No, you really shouldn't. There is absolutely NOTHING (okay, MAYBE Im exaggerating a bit when I say that, but you get the idea) that could make an actors job harder than after to deal with a cough, sore throat or stuffy nose just as they are about to go out in front of an audience potentially with long monologues and major scenes for a full-scale performance. But I am dragging my snot-encrusted self out thrifting later, anyway, just in case. Make sure you avoid the drowsy stuff if youre going for your packaged pharmaceuticals and, again, a good diet is vital during this period. I sincerely hope things improve (especially your and ottos health). Tensions are likely to be high during tech week. Its the nature of the job. I paid for a whole new hospital!! Also, follow-through is not my strong suit.]. Even better: actually go outside and get some fresh air and natural light. BUT I was informed later that her reaction to the dress I brought in was that it was wholly unacceptable (trying to remember why something about how the style was a little too 1940s rather than 1930s, maybe, but mostly that she liked HER dress better). I did want to say you think youve got it bad paying for the vets boat? xoxoxoxoxo). Read a book! We know you do too. Being part of a theatre production is a magical thing. I hope your plague dissipates and you kill it in your show! It is these moments when we still have to go on and do what we still would be doing in any other case, and it is these moments that just so happen to be the worst possible times in which you could get sick. PATHMARK Break a leg! It was the same color (its navy with an ivory floral pattern, though the flowers are larger on the first dress), just about the same style, except the one I found 1) had a belt and 2) not only had all the necessary buttons, it didnt need umpty-eleven addition snaps because the buttons actually work to hold said dress closed. Dont own what isnt yours. Crew. But, depending on the show and talking to the stage manager (or whomever is in charge) ahead of time and arranging it (if they are agreeable) would be the way to do it. HAPPY HARRYS Be sure to be specific about sound effects. Sending major hugs. It may seem silly to have to mention seemingly obvious tasks such as eating, hydrating, and getting fresh air, but it is so easy to neglect those things when your to-do list is a mile long. Dry air leads to colds for some reason. This seems like an awkward place to insert this but its going to be awkward anywhere and its part of the overall picture, so: last week we lost a good friend (and stellar human) to cancer. Have dinner with a friend! Until this week. Experiments with the tech will cause your schedule to overrun, and the likelihood of solidarity pints after leaving the theatre space is strong. Others are completely flexible, but there are so many variables nobody online will be able to answer for your specific situation. Some say it makes them phlegmy and swear it off in the days before performing, some dont care. No. When you get a cold, you take a bunch of these (follow instructions on the bottle) and magically, your cold gets cut in half. But WHY NOT, I say, because I am 1) awake and 2) far too cranky to do anything else. How is your week going? (Is this better or worse than when we fed Duncan kangaroos? Im not saying it *is* why they call it Wet Tech, but Im not saying it isnt, either. Last show I did the sound tech hooked me up with Emergen-C and it brought me back up to speed within 24 hours. Will someone be able to fix the buttons before the show? I asked, because time was already tight and I was, quite literally, popping out of this dress all over. The fact that no one is calling her out in this is ridiculous. If i may suggest a small gratuity only based on year over year performance increases. If they ask you anyway, reply with, Who might know the answer to that question better than me? and let your students fill in the blanks. Sour grapes and all. It wont ever make you feel better (as it didnt make my 19-y.o. Now Im here to share it all with the world. I was so wishing for a real live friend who had been through something like this and advise me, but Id never truly wish that same pain on another person. ), 6) Everyone in the cast coming down with some variant of The Crud. But before that, theres the exquisite pain of tech week. He's heard most of the Doctor Who jokes about his name, but precious little riffing on Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased). Otherwise, you might just end up like me, and are forced to still give it your all in the show you are currently in, despite how you arent feeling anywhere close to well. Aim for prevention of injury or illness, and if this fails, absolutely make recovery a priority. Orfails to costume one. Hey! But clearly that she needs to get her shit together. The fact that no one is standing up to her on your behalf is ridiculous. The experience was huge. Tech weekthe phrase alone can send shivers down the spine of the most calm and unflappable theatre professionals. I mostly don't hold it against my crew if it happens unless it becomes a pattern. It shakes the entire bed. I work at a college as assistant costume shop manager and it is utterly unthinkable that the costume designer wouldnt have even read the play! Dont let that dreaded dry air getchya. The only other interaction we had wherein I may have been labeled problematic wasand bear in mind Costume Nazi told us the first time she showed up that she hasnt read the script and will not have time to do soat some point she told me I would be getting a blouse and cardigan and I asked about the cardigan. If you take a cotton swab and dip it in coconut oil and then put it inside your nose, the antibacterial properties of the coconut oil attack