Fourth Show: Mark Fullerton kicks off his tech with a bus stop set piece and the question "Does this bus stop pose any problems to anyone if I set it right here?" Discussion amongst the actors ensues. Blocking adjustments are made. The band keeps practicing and they sound like a chorus of naughty school girls. How do I know they're naughty you wonder. "Because they're in the 14/48 Band" I say. This particular play has a lot of traffic patterns between the two voms stage left and right. I hear Katie Driscoll mentioning "This is a long vom to walk down." John McKenna is practicing pissing and this is Grade A Theater Magic! Stage Manager Miranda Pratt calls "10 Minutes!" and Mark quickly directs his actors to walk through their entrances/exits because they won't have time to run through it. Nothing like pressure!
Fifth Show: The band segues into a Nirvana song as the running crew sets the stage. I see a chez lounge which either communicates "money" or "therapy" or both. Virgin Director Andrew Huntley paces back and forth and twists at his goatee. Speaking of facial hair, Kaleb Hagen-Kerr just sauntered onto stage with lightning bolt sideburns. I'm kind of smitten. Virgin Actor Frank Lawler is in his underwear which is where any virgin should be. I hear Julia Griffin giggle and tell Lisa Viertel "I just got lipstick on your boob." Which boob I wonder, but tech is swiftly moving on to the next cue. Andrew asks Miranda "Are you ready to blind us?" The cue happens and Andrew asks "Is that as bright as it gets?" The booth quickly re-works the cue but time is up! Tonight's audience will judge the brightness level for themselves...
Sixth Show: Tim Moore belts out a butch cover of a Creedence Clearwater Revival tune as Bret Fetzer's Gift From Moon is set. Beth Raas-Bergquist sets some moonlight levels with the booth and then provides some last minute direction to the band asking them for some "pre-historic grunts and stuff." The band doesn't miss a beat. Darragh Kennan brandishes a Bam-Bam stick and practices bonking Kathy Hsieh on the head with it. Syncing this with the band's sound effect is tricky and time is running out!
Seventh Show: At long last we arrive at the final play's tech! The booth is talking the actors through the light cues as they simultaneously build them. There's an "imaginary blackout" but everyone is too tired and hungry to notice. Virgin Director Pamala Mijatov wastes no time to work her actors during the brief technical interim. She is all poise, knee-high boots and confidence. A chair has been moved and needs to be re-spiked. Then they fly through their minimal cues and start their run. Seanjohn Walsh has a magical cellphone and there's a mystery prop on a table under a sheet. I'm intrigued. Closing out the show in slot #7 carries a pressure all of its own, and this one promises to deliver!
Congrats to the tech and run crew for cranking out this rehearsal! Now it's dinnertime!
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