Week Four: Last Week and Tech

Today is the last day productions and load out day. The run has gone smoothly and without too much incident. The crew and myself worked well together to make sure that each show went well and according to plan. My involvement with this show has been full of satisfaction and enjoyment. I love this company and it is a fantastic show, and I am looking toward the future with this company and others. Sunday we only have one show ending around 3. AFter the show came down I along with the onther stage hand had to collect props and company property and return it back to the office or storage. That being a big enough task I was given a dinner break before I started helping Tony with strike and load out. The first order of business was the removal of the walls and molding to be thrown out or reused and loaded back onto the truck. The carpet, doors and windows followed and were to be taken to Tony's building partners place of employment. The most daunting task of the night was the strive and removal of that twenty some platforms the set rested on. each platform had to have its legs removed and stored on the truck. Strike went reasonably well, especially since there was four of us working together instead of the usual three or two. I primarly worked with Amanda, Tony's building partener, because we work well together and we can talk about what each of us is doing in our lives. When I work with Amanda, I feel a little more relaxed because I don't think I am being judged as much. Both Tony and Amanda are patient and good teachers but I feel a little more relaxed when I am building or working with Amanda. We loaded out the set, repainted the floor and took the truck to Amandas work. We had to load and unload the majority of the set twice and by the end of the night my wrists felt like they were going to give out. but they didn't and it was possibly the quickets load out I have been apart of.
Another succesful show, an amazing company and good memories. I feel like I am gaining the confidence and experience I need to be a good technician.

Week Three: The Running of the Show

It is the Friday of out third week running this show. It is a fantastic show, the actors are great, the show is really funny and it's only an hour long so the evening doesn't drag on forever. Even though the show has a lot of tricks, crew participation and is so fast paced, each show has gone without a hitch. Norman got hurt last week, his hand was bleeding everywhere on the set and all over his costumes, but once we were able to get a bandage on his wound, the show continued on as planned. My relationship with the actors is very professional, I have more contact with Laura than Norman and as a result I feel more connected to her than Norman. Make no mistake, he is cordial and respective, but we don't have a lot of contact. The other stage hand doesn't have a lot of backstage experience, but he is doing a good job backstage, he worries a ot about what I am doing and my jobs, and I wish he would just worry about what he needs to finish. I think that since he is trying to help me too much that he doesn't complete his preset list as fast as he could, resulting in our stage manager having to open the house a bit later than she would like. I am perfectly capable of completing my preset list and usually in past productions have no one else to help me finish it. My involvment in the show is more technical based, I have control over what happens backstage and how the other stage hands go about themselves, I feel that because I have been with this company for so long that I can speak my mind and take action moreso than if I was newer to a company. I feel comfortable in this company, that I am needed and respected and have never felt judged or looked over, everyone involved in each show makes me feel at home, and that is one reason why I love this company so much.
One more week of performances! One more season almost through!