the virus. Put a cup of water in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, put in a teaspoon or so of salt, dissolve it, and gargle MULTIPLE times a day. I have an advertising idea. SUPER SUPPLEMENTS (LogOut/ Its important you get some perspective on the woods from outside the trees, though. Given that its a Neil Simon play this seems far-fetched but who knows. Must finish reading this awesome post tomorrow since duty calls right now. However, let the show be your main focus, just for now. The sound tech told me Emergen-C is the best kept secret of the theatre world, so lets not let it be a secret anymore. Remember the key to that: They are learning. I didnt want her to think I was trying to force the issue. ), 7) General life implosion. But also, go ahead and cry for a moment and be upset and then move on. Your body is going to be burning a lot of calories. I would not have known what Tech Week was except my eleven year old was in a show last fall and I think Tech Week just about killed the whole family because the rehearsals ran so late that the kid was up hours past bedtime several school nights in one week and even the adults were up past bedtime. Drink more water, non-caffeinated tea, broth, etc., and stay away from too much sodium, alcohol, or sugary foods and drinks. I let one of our assistant directors know the dress was on the costume rack and rehearsal began and so, mercifully, I didnt have to deal with this woman that day, because she came and went while we were working. I happily agreed. ), 5) Making sure the pacing of the show is right; not too fast, not too slow, etc. Usually two evenings per show. Long rehearsals, technical challenges, changes and adjustmentseverything is bigger and the stakes are higher, because it is so close to opening night. Taking a few minutes to reorient yourself will make you so much more productive in the long run. Step back and watch with pride as they demonstrate how capable they truly are. You might remember that I can no longer eat wheat without turning into a ball of eczema and sadness, and one of my castmates cannot eat dairy, so I offered to come up with an allergy-free liver substitute at some point. The future doesnt seem so scary when youre rooted in the present. Take the recommended amount and itll help fight your cold and send it packing. But it doesnt have to result in you becoming a stressed-out mess. But we can do everything right and still come across the (wretched) person who belongs to their problems. Apples (and many other fruits) are full of Vitamin C, high in water content, and contain acids that can gently flush phlegm from the throat. Probably a dumb question so sorry in advance. The good news is that the injection they gave her worked and she is already scratching much less, and that injection should last for a month of relief. (See you Friday. His work has appeared everywhere from film magazines to product descriptions of shampoo to the course pages of major universities. Good morning! You never fail to make me laugh, even if what you are going through is crappy. Click Here To Sign Up for the OnStage Blog Newsletter, Click Here To Sign Up for the OnStage Blog Newslette. If possible, sing a different voice part closer to your natural range, or dont sing at all in rehearsal. Knowing that its on you how you respond to someone treating you like that does not, in fact, make it easy to let it go and not let it affect you. So the kids not in a show this winter. Sometimes, it causes us to be unable to attend work or a social event that we had been planning on attending. to get it done. But do NOT blame yourself for this bullshit. Go on vocal rest when not performing, if at all possible. I have a very detailed guide to drinking energy drinks pre-show in a healthy way here. If you will contact me, and provide assurance of a small gratuity, I would like to share it with you. KING SOOPERS And while youre at it, be sure to eat some food and drink some water. It may be the one that changes your career. Feel sorry for her, enjoy your show what an awesome creative opportunity youve got there and your kids are doing well! No, Im not talking about getting sick during the rehearsal process. I go thrifting to help with props and costumes when needed. Build. Thats fine, I said. I brought in said dress thinking I had done something USEFUL and KIND because now Costume Nazi didnt need to fix the other dress! But get them in the habit of taking the time to think logically about who to ask instead of defaulting to you. Wellness Formula is a vitamin thats a blend of herbs and spices that boosts your immune system. If youre serious about working in live theater, you need to be ok with missing out on other events/gatherings/holidays. Granted, January is a slow(ish) freelancing month in general, but still. This means that I spent half my day over there yesterday, and while I dont want to belabor the money thing too muchbecause WHAT PRICE MY BABY and all of that, sure, okayI will tell you that the bill I paid for that SINGLE VISIT came to more than I made last month. The good news is that IM A WIZARD and after some trial and error I did indeed strike upon a recipe and a method for creating (gluten-free, dairy-free) liver-looking pancakes. Your responses were all pretty much what I expected but I just wanted to double check because my theatre friends who are also going to the event told me to just call out of work and I was a bit shocked when they suggested that to me. And how could I possibly make her hate me more by telling you about it, right? But, uh, I am still two missing two other costumes, and did you let her know that the apron she has me wearing doesnt have a big enough pocket? The blocking doesnt work with the stage design, lights break, make-up melts, costumes