We don't call it Hell Week for nuthin...

Ah...tech week. The week where we add technology, new props, the set - and where all the actors are drained from weeks of rehearsal and disrupted sleep cycles. I swear, by the time opening night comes, we're all running on pure adrenalin.

But I gotta give it up for the set builders - last night, after we finished rehearsal at 10:00 pm, a few dedicated volunteers stayed on to continue constructing the set. Thanks, guys!! When the set is gorgeous, we'll know who to thank.

Tonight is dress rehearsal...keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't go well!! (More on that tomorrow.)

It's starting to look like a living room...

The motto of set construction day two was: Don't worry, we have until Thursday. The set it coming together, piece by piece. Today we added the french windows and several walls, plus we started painting. The basics were in place for us to have rehearsal tonight - for the first time, we were actually able to walk up stairs. It was very exciting.

It's getting late and, like a good little actress in tech week, I'm going to get some rest. Here are some photos of today's construction for your viewing pleasure.

Chris was very confident in his sawing skills...

...so much so, that he asked me to be on hand to record his final words. Luckily, it never came to that.

Set construction - we make it look easy

From now on, when someone suggests a show, my first question is going to be, "How complex is the set?" Arsenic and Old Lace is a great show, but the set is kinda nuts: two working doors, two sets of stairs, one working window big enough for actors to walk through, a cellar door that lets actors escape...and only one weekend to put it all together. It's a good thing we're in good hands. Our set designers know what they're doing...or at least, they're good at acting like it.

Here's some photos from the first day of set construction in the Rylander. Don't worry, it will all get done by opening night. It always does, somehow!

The star of the show...he was a bit of a diva, didn't help with the construction at all.

John Parks (far right), aka The Man With The Plan, supervises.

The staircase will be nice and sturdy for Teddy.

More tomorrow...there's still a lot of work to be done!!

Oooh, the technology

Local photographer Steffan Hacker donated his talents to create this multimedia slideshow. Behold: Arsenic and Old Lace, The Rehearsals! Doesn't it look like an amazing show? Tell your friends!!

All photos were taken in our rehearsal space, the Experimental Theater at Georgia Southwestern State University.

Click play to start.


(click bottom right to view full screen)

Mmmmmm...pizza

Tonight was one of the best rehearsals we've had in weeks. Why, you ask? Free pizza, of course! What better motivation tool is there than to know that at the end of the night lies free pizza, courtesy of Pat's Place. Thanks, Pat, for the food and the inspiration!

In other news, the countdown begins...T-minus 7 days and counting...

APB: If you're interested in volunteering to help Sumter Players, getting your hands dirty, or - best of all - both, come on down to the Rylander Theater this weekend and help with set construction! We'll be there starting at 9:00 a.m. (yes, a.m.) on Saturday, Sept 6 and at 2:00 pm on Sunday, Sept 7. It's a rather complex set - your help will be very much appreciated!

Line?

Ah, the joys of memorizing lines. It's really an odd thing, when you think about it: retaining a specific sequence of words in your mind for a definite period of time - or sometimes indefinite (I, for one, can still remember all the prepositions, a list I memorized when I was in 7th grade). But, odd or not, it's hard to put on a play without memorizing your lines.

Different actors use different methods to memorize lines. Some learn by reading them over and over, some by hearing them. When I was in high school, I'd gather my castmates around my karaoke machine (yes, I had a karaoke machine in the 1990s - you're jealous) to make a recording (on a cassette tape, of course), then listen to the recording over and over and over.

Sadly, I don't have that karaoke machine anymore, and thus cannot use my old method. Anyone got any great suggestions on surefire methods for memorizing lines? Seriously...we'd love to hear them!

Arsenic and Old Lace rehearsals moving right along

Whew! This is my first time acting in a non-musical production of Sumter Players, and I gotta say, it's moving along quickly! I guess things are a bit faster when you don't have to worry about choreography and music. And when there aren't 50 people in the cast.

The cast is already off-book (mostly...), and tonight we move into the Rylander Theater. We've started using props and costumes are coming along piece by piece. Everything looks to be on track for opening night on September 11!

Insider's note: Did you know that the word "elderberry" can be a bit of a tongue-twister? The cast is still trying to wrap our mouths around that one...