In the theatre world, tech week is one beast that’s tough to conquer – whether you’re a school program, community theatre, or professional non-equity entity. Yes, it will be fast-paced; yes, it will be stressful; and yes, mistakes will happen. That’s the beauty of live theatre!
That being said, there are plenty of ways to ensure your tech week runs smoothly and that your transition to opening night is flawless (or close enough to it). On The Stage (OTS) offers a checklist to help you prepare for tech week and all the magic that comes after.
We know, we know – telling you to plan ahead isn’t exactly groundbreaking advice. But it’s on every tech week checklist for a reason!
Set a small amount of time aside throughout the rehearsal period to better prepare you for the final countdown. You can create a detailed tech week schedule with objectives to hit and goals to strive for. You can create task lists for your cast and crew ahead of time, so no one’s scrambling to fill a role at the last minute.
During rehearsals, you should also brainstorm contingency plans and backups in case goals aren’t met by tech week. This will help create a smoother transition if larger show changes have to be made.
Additionally, any paperwork you may need to file or organize should be done long before tech week begins. The last thing you want to do is worry about boring logistics when you’re also trying to nail the finale.
If you follow advice piece No. 1, you should already have a fairly strict schedule in place when tech week begins. You may be tempted to deviate from that schedule as the week progresses … but the formula for success is sticking to the plans. If you stay too long on one particular scene or number, the rest of the show will suffer, and the entire schedule will be thrown off. This will lead to lackluster portions of your show, a confused cast and crew, and general chaos.
Whether you’re working with students, local actors, or professional teams, you need to arm them with the tools to succeed. This means communicating your expectations for everyone from the get-go and ensuring they can reach the goals you’re setting.
Sit down before tech week begins and explain the schedule to your team in detail. If they have any questions, concerns, comments, or suggestions, now is the time to make those known. In short, you want everyone on your team on the same page all week long – not wondering what’s coming next or stressed about outcomes.
The best way to become and stay as efficient as possible is to ensure that every person on your team knows what they should be doing at all times.
Sit down with your tech team, box office team, marketing team, actors, crew members, and any other groups helping out to go over their exact roles for the week ahead. Not only will this set them up for success, but it will also deter unnecessary questions for you during arguably the most stressful week of the entire process. Win-win!
During tech week, it can be hard to remember to eat, let alone remember all your lines, notes, and choreography. As the leader of your production, make sure you emphasize the importance of physical and mental health.
For the physical aspect, make sure you’re leading warm-ups and cool-downs, encouraging healthy eating and limiting screen time, as well as plenty of water consumption and sleep. If an actor or crew member feels poorly, don’t push them to rehearse or overwork themselves. Not only could they worsen just in time for opening night, but they could also get other members of your team sick.
For the mental aspect, make sure you’re established yourself as a safe harbor for your team members who are feeling burned out, stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. Encourage open communication, and don’t be afraid to walk away for a moment to collect yourself if you feel you’re entering a bad headspace. At the end of the day, this experience should be a positive, fun-filled one – so ensure you’re setting the right tone.
Remember – you are not an island, and not every single component of your show is your responsibility. After all, even with the most careful planning, you’ll likely encounter some issues and delays during tech week.
That’s why utilizing your delegation skills is crucial during tech week. There will likely be several fires, so delegate the smaller ones to your team members and tackle the major and most urgent ones yourself. This way, you can put your entire effort into fixing one issue as opposed to half your attention on a million things. This will help everyone feel less overwhelmed and more like they’re in total control of the success of your show.
Yes, tech week can cause a knot to form in your stomach. It can be scary, and it’s certainly a challenge. But instead of entering the week with trepidation, you and your team can view it as a learning opportunity, helping to make you all better teammates and theatremakers.
Recognize your strengths as a team, highlight your weaknesses, work together, seek feedback, and be proud of your product you’re making. That’s the true recipe for success!
During tech week and beyond, you’ll probably need a partner to manage all the logistics—from ticket sales to marketing strategies, program creation, fundraising efforts, and so much more. That’s where On The Stage (OTS) comes in.
OTS offers helpful resources, such as our Director’s Ultimate Guide to Tech Week Success, and a full suite of best-in-class tools to elevate the patron experience:
So what are you waiting for? Partner with OTS today by booking a personalized demo.