Winter Blues? How to Re-Energize Your Rehearsals Mid-Season

It’s obvious: We’re in the dog days of winter. It’s cold, it’s bleak, and you may be feeling a bit of the winter blues. And if you are feeling a bit lackluster and uninspired, your cast and crew at rehearsals probably are, too.

In the doldrums of winter, maintaining enthusiasm and energy for your upcoming shows is paramount to your theatre’s success. It helps ward off seasonal depression, keeps your rehearsal schedule on track, and gives you and your team something to look forward to. If you’ve noticed a dip in morale and enthusiasm during rehearsals this winter, On The Stage offers a few tips to re-energize your cast and crew mid-season. 

How To Re-Energize Your Rehearsals

Looking to give your rehearsals a metaphorical shot of espresso? Try one (or more) of the following.

Recognize the Signs of Winter Fatigue

Winter fatigue, also called seasonal depression, happens when a lack of vitamin D and an influx of dreary, dull weather causes a low mood. The first step in fixing that issue is to recognize the signs in yourself and your cast and crew. Some symptoms include:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Tiredness
• Feelings of guilt and hopelessness
• Irritability
• Sleep issues – either getting too much or not enough 
• Weight gain
• Increased sleepiness
• Depression

The best armor is knowledge, right? Right! So, once you spot these signs, it’s time to get proactive! 

Shake Up Your Rehearsals Routine

Perhaps one of the reasons your team is experiencing the winter blues is that things are a little, well, boring. You arrive, do the same warm-ups, perform the same scenes, wind down, then leave. Yawn.

Re-engage your cast and crew by shaking up your rehearsal schedule. A few ways to do so include:

• Deviating from the regular order of operations to keep actors on their toes
• Playing dynamic improvisation games to get the laughs going
• Taking a day to skip regular rehearsals and instead work on a different piece of theatre or a fun dance number
• Having a movie day or field trip to raise morale 
• Jumping on social media trends and spending rehearsals filming a silly video

Remember – you may be on track in rehearsals, but you don’t want progress to come at the cost of mental health. Sacrificing one rehearsal day will be worth seeing your team smiling again!

Celebrate Small Wins

During rehearsals, notes and constructive criticism are normal parts of the process – but your team may feel a little discouraged if that’s all they hear. Remember, acknowledging progress, no matter how little, is incredibly important for team morale. 

So, make sure you’re celebrating those small wins throughout your rehearsals. A few ways to do so include:

• Acknowledging that a team member took a note and improved during rehearsals themselves
• Combining notes and praise at the end of rehearsals 
• Hosting a quick “awards” ceremony during rehearsals for “most improved” or “best progress” and other unique designations for different team members 
• Displaying progress updates on social media so the community can see how hard your team is working 

Create Themed Rehearsals

Let’s be real: Theatre kids love a theme. So why not take that knowledge and add a theme to rehearsals? Spruce up your rehearsal space with winter-themed or Valentine’s Day-themed decor. If you want to get more involved, bring winter-themed or Valentine’s Day-themed snacks.

Encourage cast members to exchange snowball notes or encourage them to send Valentine’s to one another. All in all, leaning into a theme is a great way to shake off those winter blues and show your cast and crew that you care! 

Refocus on the Big Picture

Another great way to re-energize your cast and crew is by reminding them of the big picture that your show represents. They may be bogged down in the details and are getting the excitement of opening night and the rush of performing. A few ways to refocus on the big picture include: 

• Reminding the cast and crew of the production’s main purpose and goals
• Showing your cast and crew videos of older performances to remind them of how great performing really is 
• Sharing inspiring stories about the show’s themes or past productions to reignite passion
• Going around in a circle and asking each actor and crew member what they’re most excited about

Prioritize Self-Care and Mental Health

As the captain of your proverbial ship, it’s your responsibility to emphasize the importance of self-care and mental health to your team. Make sure you are focusing on recharging outside rehearsals. 

A few ways to do so include:

• Getting adequate sleep
• Prioritizing a good diet
• Stretching and warming up/cooling down before and after rehearsals
• Limiting screen time and “doom scrolling” 
• Making time for friends and family 
• Hydrating consistently 

And remember: Flexibility and compassion during tough times are key. Stay warm and patient with your team, and they will return the favor. 

Lean on Your Community

When you’re sad, leaning on others is a surefire way to feel better. So, why not get your community involved in your theatre to banish the winter blues?

A few ways to do so include:

• Encouraging other directors to involve their theatre’s community for support
• Hosting a mid-season potluck or gathering and asking other remembers of your community to get involved or bring a dish 
• Seeing feedback or new ideas from peers and theatre networks for ways to re-engage your team

How On The Stage Can Help 

Coming out of a mid-winter slump can be hard – but anything is possible with the right partner and tools.

That’s where On The Stage (OTS) comes in. OTS empowers thousands of organizations with ticketing, box office, marketing, fundraising, and reporting tools in one robust platform – for free – giving them the technology needed to control their own operational and financial destiny. 

Just a few of the many perks of OTS include:

• Outstanding Customer Satisfaction – With dedicated account managers and accessible customer and patron support available in real-time, coupled with pro-active communications and resources, it’s no wonder our average customer satisfaction score is a 9.2, and customers regularly refer their network to use OTS.
• Proven Theatre Industry Expertise – Founded by Tony and Olivier Award-winning producer Hunter Arnold, OTS makes Broadway-caliber tools accessible to all performing arts organizations regardless of budget or size.
• Investment in Innovation – Our team of experts continuously innovates, always keeping our customers top of mind. We regularly release features and software updates to help our customers stay ahead of industry shifts, drive revenue, and create professional experiences.
• No Cost to Your Organization – We only charge a small per-ticket fee that most customers pass on to their ticket buyers. With this approach, you can access our entire platform at no additional cost.
• Hands-On Support – Consultative Account Managers are assigned to every account to help maximize the return on time investment.
• Consolidated All-In-One Platform – Seamlessly replace separate and costly technologies and licenses with our all-in-one ticket sales and theatre management platform, saving you time and money. 
• Customer-Focused Product Development – Taking a collaborative approach, our customers always have a seat at the table to help drive our product innovation.
• A Robust, Yet User-Friendly Interface – Everything we build is with our customers’ needs top of mind. It’s our mission to democratize Broadway-caliber technology, making it accessible to performing arts organizations of all sizes. 

If you’re ready to get out of that mid-winter hump and re-energize your theatre, book a personalized demo with On The Stage today.