Ah, tech week. If we’re looking at technical terms here (no pun intended), tech week is the time in a theatrical production’s run where you start incorporating all of the elements of a show. Here we start to see the lights, sounds, and costumes introduced. Tech week consists of long hours dedicated solely to the show, and this of course means everyone’s got mixed feelings. To truly understand what is going through a performer’s head, here are some humorous thoughts about tech week from actors themselves:
“Tech week: also known to some as Hell week.”
“Hurry up and wait.”
“Tech week is like when the TV goes to static; things are happening but no one knows what.”
"I don't have to go on for another three pages, I can take a nap."
“Tech week is like driving through an underground tunnel with fluorescent lights flickering on and off, unidentifiable noises occurring randomly, and a pinprick of light that is 48 hours of walking away.”
“I'm sorry non-theatre professor - I didn't do my homework because I've been onstage from 11 in the morning Saturday to 11 at night Sunday.”
“Symptoms of an actor in tech week include: extreme stress (from having to stand in the same exact spot for hours on end), anxiety (from realizing the show is going to open in only a matter of days), exhaustion (from giving up your weekend and any hope of sleep), and, in rare cases, happiness (because we still wouldn't have it any other way).”
“The best part of tech is when you take off your character makeup after hours of it on and it just makes you feel so free."
“Where are the snacks?”
“Hooooooold!”
Yes, tech week can be incredibly exhausting. But, all jokes aside, tech week can also be incredibly rewarding. Here is when you see the magic of theatre come alive. All of the elements coming together is nothing short of amazing, because you can see what you’ve worked for finally becoming real. While actors may joke about tech week being grueling, we also find it to wonderful:
“Tech week is the exhausting but humbling moment where the real magic happens, and the characters you worked so hard to create finally get to see the world they're going to live in.”
“Tech week is the time in the process that is not at all about the actor: it is the time in the process which requires the most patience and appreciation for the craftsmanship of every single person involved in the production, as the designers and technicians work to bring the world of the show to life so the actor can play in it.”
“Tech week is a culmination of exhaustion, frustration, excitement, and nerves, but once you get in front of that first audience, all the hard work pays off and you're proud of what you've accomplished.”
Amazing things happen when a production comes together. And as we fight through the exhaustion of tech week, we make the show come alive… and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
