So it is Monday, four days before the show. This is where the excitement comes in for the stage management team. This is where we see the show come to life.

The directors and the stage management team called for a production meeting after our successful rehearsal. This is where we did the final checks for the lighting, sound, live feed and projections before Jess and myself began the master script for the show. We all went through cue by cue with each technical aspect to make sure that all was alright and there was no confusion all round. After four hours, with a lot of scribbling and rubbing out, the master script was complete and ready to go for the technical rehearsal tomorrow. As draining as it was, it was a relief to see everything coming together smoothly.

Like I have said tomorrow is our technical rehearsal where we put everything that is in the master script on stage and bring it to life. We only have four hours so tomorrow needs to be quick and efficient. Here is the schedule that I arrange for the whole company:

8:45am – Whole of company meet in the venue
9:00am – 9: 30am –  Cast and directors go to green room to go over scenes, props, costume etc. The producer, stage manager and assistant stage manager prepare the stage, including set.
9:30am – 12:30am – The producer to cue the sound onto the Macbook Pro, the stage manager and ASM to discuss with lighting designer, the different types of lighting, and also begin to plot lights after discussion. When both lights and sound are programmed seperately, merge them together when everything is set.

As you can see, when you are a part of the stage management team, there is a lot of organising, creative thinking and being proactive when you are set a task. Without these one or more of these three factors time can be wasted easily, in which this case because you are set a time limit of teching your show it is not benefical to you and your company. But when everything is running smoothly and are on time, everything slots in together and it makes you feel more at ease with your vision for the show.