Are there any theatre folk about (NoiseDesign, aurelia, Trudy)? Since I only work in rochester it is hard for me to figure out what is "standard" rehearsal procedure, and each designer who comes in seems to think their idea of what should happen during tech is "standard".
We currently have 1 6 hour and 2 10 out of 12's for tech, with no costumes, just sound, lights and props. We then do 3 "dress rehearsals" that have about 2 hours for the actors to work with the director, warm-up, get dressed, and then we run the show and go home.
This usually works out OK, as there aren't very many actors or changes, but this time we have 24 actors and about 200 changes that are under 2 minutes. No one can give us any accurate timings.
The designer seems flabbergasted that we don't normally tech in costume-- the artisitic director, the production manager and the director seem flabbergasted that we would even consider trying to tech in costumes. I don't have enough experience to tell who is craxy-- does anyone know?
The designer seems flabbergasted that we don't normally tech in costume-- the artisitic director, the production manager and the director seem flabbergasted that we would even consider trying to tech in costumes. I don't have enough experience to tell who is craxy-- does anyone know?
It depends on the show. IME, a show that doesn't have many costume changes often won't have costumes as part of the first tech. A show with a large amount of costume changes absolutely should have costumes ASAP. For some shows I've worked on, we had costumes even before we moved into the performance space, just so we could get used to it.
Thanks juliana- that's pretty much what I would think, based on, you know, logic, but the artistic director is much more likely to be swayed if "that's the way real professionals in New York do it".
When I worked in opera, we usually teched just the quick changes, but in this show everything is a quick change!
that's pretty much what I would think, based on, you know, logic, but the artistic director is much more likely to be swayed if "that's the way real professionals in New York do it".
Don't know if the Guthrie holds any sway, but those folks most definitely have costumes long before tech. If not actual costumes, as close as the shop can get.
Thanks juliana- that's pretty much what I would think, based on, you know, logic, but the artistic director is much more likely to be swayed if "that's the way real professionals in New York do it".
Would that I could tell you personally what paid people do in New York -- but I bet Equity has rules about it if that would add any weight to your argument.
Thanks again, Trudy and juliana. Off course, if I get through this without a) getting fired , b) the designer quitting or d) the artistic director hating me, I'll be lucky.
The designer seems flabbergasted that we don't normally tech in costume-- the artisitic director, the production manager and the director seem flabbergasted that we would even consider trying to tech in costumes. I don't have enough experience to tell who is craxy-- does anyone know?
My experience is like juliana's. We don't do costumes during the 2 long techs unless there are complicated costume changes. If the costumes affect the way an actor needs to move (shoes, corsets, big dresses, etc.), we usually get costumes (if not the whole thing, then key pieces) well before techs.
We also have costume parades before one of the dress rehearsals where each costume comes out on stage and the lights are set for the scenes that costume appears in so that the lighting designer and costume designer and see how everything looks under the lights.
Illinois just has a high rate of successful prosecution of ex-governors.
