Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Opening Nights

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eveharrington
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Posted: 9/08/06 at 1:15am

a speed rehearsal is a great compromise between a full rehearsal and a night off, tell the cast to see how quickly they can complete the script, it makes it fun, and quick, and it is excellent for confidence in knowing your lines. Also in case anyone is still wondering, Sun. matinees are always the worst at our CT for attendance and performance energy.

"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."

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VPA1
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Posted: 10/25/06 at 12:38pm

Speed rehearsals? As a director, I dislike them as I believe they create sloppiness in the ensuing performances. I do believe, however, that having more than three successive days off will also create problems...my solution was to offer a Thursday,7 PM showtime performance for students...$5. We have a real audience, we make a couple bucks, less pressure for a perfect performance and the cast his home one hour earlier.

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Linda S
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Posted: 10/25/06 at 2:22pm

Good idea. Mind if I steal it? I think it is the perfect solution to bridging that gap between Saturday and Friday.

Linda

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suzecue1
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Posted: 10/25/06 at 3:11pm

I've done the speed rehearsals. They are fun, but I don't know how much they help.

The last show I directed we did a "lines-only" rehearsal in a completely dark room. NOT as a prelude to opening night, but during tech week. You sit in a dark room, with your eyes closed, so you can imagine where you are and what you are doing at that moment to keep concentration on your lines. It was fabulous. It really makes you think about what (and why) you are saying. It did wonders for some weaker characters. After the cast quit laughing at the new experience, they all settled in and loved it. Now I will do it everytime I direct.

Sue
*****
So many hats.....so few heads!

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Nanette
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Posted: 10/27/06 at 6:17pm

I love the idea of a "lines-only in a dark room". I've done the "speed through" when we've first gotten a script and that's been great ... but never try it with a multi-age group of kids (especially those little ones who can't read ... YIKES).

I'm going to "liberate" the lines-only, though, Sue.

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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Theatrestation
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Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:00pm

We call ours a "double time" rehearsal. I don't always use them, but if a show needs tightened it is almost always a big help. If we are doing a musical everything is double time except the production numbers.

http://www.castbuilding.com
http://www.theatrestation.com

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jdlewallen
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Posted: 1/14/07 at 10:53pm

I have done the speed line-throughs for every Shakespearean production I have been in, but not for others. Main reason for doing it with Shakespeare is to pick up the pace so actors don't drag it out and so the audience gets bored.

Don't know that I see a need for it in other productions, though.

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whitebat
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Posted: 8/14/07 at 12:01am

I think whether a "brush-up" rehearsal is worthwhile might depend on the run of your show. Our defunct CT used to do two weekends. I think one was Thurs-Fri-Sat and the other Fri-Sat-Sun matinee. As one of the younger cast members, I watched adults fool around during the rehearsals between performances. This group was horrible for playing pranks during rehearsal and the closing performance. Very unprofessional. It hasn't come up since we've been doing a one weekend run. Of course, defunct CT used to recruit actors down at the local bar, which may have had something to do with the caliber of performance.

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bbpchick
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Posted: 8/15/07 at 11:38pm

I think I might steal the lines in a dark room idea too! That sounds like a good alternative to a speed through.

As for brush ups...I have a story that puts them firmly in my schedule. This last spring we did "The Fantasticks" and I was them mute (best part I've ever had by they way...no lines and onstage the entire time hehe) I missed one pick up rehersal for other duties of the theater (I'm on the board and representative to the county and publicity chariman). That Friday was THE WORST show I personally have ever done in my entire time being an actor. I was tripping over things, and just off. I didn't miss any of my cues or anything like that....I was just off. I think when you have a good 4 days between performances it is a big help just to run though the show.

As for the "anything goes" attitude at the end of a run...that is totally unacceptable. Leave that for highschool. The audience pays to see a good show and it is totally uncool and disrespectful to give them anything less. Plus word will get out, and pretty soon, you won't have anyone show up for closing night.

Kendra
www.murphysblackbartplayers.com
You are NEVER too old to dress up!

