It’s the week of The Tempest, and actors, tech, and directors are both frazzled and excited. The upcoming performance has actors scrambling to memorize lines and cues, while tech attempts their dry run and cue to cue. 

For tech, dry running the performance means going through the entire play without the actors– this means rigging, lights, and sound. Rehearsing the entire play can be taxing and stressful, but it is important because the run through is great practice. In the end, the dry run helps ensure that the performance runs smoothly. 

Another thing that tech does prior to the play is cue to cue. Lucy Neron, a theater tech, stated how it “is stressful but still really fun because it means the play is coming together.” Cue to cue is the dry run, but is not quite a dress rehearsal for the actors because there’s no costume changes. This step is integral to prepping for the play because it helps the two major aspects come together.

However, according to Lucy, these preparatory tasks require a lot of waiting. It seems like its patience and the ability to go hours without snacks is the formula for composing a performance-ready play. 

With the play’s first performance,  tech and actors come together for dress rehearsals. Overall, this play has moved very fast and for first-time actors that can be overwhelming.

However, it’s not always fast paced. Rehearsals may be time consuming and run late, but when the actors aren’t on stage there isn’t a lot going on. Rehearsals may focus on a specific scene or group.

When talking with senior Axxel Zaragoza, he revealed that it can even get boring. He said that if he were a good student he’d do class work while waiting, but instead he’d rather save his mental capacity by ‘brain rotting’ on his phone or practicing lines. 

Though it’s hard work with set build, acting, and tech all having to coordinate– and it’s often the same group of people sharing jobs– the end result is most definitely worth it. 

Performances are Feb. 29, Mar. 1,2,7,8,9 and you can get tickets on teachtix.com/wilsonville.