TECH HAPPENS

by Anne Flinders, dramaturg

Brigham Young University’s production of Pride and Prejudice opens this coming Friday, March 21st, which means the week leading up to those final dress rehearsals and opening night is dedicated to technical rehearsals, a.k.a. tech week. This is the week the cast begins rehearsing on the set in the Pardoe Theatre; the lights are hung, focused and finalized by the light designer and crew; the sound is equipped and cued by the sound designer; the set dressings and props are labeled and placed, and the costumes are “paraded” (or worn by the actors onstage) for one last, long, decisive look by the costume designer and staff. This is the week everything–the writing, acting and technical theatre–comes together.

The Bennets onstage for the first time, rehearsal corsets and all!

Culminating tech week at BYU is a Saturday technical rehearsal known as a 10-out-of-12. This rehearsal is pretty much what it sounds like: a 12-hour day in which 10 hours are spent working the technical aspects into the show with the actors, broken up by two one-hour breaks. The rehearsal is run cue-to-cue, meaning the actors play a scene at the beginning of a cue and then skip to the end of that scene and the beginning of the next. This gives the technical crew opportunities to work their cues into the context of the play’s flow without having to wait for entire scenes to be played.

The Bennets enjoy a lengthy technical theatre pause in the parlour.

Tech rehearsal also means the actors spend a lot of time waiting…waiting for lighting adjustments to be made, waiting for sound cues to be replayed, and waiting to learn where that prop will be laid. All that waiting means one thing…social media! Below are pics and posts that were made during tech week for Pride and Prejudice.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE TECH WEEK with pictures from Becky Maskell, Lindsay Clark, Hillary Straga and Melissa Leilani Larson, our guides for this social media tour.

10-out-of-12 tech rehearsal with Becky Maskell and Allyson Thaxton

Becky Maskell: And. Here. We. Go! Welcome to tech week errybody! Today is a day of patience, long suffering, temperance, etc. Welcome to 12 hour tech rehearsal. So grateful for our awesome cast & crew. Let the bonding commence!

Another rehearsal corset, this time on HIllary Straga (playing Lady Catherine de Bourgh)

Becky Maskell: Rehearsal corset. Apparently it’s the latest fashion…

The actors portraying the Bennet family await lighting and sound cues to be finalized.

Melissa Leilani Larson: A letter from Jane.

Almost all the cast parading costumes for the Netherfield Ball scene.

Comments below this picture include: “All those lovely gowns.” “And regimentals!” “What a fun pic!” “This makes me feel excited to see the play!”

Lindsay Clark: Our lovely set.

A long pause as the cast waits (again) for the crew.

Becky Maskell: 8 hrs down…4 to go! We got this!

Lizzy and Mr. Collins techin' each other out.

Taking a long look at the full stage for PRIDE AND PREJUCIDE.

Logan Hayden: Among the frames I have worked on for PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.

Melissa Leilani Larson: Woohoo Logan!

Lindsay Clark: …Mr. Collins’ portrait.

Jacob Swain as Mr Collins waiting for lighting effects to be tested.

Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas--they were framed!

Melissa Leilani Larson: Collins, Charlotte, and a ring to rule them all…

Ted Bushman as Mr. Darcy, waiting by the pianoforte.

An admirer on Facebook: Logan, you were born to wear that outfit. Logan Hayden replies: Awe shucks.

And at the end of a 12-hour day…

Logan Hayden: Prayers ascended, answers descended and now it has ended. For today at least.

All Melissa Leilani Larson wants to know is….

Pre- or post- tech rehearsal? @Denny's....

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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

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by Janine Sobeck, dramaturg Tech week is one of the most exciting moments in any show. It's the time when we get to leave our rehearsal room, move onto stage, and add all of the production elements. To help the actors adapt to all the changes we usually make a gradual transition. Pre-tech: While still in the rehearsal room, actors are given certain rehearsal props and costumes to help them in the creation of their characters. In the case of Princess Academy, all the girls were given rehearsal skirts and all the characters were given rehearsal books and and other items (such as the miri flower). We also added all of the instruments used in the show. Tech day 1: The first day of tech included adding the set and sound. One of the biggest changes for our actors is the ramps on our stage. They finally had the opportunity to climb the mountain! Tech day 2: It's time to add the props! In order to support Director Megan Sanborn Jones' vision of the show, prop designer Scott Jackson made all of the props out of paper, letters, and books. Tech days 3-4: This is what we call an "All Tech." The final elements of the show (lights, costumes, and make-up) are added into the mix. Day 3 is spent working through all the cues in act 1 and day 4 is spent working through act 2. Tech days 5-7: The time has come to run the show! These are our dress rehearsals, where the goal is to do the show exactly as if it was a real performance. This means starting at our normal curtain time and trying to never stop. The director, playwright, dramaturgs, and designers sit in the audience making notes about what is working and what still needs to change. At the end of the nights, the actors and designers are given feedback and we rehearse any moments that need some extra attention. Tech day 8: Which is today! Tonight is the time when we finally get to add the final element of the show: the audience! Our final day of tech is known as the "preview performance." Friends, families, and students are invited to see the show before we officially open. While we always reserve the right to stop the show if necessary (it is, after all, still a rehearsal), we hope that everything will go smoothly!

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TECH HAPPENS

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