Packing Up and Moving On

Last night was our last rehearsal in our rehearsal space. The next time we all meet as a cast, it will be in the actual theater where the performances will take place.

It's funny - I remember the first time I was in a play that had to rehearse somewhere other than the actual performance space. I was all kinds of annoyed at how inconvenient that was and worried that things would feel different once we got into the theater and irritated that we had to re-block things once we got in there. Since then, I've learned that doing storefront theater in Chicago, being able to rehearse in your performance space is more of a luxury than the norm, and really, you just have to deal with it. That's how the performance spaces keep shows going year-round, and how they are able to pay their rent. When one show closes, the next one moves in and opens. And this happens quickly because you rehearse elsewhere.

There are all kinds of things that can be done in a rehearsal space to try to make it as close to the performance space as possible, but it's never going to be the same as the actual performance space. You can put tape on the floor to denote the stage or stairs or other various levels. You can bring in rehearsal furniture and rehearsal costumes and rehearsal props so you're almost there. As an actor, these things are important because you start to kind of get the feel of things and you develop a sense of comfort and familiarity with the rehearsal space that allows you to grow and play and explore the script.

Last night was our last rehearsal in our rehearsal space. I did not expect it to be such a sad parting.

Yes, we are tired of having a wall in the middle of our "stage." Yes, we are tired of using the behemoth of a table instead of what our actual table will be. Yes, we would like to see what things look like when we have actual levels and when the stage entrance doorway is there. But I've grown to love that space. To love our taped-down stage markings. To enjoy taking that side-step to avoid slamming into the wall. In creating a comfortable space that allows us to play and grow and explore, we created a home. Last night, we had to say goodbye to that.  We pulled up the tape from the floor, pushed the table and chairs back to their pre-rehearsal living spaces, and packed up our props to move to the performance space for tech on Sunday. I didn't think it was going to make me so sad, but walking down the hallway, leaving that building for the last time in our rehearsal process made me sad. I've had a great time there.

That's not to say there isn't a lot of fun still to be had. The show opens next weekend, so we still have a week of tech and a full performance run to get through. This project is not over by a long shot. We're just moving to the next phase of it. It's exciting and I can't wait to have an audience see it in all of it's glory. I just want to say a quick thank you and goodbye to the space that has been our home for the past five weeks. Thank you for helping us make this production amazing!