Tech Schedule

[Debra P. Holmes]

Hi folks!

I've come into a dysfunctional theatre department where the last TD stopped, among other things, doing tech. I'm doing my best to bring the department back to functional (mostly by doing an actual design, holding shop hours, and cleaning/organizing the shop).

Do you have a typical tech schedule that you follow?

Thanks!

Debra

 

[Colin]

Yikes! From the website it looks like you are a very small department, perhaps combined with music, and perhaps without a discrete major for theatre? Makes me wonder, will it be a challenge to implement improvements due to pushback from people not used to tech process, or does everyone realize it was going poorly and want a change? And is the typical schedule in your space open enough to add tech time without fighting with other groups?

My department does a paper or dry tech on a Friday afternoon/evening, followed by 10 out of 12s on Saturday and Sunday, and then three evening dress rehearsals leading up to a Thursday opening. We'll sometimes start one day earlier if we're doing a musical or something else that's very demanding of both the lighting and sound designer, because I'm typically doing both so it's more efficient to get one design at a time "on its feet" before we start going cue to cue with all elements in unison. We run for two weeks with shows Thursday through Saturday, and will do a brush-up on the Wednesday of week 2, which is sometimes just a line-through with cast and SM, or may be a full tech run if the particular show demands it (musical with a student A1, definitely).

Load-ins for plays are typically very generous - always at least two weeks blocked off prior to tech. For dance we piece together a half day at a time over the week prior to tech, sharing with music ensembles who also rehearse and perform in the space that week. Then a late night call on a Friday to install dance floor and place booms set aside to accommodate the acoustic shell. We don't do dry tech for dance. Lighting design works with rehearsal video in advance and then it's just a weekend of 30-90 minute tech slots for each piece in the show, during which we might build light cues while choreographers do spacing, then go cue to cue, then run 1-3 times and move on. So we don't see a full run of a dance show until the Monday dress.

 

[Debra P. Holmes]

Hi Colin,

We have a couple of majors and have just gotten a BA in Theatre (concentration in acting). We are combined with music (so do a musical and an opera, plus 2 plays and directing projects). So I'm not just dealing with the theatre director, but the musical director and the director of the opera (who don't know much about theatre).

Well, I am having the "I'm used to doing it all myself because the former TD sucked" kind of push back. (While he used to be really great, something happened in his personal life and he just stopped caring - should have retired at that point) I believe everyone realizes that changes must be made and they are really happy I'm here to make them. It just catches them off guard because they've been without proper tech guidance for so long. Like the director does the costumes and props (which I'm trying to "take away" from her).

Just a horror story for my first musical here - Saturday is homecoming, so I can't have tech. Sunday the musical director is out of town until the morning, so I can't have tech until 7:30 pm. Yeah, not ideal. I'm trying to avoid that for the next shows and am trying to get some "other theatre's do it this way" back-up to present to the director folks.

Luckily I don't have dance here, so I don't have to do the floor or the dance "pole" lighting.

Thanks!

Debra

 

[Mike R]

For another example of how other theaters do it, here is my typical tech schedule at the LORT Theater I work at:

Week 1
Monday - Lighting Load-in Over Stage
Tuesday-Friday - Set and Lighting Load-In
Friday - Typically has a designer run, Lighting Focus

Week 2
Monday - Actors off for Equity, Continue Load-In/Set Dressing
Tuesday - Staging, followed by Quiet Time
Wednesday-Saturday - 8/10 Tech Rehearsals
Sunday - First Preview

Week 3
Tuesday-Thursday - Previews
Friday - Opening Night

We follow this up with 2 or 3 weeks of shows, before moving on to the next show.

This may likely be more time than most Universities allow, but thought it could be helpful to see other examples as well!

 

[Debra P. Holmes]

Thanks, Mike!

Debra

 

[macsound]

IN my theatre experience, we're renting the space, so any time were in the building we're paying, as well as evenings being more expensive if there isn't a show.
Sunday 5pm Load-in, no setup
Monday Load in all day, actors stage tour during carp and elec dinner break
Tuesday Focus and Build set during 9-5. Stumblethrough w/o orchestra 6-10p
Wednesday Continue focus and build 9-5. Cue to Cue for Sets, orchestra pickups and tough costume changes 6-11p
Thursday Set and lighting cue to cue 9-5. Full runthrough 6-11p
Friday Touchup set and lighting 9-4p. 4-6p lighting only touchups and preshow. 6-7 actors notes. 8pm preview.
Saturday touchup set and lighting 9-5p After 5 is normal preshow for opening night.

Sometimes we move this up by a day if we can loadin on saturday or if we have all of sunday to setup in addition to loadin or if the set is simple, eg Chorus Line.

 

[TimMc]

I think we're missing Debra's issue - her colleagues are dismissive because her predecessor sucked and they got used to defending against incompetence by Taking Tech Into Their Own Hands.

