2/23/2014 Tech and the Toll that the Simple Act of Sitting can take

We started Tech Week for my show today. 

If you are not familiar with the theatre, Tech Week is the week before opening  play - it is also known in some circles as Hell Week. . You have been rehearsing actors and musicians for weeks, now it's time to add the costumes that the costumer has been working to finish , and the set is done by now(though we were lucky to have most of it a week ago), and adding props as they are procured ( this show has a SIX PAGE Props list - that is VERY large. )

And this day, known as a ten out of twelve, is the day we spend all day together at the theatre putting sound and light to the play. It takes a lot of hard work and time, especially for a show with a lot of lighting and sound cues. Our lighting board does not program easily, so it took extra time... still, we were only there eleven hours. Bless 'em!!

I have mentioned the fact that, being in the band, we are situated on a small stair landing - about 8x8 feet - which accomodates four people, a guitar, a standing bass, a violin and a mandolin; three music stands and our stools. That is what you call COZY! 

Today, I was able to sit in a pretty comfortable padded theatre chair on the set - it was more comfortable, but not nearly tall enough .The rail and my music stand(Not height adjustable) blocked out more than half the stage for me, which is bad, as I give most of the musica cues, the others having to look at their sheet music. 

The stool I was sitting on was just too hard. I even duct taped a cushion to it... a modicum of improvement... still m hips hurt a LOT after last night's rehearsal, and my bum was hamburger. (That can stop ANY time. ) 

So, now the trick is going to be to find a comfortable chair or stool which is tall enough to let me see and be seen over the rail. 

I have to say that after the first few hours ( of ELEVEN!) , we were getting antsy up there on our little platform. By dinner we were about crazy - i was taking every opportunity I possibly could to get up, stretch, etc... but my feet were blowing up like balloons, and my hips hurt SO MUCH. 

We went to dinner - delicious food brought by many, plus burritos from Dos Coyotes (I ate the filling - hioping not to get gluten contamination from the tortillas) and other tasty items. I baked sunflower butter cookies this morning to take. They didn't have time to cool, so they looked a litle like poo, but DANG they were good! 

I digress... 

After dinner, we were downright punchdrunk up there. SO much down time waiting for cues to be set, and two you guys, one a restless compulsive talker/fidgeter and one 15 - on either side of me noodling around on their instruments out of habit. I HAD to ask them to stop. a LOT. no harsh words, and they took it well, but dear god. the Cacaphony. 

I was able to fimnally just get up and wander around the set between scenes, and I fanally just lay down on the set and put my swollen feet in the air, and stretched a lot and did a lot of my PT exercises. I felt MUCH beter when I went home, even after 11 hours. *whew*. 

Now, I just need the damn chair! 

Thank heavens the next show has me on my feet more.  It's been a LONG time since those words uttered forth from me!! 

OK- off to bed - I am exhausted. 

Boa Noite!