Last rehearsal before we move into Tech!
In the world of the theatre, the final rehearsals before a production are labeled according to what needs to happen on each particular day, giving a heads up/ wake-up call to everyone involved that the show is rapidly approaching. Today would have been our last rehearsal before going in to a
Tech Rehearsal and then a Dress Rehearsal next week, but given the scope of our event and performance, Tech and Dress will take place on the same day. The Tech Rehearsal is when all of the different designers arrive to the rehearsal, such as the Costume, Lighting, and Sound designers, load in their bag of tricks to add to the art the Director and Actors have already put into the performance, and everyone gets a chance to work with everyone else for a couple of days before the final product of the show is ready to be presented. The Dress Rehearsal is usually the final rehearsal before the production takes on a real audience.
The obstacles this week: We have three different stories to present and only had enough actors at this rehearsal for at least two of the stories, so we'll have to ultimately decide whether or not the other will have a chance at being presented next week. Also, we have not had our performance space confirmed, which means we don't know where our Tech/Dress Rehearsal will be and that may pose a problem as we begin to market this event to our communities.
However, the groups were able to present their stories at least three different times, twice with my being able to take and offer up notes. and I feel they were finally getting a taste of the work required in order to pull off an engaging, focused performance. I even heard Abel mention how much work it took to rehearse a 5-minute vignette, which they have already been working on for near four weeks. (Granted, we only meet once a week for a couple of hours, but I like to make it look as if the struggle is real!) I was also happy with the attention and focus one of the Directors for one of the groups was giving to her actors during our discussion of notes.
I was getting a little frustrated with one of the troupes after I had given them notes, I hadn't seen them rehearse during their time away from me, and then I was seeing the same
issues pop up during their next go at performing it. I should have been a little more firm by making them take notes, or mentioned how in the theatrical world, sometimes it's not about whether or not you can land it on the first shot, but whether or not you are able to take direction, that separates the good actors from the great ones. Still, perhaps my frustration was enough to show through because I did see them working on it in the wings as I finished up with the final group.