She needs to show them what can and needs to be done in order to get cooperation, but she needs cooperation to show them. Chicken or Egg? Nest on Springer...

 

[Debra P. Holmes]

Thanks, macsound!

Debra

 

[Debra P. Holmes]

Thank you , TimMc!

Yes, my colleagues are seemingly clueless on how theatre works. . . I could list a WHOLE horror story of what goes on in rehearsals. . . I can't snap my fingers and magically give them the knowledge of how "it's" done, although I wish I could. I have to slowly drag them into proper theatre etiquette and common practices and the rest.

I really appreciate y'alls help in outlining how others do tech, this gives me some back-up for my need of a correct tech schedule. I keep saying that I need Saturday and they keep saying, "yes, tech on Sunday." Just a tiny bit frustrating.

And to make your day, here's a picture of a brick the actors broke ;-)

Debra

 

[TimMc]

Thank you , TimMc!

Yes, my colleagues are seemingly clueless on how theatre works. . . I could list a WHOLE horror story of what goes on in rehearsals. . . I can't snap my fingers and magically give them the knowledge of how "it's" done, although I wish I could. I have to slowly drag them into proper theatre etiquette and common practices and the rest.

I really appreciate y'alls help in outlining how others do tech, this gives me some back-up for my need of a correct tech schedule. I keep saying that I need Saturday and they keep saying, "yes, tech on Sunday." Just a tiny bit frustrating.

And to make your day, here's a picture of a brick the actors broke ;-)

Debra

And if actors can break bricks, is it any wonder we don't let them handle their props until they're in the wings?

 

[MarshallPope]

Here's another example of a tech schedule, from a regional/summerstock house.



Sunday: August 26th, 2018 (Cast Daylight Day of Rest)

 9:00am: SM/TD Walkthrough

 9:30am: SM/Props Walkthrough

 10:00am: Crew Called, Clean and Clear Deck

 11:00am-4:00pm : Dry Tech

 4:00pm-6:00pm : Crew Dinner, Orchestra Rehearsal

 5:00pm: Actors into Mics, Sound Check

 6:00pm: Wandelprobe

 10:00pm: End of Day

 10:10pm: Production Meeting in the House

Overnight Scenic/Lighting/Props notes



Monday: August 27th, 2018

 9:30am: SM/TD Walkthrough

 9:45am: SM/Props Walkthrough

 10:00am: Crew Called, Clean and Clear Deck

 11:00am: Actors into Mics, Tech from the top

 4:00pm-6:00pm: Dinner (Crew back at 5:30pm)

 5:30pm: Crew Called, Clean and Clear Deck

 6:00pm: Actors into Mics, Continue Tech

 11:00pm: End of Day

 11:10pm: Production Meeting in the House

Overnight Scenic/Lighting/Props notes



Tuesday: August 28th, 2018

 9:30am: SM/TD Walkthrough

 9:45am: SM/Props Walkthrough

 10:00am: Crew called, Clean and clear deck

 11:00am: Actors into Mics, Costumes, Continue Tech

 4:00 pm -6:00pm: DINNER (Crew back at 5:30pm)

 5:30pm: Crew Called, Clean and Clear Deck

 6:00pm: Actors into Mics, Continue Tech

 7:30pm: Actor Half Hour, into Costumes

 8:00pm: Dress Rehearsal, Photography/Video

 11:00pm: End of Day

 11:10pm: Production Meeting in the House

Overnight Scenic/Lighting/Props notes



Wednesday: August 29th, 2018

 9:30am: SM/TD Walkthrough

 9:45am: SM/Props Walkthrough

 10:00am: Crew Called, Clean and Clear Deck

 11:00am: Actors into Mics

 12:30pm: Actor Half Hour, into Costumes

 1:00pm: Final Dress

 4:00pm: End of Rehearsal

 6:00pm: Crew Call

 7:00pm: Half Hour

 7:30pm: Opening

 

[Colin]

@Debra P. Holmes one important point others are adding to here, and which we commonly discuss in my department, is that it's valuable to our students to experience a professional model or models, to whatever degree is reasonable given the particular school environment. So a way to approach the conversation, if you need, is to frame the need for an expanded production process as a learning need - it doesn't only apply to people learning tech and design, but also to performers. The work has to be done/endured by everyone on stage and off. If colleagues are taken aback by the depth of the process you suggest, point out how it aligns with professional expectations beyond campus, and how that adds value to the education (to put it in the least confrontational way).

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Colin nails it, and this is a point we have to make regular in our theatre as well, given that we are -- in addition to being a popular rental house -- also the home stage for our music, dance, and drama departments.

Happily, our department heads get the pedagogical value of Running Things Professionally.

 

[Debra P. Holmes]

Thank you all!!! I really appreciate your responses to my dilemma!