dont fit the way they were supposed to. Find what works for you and do that. Is it a landline phone or a cell phone? In the meantime, illegitimus non carborundum. If youre looking for some suggestions on a great warm-up routine, you can read my other article here! I hastily added, But youre in charge and if you tell me to wear one, I will, thats fine, but she was already furious and OH NEVER MIND, FORGET ITing me. Iwillget through it and Iwillget you through it, too. Okay. We have had volunteers who were banned from certain jobs over issues like this. So thank you all! Be aware of crucial tasks that will need to be completed during tech week, such as: I am not a technical pro in any way, so this advice comes from a true place of learning: The more you plan ahead, the more stress and heartache you will save your technical director, sound designer, lighting designer, and yourself. Balance things out more locally, please and thank you. Avoid misuse of the voice and go easy during rehearsals. It was bizarre. We passionately believe that theatre has an essential place in schools. Keep it going with natural sugars, fruit and veg, and your immune system will thank you too. STATER BROS. This goes doubly so for vending machine 'meals.' Tech week has the reputation of being long and taxing. Still havent. When someone behaves that miserably, I think jeez, whatevers happening in her life right now must be pretty awful. And I knew better than to say a word to her about costumes. RALEYS Enough or not, that is not all. Life is for living after all. Wtf, universe? Mineral ascorbates have additional benefits, including increased energy, improved vision and reduced susceptibility to the common cold. So to any of my fellow actors reading this who may think that taking care of yourself and making sure that you are healthy before a show opens is no big deal, think again. FITZWALLACE Thats fine, I said. You have been let down by the people you are working with and hopefully this will all blow over and the production will be a huge success (Im sure it will be) and you will feel better soon and this will be just a blip in the radar and a funny story someday. I have a sickness of the mind, and it is that I kind of get a kick out of tech week. Drink water or hot drinks like tea for immediate relief. Dont load your plate so high that you cant see over it, or else you drop the entire plate and now all your foods on the floor. (LogOut/ Students should be able to approach you with questions. H-E-B SUNFLOWER MARKET The idea of 12 hour rehearsals gets me sort of jazzed. Especially because they cant drive themselves home yet. Keeping your cool pre-show is one thing. There is never enough or the right types of food for our kidsunless it is someplace other than home. Dont exhaust yourself unnecessarily from what is always going to be a tiring period of work. So let me be your virtual friend and tell you that its ok that you cried and its ok that it bothered you and you didnt do anything wrong here. If you are totally unable to discern whether you are sick or feeling the effects of strain, continue as if. Again, I tried to say I was just offering context but I was fine either way and she actually TURNED HER BACK ON ME like I was just so horrible, she couldnt take it anymore. Basically, you overload, you get sick, and then you cant do your job. If I were there, I would have said something to her. Thank you. But it does still need to have the buttons fixed before I can wear it. I was assured that everything would be taken care of. You are worthy. I didnt have to deal with that individual or its quirks again. Apple cider vinegar is even better, if you can stomach it adding a small amount to a glass of water is a good way to flush toxins from your system. But Im confrontational that way. Sleeping with the AC on dries you out, so try not to use the AC when youre sleeping. If you had read this thread a few years back, it would have seemed unimaginable, unobtainable. Sugar, if you didnt know, feeds bacteria. I mean, sometimes life/emergencies come up and it's unavoidable. This is a weird one. Once we finally got out of there, I took Licorice and her new arsenal of products home, then I had to run right back out for a mammogram! The reason they are likely responsible is because they had the misfortune of getting sick during the production, and are forced to deal with the worst of their illness as they are just about to go onstage. The actual food we are supposedly eating is gross (liver) and everything I found about how people generally fake this for stage turned up interesting stories about carving pumpernickel bread into liver shapes. (HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAA NO THIS SHOW ISNT THREE HOURS LONG WHY DO YOU ASK WHAT DO YOU MEAN IM SCREAMING NO IM NOT. Bear in mind as you get wound up by a picky director, neurotic costumer or nervous co-star that theyre just as nervous as you are to get everything right. STOP & SHOP But in most other theaters I've worked in, no. Oh, Costume Nazis prickly, thats just how she is someone whispered to me, when I asked about her after the first incident. Do you want to go to full blackout or a less dark blue- or brown-out (which can make it easier for actors and stagehands to see where theyre going, but makes transitions more visible to the audience)? Okay. Costume Nazi does not know a fine human being when she costumes one. I bring in EVERY FUCKING CLOTH NAPKIN IN MY HOUSE to use as props because I am assured that the real required linens are coming and okay, we use paper towels at home in the meantime, because I am a team player. And heres the part where I do something ill-advised, which is that I am about to shit-talk someone who theoretically may read this, but probably she never will, because she clearly