Sometimes it’s just the little moments away from the stage that one appreciates the most.
I’m remembering a time when I was an Actor/Techie. Rehearsals and builds were always fun in their own way, but it was the time away in which we really bonded. In high school we’d head to dinner after rehearsal or randomly go to a movie on a Tuesday night, in College we’d head to the dorms and hang out in someone’s room or if it was getting towards tech we’d spend the night hanging lights or painting the set (actors would do this).
In the UK and Ireland, bonding happens in the pub, after a day of work, a night or rehearsal or long meeting everyone put aside their fighting or frustrations and go to the pub down the street for a drink and good conversation. This is not something that normally happens in the States and certainly doesn’t happen in high school. But in Dublin, some of my fondest memories with my cast and fellow company members was after rehearsal in Brogan’s Bar (we’d order pizza and some odd food and talk about our lives, and how much we disliked our crazy director). This was the moment we bonded and became better company members.
Some of my fondest memories of my theatre friends and theatre moments happened outside the theatre:
1. Dinner and a movie with Stage Crew
2. sleeping over in the green room in college because going home wasn’t worth it
3. Serial Killer movie night and a walk in the woods
4. Epic Snowball fight in between two shows
5. Different dinner venues before night shows
6. TPing our stage manager’s car after a rehearsal
7. Numerous nights at peoples houses chatting about life, the universe and everything.
Bonding does happen in rehearsal, but the best parts happen after, when the director isn’t breathing down your neck and you are less stressed. I encourage all of you to not only make friends during rehearsal, but spend time with them outside the theatre. You will learn so much more about that amazing person.
Act Out 