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Running Your Theater
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Author	Message
eveharrington Celebrity Joined: 8/28/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 198	Posted: 9/08/06 at 1:15am
	a speed rehearsal is a great compromise between a full rehearsal and a night off, tell the cast to see how quickly they can complete the script, it makes it fun, and quick, and it is excellent for confidence in knowing your lines. Also in case anyone is still wondering, Sun. matinees are always the worst at our CT for attendance and performance energy.
	"If nothing else, there's applause... like waves of love pouring over the footlights."
	IP Logged

VPA1 Star Joined: 10/20/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 54	Posted: 10/25/06 at 12:38pm
	Speed rehearsals? As a director, I dislike them as I believe they create sloppiness in the ensuing performances. I do believe, however, that having more than three successive days off will also create problems...my solution was to offer a Thursday,7 PM showtime performance for students...$5. We have a real audience, we make a couple bucks, less pressure for a perfect performance and the cast his home one hour earlier.
	IP Logged

Linda S Celebrity Joined: 4/16/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 312	Posted: 10/25/06 at 2:22pm
	Good idea. Mind if I steal it? I think it is the perfect solution to bridging that gap between Saturday and Friday. Linda
	IP Logged

suzecue1 Star Joined: 9/19/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 90	Posted: 10/25/06 at 3:11pm
	I've done the speed rehearsals. They are fun, but I don't know how much they help. The last show I directed we did a "lines-only" rehearsal in a completely dark room. NOT as a prelude to opening night, but during tech week. You sit in a dark room, with your eyes closed, so you can imagine where you are and what you are doing at that moment to keep concentration on your lines. It was fabulous. It really makes you think about what (and why) you are saying. It did wonders for some weaker characters. After the cast quit laughing at the new experience, they all settled in and loved it. Now I will do it everytime I direct.
	Sue ***** So many hats.....so few heads!
	IP Logged

Nanette Celebrity Joined: 8/01/06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 399	Posted: 10/27/06 at 6:17pm
	I love the idea of a "lines-only in a dark room". I've done the "speed through" when we've first gotten a script and that's been great ... but never try it with a multi-age group of kids (especially those little ones who can't read ... YIKES). I'm going to "liberate" the lines-only, though, Sue.
	In a world of margarine, be butter!
	IP Logged

Theatrestation Star Joined: 11/10/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 65	Posted: 10/28/06 at 8:00pm
	We call ours a "double time" rehearsal. I don't always use them, but if a show needs tightened it is almost always a big help. If we are doing a musical everything is double time except the production numbers.
	http://www.castbuilding.com http://www.theatrestation.com
	IP Logged

jdlewallen Player Joined: 1/11/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 18	Posted: 1/14/07 at 10:53pm
	I have done the speed line-throughs for every Shakespearean production I have been in, but not for others. Main reason for doing it with Shakespeare is to pick up the pace so actors don't drag it out and so the audience gets bored. Don't know that I see a need for it in other productions, though.
	IP Logged

whitebat Celebrity Joined: 8/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 137	Posted: 8/14/07 at 12:01am
	I think whether a "brush-up" rehearsal is worthwhile might depend on the run of your show. Our defunct CT used to do two weekends. I think one was Thurs-Fri-Sat and the other Fri-Sat-Sun matinee. As one of the younger cast members, I watched adults fool around during the rehearsals between performances. This group was horrible for playing pranks during rehearsal and the closing performance. Very unprofessional. It hasn't come up since we've been doing a one weekend run. Of course, defunct CT used to recruit actors down at the local bar, which may have had something to do with the caliber of performance.
	IP Logged

bbpchick Star Joined: 7/17/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 86	Posted: 8/15/07 at 11:38pm
	I think I might steal the lines in a dark room idea too! That sounds like a good alternative to a speed through. As for brush ups...I have a story that puts them firmly in my schedule. This last spring we did "The Fantasticks" and I was them mute (best part I've ever had by they way...no lines and onstage the entire time hehe) I missed one pick up rehersal for other duties of the theater (I'm on the board and representative to the county and publicity chariman). That Friday was THE WORST show I personally have ever done in my entire time being an actor. I was tripping over things, and just off. I didn't miss any of my cues or anything like that....I was just off. I think when you have a good 4 days between performances it is a big help just to run though the show. As for the "anything goes" attitude at the end of a run...that is totally unacceptable. Leave that for highschool. The audience pays to see a good show and it is totally uncool and disrespectful to give them anything less. Plus word will get out, and pretty soon, you won't have anyone show up for closing night.
	Kendra www.murphysblackbartplayers.com You are NEVER too old to dress up!
	IP Logged

Topic: Opening Nights( Topic Closed)
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