hates me so why on earth would she? LUCKY YOU! Do I need a belt with this or no? I asked, because Im not great with 1930s fashion and I wasnt sure. Do the same for your meals, gym time, yoga, or other self-care activities that can keep you from losing your head. (2) I offer the following clip from an early season of the West Wing (which I am rewatching because I cannot bear to know too much about what the *actual* administration is doing). Youre only supposed to have about 25g of added sugar a day for women, and 38g for men, but on average, Americans consume about 71g of added sugars a day. You may feel a little guilty at the prospect, or even feel like you havent the time, but the long-term positive effects of just chilling out whenever you can are immeasurable. In short, do anything that doesnt involve the theatre or your production. Having a kid in theater, you describe tech week so well! FRYS Because bless his heart Im not taking that stress on right now. You is good, you is kind, and you is hella smart, generous and hospitable. You've got to ask whoever hired you and work it out. She doesnt want to fix the other one for me, right? Again, a shrug. (And yes, I feel bad complaining when the entire world has the flu, but still. Moms are only legally or morally allowed to get sick when there are eleventy-gajillion other things going on. And that, my friends, was the final straw, because as bad as it is to have a small dog taking up a surprising amount of space between you and your spouse all night, it pales in comparison to having said small dog taking up that surprising amount of space and waking up every hour or two to scratch frantically. BARTLET The bad news is that the day when I actually had oodles of time once Id worked it all out I made enough for all seven performances (individually bagged by date and frozen!) Avoid coughing or clearing the throat as much as possible. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. WILD OATS. They are working hard to learn everything as quickly and efficiently as possible. (Fun fact: Tech Week is when every actor in the world not only forgets lines theyve known for weeks if not months, but decides that doing this show was a terrible mistake and they should probably just lie down and die. Why the CIA wet team? By the time we were doing promotional photos, shed been back once (maybe twice, now that I think of it), and my dress was still missing the top button and I had no belt. ), Anything else necessary to maintain your health and safety. Alcohol, coffee, and sugary beverages like energy drinks will dry out your throat even more. I think it depends what the event is as well. I try to prioritize continuity when assigning shifts but sometimes the availabilities don't work out so I'm usually upfront with the client that they won't necessarily always have the same person for the full run, so they better be prepared for that. My youngest volunteered at local community theater in high school. If tech week is wilderness survival, I am your overenthusiastic survival guide. Im not sure. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. My daughter is a stay late / can do / super helper too. Tech week opens the floodgates to hundreds of questions, and the director ends up receiving the bulk of the questions. Change). I know all too well what theater is like. The kids left. In the past, perhaps some of us (yes, I am very much guilty of this) used our acting skills to get out of school as a kid by faking it. More than once, I discovered my mammogram stickers still on in the shower the next morning. Maintaining a sense of composure during hell week requires the sort of patience usually attributed to saints. Thats radio So Id say if this event you want to go to is at all recreational reschedule it. KROGER Back to the cave for me. That's really something only your show can answer. So just drink a lot of water. Costume Nazi waved my question away, assuring me it wasnt a problem. We dont have to be besties but is it really necessary to treat me with such disdain? Well, theyre going to subdue sentries and visible guards; theyve got heavy But. No, sir, its called They call it a wet team because its bloody. Tom Bakeris a freelance writer and ex-theatre employee based in East London. Take care of yourself. But this brings us to the main thing, which is that this is Tech Week for the show Im in right now. His work has appeared everywhere from film magazines to product descriptions of shampoo to the course pages of major universities. Or, My Children Moved Out And All I Got Was The Plague (Twice). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And as a drama momma, I know a little too well about some of the tudes amongst the other volunteers. You can risk serious burnout from spending all your time totally fixated on the show at hand. WEIS Clear the throat with some gentle vocal warm ups (lip trills and 5-note arpeggios are good) or by drinking or gargling with water not by force. Both options work just fine. It just felt so unfair and arbitrary and nasty. And no, Im not talking about the infamous post-show sickness that potentially keeps you bedridden for days after closing night of a show. On a less WTF note, my other daughter is the lead of the costume crew for the school musical starting up soon. Because what is this womans damage? So! Lead by example. I dont know you in person, but someone who does should be stocking up on shovels right about now, (Well, I guess you just need one or two shovels, but anyway). Do This, Not That: Tech Week Edition | Theatre Thoughts Blog, Light snacks (I always have an assortment of nuts and crackers, things which wont stain costumes! I dont understand why the universe doesnt balance out good and bad better, or maybe it does, but not the way I want.