While the rest of Boston is out donning their Halloween costumes
this weekend, the Macbeth production team and cast are busy in the
theatre preparing for our own ghostly and murderous event. There's no
time for trick-or-treating when we're knee deep into tech week--as
Claire, fellow Assistant Stage Manager explained, the most crucial time
to prepare the show and bring all the scenic, prop, costume, lighting,
and musical elements together.
We start the day with a lighting session dedicated to bringing the
right mood to each scene. We have volunteers called lightwalkers who
help us by standing in for the different characters while lights are
focused. The lightwalkers are the first outsiders that not only get to
look at the set, but get to climb around on it!
The evenings are our busiest rehearsals. Although we work with the
crew throughout the morning sorting out details, there is a whole new
set of logistics to work out once over 50 singers and actors descend on
the scene. As stage managers, we are responsible for answering most of
the "when," "where," and "how" questions from the cast. While the
director and designers are in the seats of the theatre looking at the
big picture, Claire and I are backstage relaying information and
organizing the most complex moments of the show so that when the
audience arrives, it all runs like clockwork!
--Courtney Rizzo, Assistant Stage Manager
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