Quantum Shifting
The Actors arrived today, (yes, you have to Capitalize it). So the shift into actual production mode begins, rehearsals start on Tuesday, and a fast short 12 days from now the first show opens. (SCARY!)
With the arrival of the actors many things besides the focus of the work shifts. The actors mean that the "pretty people" have arrived as well. Anyone who has ever been involved in theatre from the technical side knows what I mean. There is a natural schism between the technical crew and the actors, stemming from centuries of tradition. I am sure that the guy who made the mask for the Greeks absolutely hated what some actor did with it, and that the guy who focused the gas jets footlights always wondered why the diva onstage couldn't manage to actually find her mark and get into the light. Actors are also inherently needy, I think it is part of what drives them to be onstage. This particular theatre asks that their resident actors aid the tech crews, in fact for the next two days they will be ours, cleaning the theatre... carrying lumber... so they will get a taste of what we are going through. They also have a lot of work of their own, besides the shows that they act as ensemble in, they perform in children's plays and cabarets.
There is also a sharp upturn in the intrigue and drama with this new addition. The summer stock hook ups begin, the interaction that leads to confrontation begins. Don't get me wrong, the techs will have their share of this too before the summer ends, but there is something about actors that pushes the drama of any situation to its breaking point very rapidly. There are already bets going on the first hook ups that will happen, and of course debate about the gay/straight allegiances among the new arrivals. Those of course will get played out VERY quickly, I expect by tomorrow I'll know the entire sexual history of about half the acting crew.
So there it is... the real meat of the summer has begun. Let the drama begin!
With the arrival of the actors many things besides the focus of the work shifts. The actors mean that the "pretty people" have arrived as well. Anyone who has ever been involved in theatre from the technical side knows what I mean. There is a natural schism between the technical crew and the actors, stemming from centuries of tradition. I am sure that the guy who made the mask for the Greeks absolutely hated what some actor did with it, and that the guy who focused the gas jets footlights always wondered why the diva onstage couldn't manage to actually find her mark and get into the light. Actors are also inherently needy, I think it is part of what drives them to be onstage. This particular theatre asks that their resident actors aid the tech crews, in fact for the next two days they will be ours, cleaning the theatre... carrying lumber... so they will get a taste of what we are going through. They also have a lot of work of their own, besides the shows that they act as ensemble in, they perform in children's plays and cabarets.
There is also a sharp upturn in the intrigue and drama with this new addition. The summer stock hook ups begin, the interaction that leads to confrontation begins. Don't get me wrong, the techs will have their share of this too before the summer ends, but there is something about actors that pushes the drama of any situation to its breaking point very rapidly. There are already bets going on the first hook ups that will happen, and of course debate about the gay/straight allegiances among the new arrivals. Those of course will get played out VERY quickly, I expect by tomorrow I'll know the entire sexual history of about half the acting crew.
So there it is... the real meat of the summer has begun. Let the drama begin!
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