COHORT REPORT: THE MOMENTS THAT DEFINE A PLAY

There are moments that define when a play is ready for opening night.

One of these moments is the “Designer Run” performance before moving to the stage. The full play is performed in the rehearsal hall with Director Sean Daniels, designers, MRT staff, and cohorts as the audience. The actors wear more of their costume and use many props in the scenes. At this rehearsal, the original music by Dave Keaton is sprinkled between, and with, the actor’s lines and it is lovely. The play ends, there are soft tears and applause. Now the play can be moved to the stage to begin final rehearsals.


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The SILENT SKY team during tech. Photo by director Sean Daniels.

At the theatre, the next moment is actually a “full tech” all weekend.  The crew doing sound, music, lights and so much more, coordinate their focus on the intricacy of the performance.  Everyone is in awe of the set, furniture of the time and strewn with lights into the audience – it is more than beautiful. While the crew does their magic, the actors are in their fine ladies and gentleman costumes and their props have been set.  The actors walk around on the stage – stretch, whisper, smile – they are clearly ready to perform their roles together.  But, they must wait and wait and wait – all must be perfect before the actors step into their light.  Finally, they are called into place to begin the scene.  There it is – the production that is almost ready for opening night.  And, it is beguiling.

In a few days there will be reviews and then opening night.  It would be best to request tickets for a performance soon: it will be a success.

–Gail Gauthier, Cohort

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Silent Sky runs October 18 – November 12

http://www.mrt.org/sky