What is ‘Hell Week’ and what does it have to do with musicals?
Tech Week: A hellish time in which one learns to hate the entrappings of a theatre
It’s 9pm. I have just finished my final class of the day in Scott Hall and I am ready to go home, study for an exam and go to bed.
As are the 48 members of The Livingston Theatre Company’s Production of Anything Goes.
Not so lucky for them, they are working in the Livingston Student Center from 6.30pm – 1am. Why are they working so late? Because it’s tech week.
According to the unofficial Musical Theatre dictionary, “tech week,” a noun, is “a hellish time in which one learns to hate the entrappings of a theatre.” A synonym for “tech week” performers, crew members and pit members are very fond of is “Hell Week.”
Director Alex Albanese (Left) and Assistant Director Rachel Appleton (Right) taking notes while watching a “full-run” of the show.
As amusing as this definition is, it still doesn’t satisfy my questions. What is “tech week?” Why is it called “Hell Week?” And why is it a part of the process of putting on a musical?
I reached out to the Livingston Theatre Company to ask if I could visit one of their tech week nights. They were kind enough to oblige.
I took an LX to the Livingston Student Center. I entered the space – the huge room in the student center used for New Student Orientation – at 9.18pm. I walked in from the side door, only to realize I had let myself into the backstage area.
I was immediately greeted by fourteen musicians warming up on nine different instruments. I was mesmerized by the focused chaos exhibited by the crew members as they ran around putting tape on the stage and asking questions to one another as they were lifting and moving different set pieces.
As I made my way from backstage to the audience, I encountered a sea of actors stretching, singing and saying tongue twisters, reading and curling their hair. Every actor was doing at least two of the aforementioned things at the same time.
Once I made it into the audience, I found the director, junior Alex Albanese. Alex is a Theater Arts major with a minor in Music. He is also a member of Livingston Theatre Company and Cabaret Theatre. Once I found him, I began my research.
Alex Albanese, Director
What does the director do exactly?
I am the “captain” of the production. So, I’m in charge of creating the vision for the show, picking the people – both production staff and cast – to help bring my vision to life, rehearsing them, going through character crafting and much more.
What does tech week mean for you?
Tech week is when everything starts to fall together.
It’s an exhilarating few days to get the set up, painted and fully functional, costumes, hair, make-up and props are in full swing and the actors getting used to the complete flip from being on a level floor to a two tier stage.
Yeah, we go late, but that’s what we do for our craft.
What about tech week is exciting for you?
Tech week in itself is just exciting. It’s when the vision comes to the full life that it was intended to be. When the actors, production staff, pit, running crew, lighting and sound crew are all working their tails off to get this show up, and all the hard work is creating the excitement for the run.
Does anything make you nervous, anxious, or scared about tech week?
Naturally, I’m a worrier. When I see something that’s changed or things that don’t happen that have happened, or anything that’s straying from the plan in my brain – like not starting on time – I freak out. Usually, that doesn’t bother me when I’m in the cast, but on the other side, it freaks me out since there are so many other things to do. But with this group, we’ve been efficient in getting things done, and I couldn’t be happier.
Next, I decided to talk to someone backstage. I found Stage Manager Gabby Talvacchia, a sophomore double majoring in History and Political Science.
Gabby Talvacchia, Stage Manager
What does the Stage Manager do?
I am responsible for the action behind-the-scenes. I make sure that all logistics of the set, props, actors and costumes run as smoothly as possible. Stage managers are the problem solvers of productions.
What does tech week mean for you?
Tech week is a stage manager’s time to shine. Up until this point, there is a lot of planning and writing things down. Tech week is when we take these plans and put them into action. We finally get to oversee the running crew doing scene changes, as well as dealing with any bumps in the road. I am also a shoulder to cry on.
What about tech week is exciting for you?
I get to do what I have been preparing to do for three months now.
Does anything make you nervous, anxious, or scared about tech week?
Just that it means we are almost at opening night.
After speaking with Gabby I went into the dressing room to find some performers.
What I was most surprised by, other than the colorful costuming, hair and make up of the performers, was how much work they were doing during their “down time” while they were waiting to go on stage.
Elise Bender, Sophomore, a Supply Chain Management Major, studying for an exam this week.
Loretta Adams, Sophomore, a Theatre Arts Major and Business Administration Minor, reading a text for class.
Mary Berko, Junior, a Journalism Media Studies Major, trying to register for classes like the rest of us.
Backstage, I met junior Daniela Stefanelli, a Psychology major.
Daniela Stefanelli, “Virtue”
What is your role in this production?
I am playing Virtue, son of the Angels.
What does tech week mean for you?
Tech week means a lot of excitement with a little but of stress. But also, a lot of fun.
What about tech week is exciting for you?
This tech week is exciting for me because this is my first time in an LTC production as a performer. I’m really just excited to get on a stage and perform. It is so much better to be on a stage than in a rehearsal space.
Does anything make you nervous, anxious, or scared about tech week?
I am nervous for my exam tomorrow that I haven’t started studying for.
I thanked Daniela for her time and made my way to the very back of the house, where the sound and light board lives. There I found Dalton Zogleman, a senior Theatre Arts major.
Dalton Zogleman, Choreographer/Technical Director/Lighting Designer
What is your role in this production?
I am the choreographer, technical director and now I’m the lighting designer.
What does that entail?
As choreographer, I am in charge of creating and teaching the dance and movement of the musical numbers. As tech director, I have worked with the director to come up with a set design for the show and implement these designs.
I lead the set builds before tech week, as well as the final construction of the set in our space in the student center. And as light designer, it is my job to create the light landscape of the show. I figure out where to hang and focus each light for each scene.
What does tech week mean for you?
Hell.
What about tech week is exciting for you?
To see all this hard work manifest in a physical form. I like looking at the final product and saying, “I made that. We made that.”
Does anything make you nervous, anxious, or scared about tech week?
Getting everything done in time.
Dalton Zogleman (Left) working with the board operator, Shira Wasserman, Sophomore, a Psychology Major (Right) on lighting cues.
When the cast and crew went off break, I made my way over to the orchestra and met Trey Shore, a senior Music Education major.
Trey Shore, Co-Music Director
What is your role in this production?
I am one of the Co-Music Directors.
What does that entail?
Making sure every sound is beautiful and what Cole Porter intended, as well as making it line up with what I, Lauren (the other Co-Music Director), Alex and Brenna (the Artistic Director) have in mind.
What does tech week mean for you?
Tech week is my favorite part of the process because we have worked so hard and had so many late nights for the last three months. Tech Week is the magic of bringing all of it together with our set, costume, music, lights, sound and the performers. Tech week is performing for yourself, without an audience.
What about tech week is exciting for you?
Giving myself completely to the show. Completely, 100 percent to the show.
Does anything make you nervous, anxious, or scared about tech week?
You get anxious about everyone else’s anxieties.
There you have it. Tech week is adding every possible aspect of a show, performers, lights, sound, costume, set changes, props and make-up the week the show opens.
Livingston Theatre Company is putting on Anything Goes in the Livingston Student Center 11/12 at 8pm , 11/13 at 2pm and 8pm and 11/14 at 2pm. Tickets can be bought at the door or online. Come out to see this fabulous production after all the hard work of everyone involved.