Behind the Scenes--Previews

For those of you unfamiliar with how a big Broadway musical goes from a rehearsal studio to a packed theater...

Load In--While the cast finishes rehearsing in a studio, the crew begins the process of loading in all the set pieces, lights, costumes to their appropriate locations in the building.

Dry Tech--Stage Management begins to work through the show with a rehearsal pianist and the crew setting lights, set moves, traffic, auotmation, etc; without the cast, to try and expedite teching with the cast.

Tech--The cast moves into the building, settles into the various dressing rooms located througout the building (often many flights of stairs up :), and from the top of the show, begins working through every cue with director, conductor, and stage management. To get through the show once often takes more than a week of 10 hour days for cast (longer days for crew) with no days off.

Dress Rehearsals--The show is run with mics, orchestra, make-up (i.e. Val Jean's multiple wig changes), costumes...etc; Regardless of how it goes--you push through and see where problems arise. With our cast of 30+ people every one of whom has 7 costume changes within the first 30 minutes of the show--you can imagine the traffic issues, quick change problems, and so on. It's madness.

Previews--With our show, we had our first dress reh. the night before our first preview. Our second dress reh. the day of our first preview, and will then continue to rehearse every afternoon (except matinee days) to work out kinks while performing previews at night.

Tired yet?