate You Are
Since I started my first summer stock job, I have joked several times about how thrilled I am to be getting paid to do something that I would pay other people to let me do, but really, it’s no joke. Most people go through their lives doing their job because they have to. My work is my play, and no matter how little sleep I get, no matter how many hours I have to put in, no matter the stress and the struggles of the process, I am blessed. So, not to be that musical theatre quoting person, but always remember to “tell yourself how lucky you are.”
During rehearsals for the first production of the season I am currently working on, I said to a cast member with decades of experience under his belt that I felt like I was living the dream because acting was my job. Suddenly embarrassed, I brushed it off saying, “I know that probably sounds silly and stupid, I mean, it’s just summer stock.” He said, “It is absolutely not stupid. You are living the dream. Hold on to that, as long as you can, and don’t let that feeling go.” Thank you, I won’t forget.
