But we do it anyway. We might complain about rehearsals now and again, but there is no way in hell that we would ever EVER quit a show let alone performing all together. So here are the best tips available on how to get through those agonisingly long rehearsals.
1)Get to know your cast members
Whatever happens before the show, the rehearsals or even the casting of the show, if you've been cast in a show and another person that you dislike gets cast, then you have to pretty much get over it because for the next few months until the show, this cast is going to be like your family. You are going to spend hours upon hours with these people so whatever may have happened before, or maybe you just don't like them, get over it and on with it or this is going to be a miserable few months. This cast can become the best friends you'll ever have, a show can bond people like nothing else, take advantage of that.
2)Food!
Always ALWAYS take food with you to rehearsal. I cannot count the amount of times that I've been at a rehearsal and been starving hungry but had nothing to eat (and that's because it's been a lot of times and not because I can't count very high) Even if you have eaten before it is always a good idea to take something, if your rehearsal isn't very long (1-2 hours) I recommend you take a small snack such as a cereal bar or a piece of fruit and a bottle of water. However if the rehearsals are very long (5-7 hours) take small packed lunch that is easy to eat and not very heavy, so that you still have energy, can eat it quickly (I get a 10 minute break at most) and are still able to move about and do things after eating. I recommend something like, a sandwich or roll, a cereal bar, a piece of fruit and maybe a packet of crisps. If you do have a long rehearsal I recommend that as well as taking food you have a filling breakfast before (pancakes, bacon sandwich, toast, cereal it's your choice) and then have a nice cooked meal afterwards.
3)Water
I mentioned this in my last tip but always bring a bottle of water with you as well, especially if you're going to be singing. I would die without taking water to rehearsals, a refillable water bottle is defiantly a must have on my theatre survival list. Even if it's a plastic bottle from a previous drink (I broke my water bottle and ended up washing out and using an Arizona green tea bottle that I had as a water bottle for about a month before I found another one)
4)Learn your lines
This one seems pretty obvious but if you have blocked a scene in a rehearsal, please learn your lines and don't be that annoying cast member who is always asking for cues or has to use their script so can't do the direction properly. If you have a spare five minutes when you are not blocking or it's not your scene then go over your lines or find someone else who isn't busy and ask them to run lines with you. Knowing your lines early on makes things so much easier for you, the director and even other cast members because lets face it, we all hate when we get told off for not knowing out lines when only two of us are still on script. And don't put it off, as soon as you have blocked a scene, learn the lines for that scene by the next rehearsal. It saves so much time and it saves you the panic of having to learn all of your line three weeks before the show (we've all been there)
5)Write on your script
Once you have a script, that script it yours and you can do whatever you want with that script (apart from lose it- once it's gone, it's gone) Highlight all your lines when you get and take a pencil to rehearsals and when you're done blocking, write down the main actions that you do around the lines when you do them so that you can remember and don't have to keep asking people what you do and where you go. If you have to twirl your hair when you say hi to Mike the your script should look a little like this:
Sally: Hi Mike! Twirl
hair
Trust me it just makes things a lot easier when you are learning your blocking and directors always like to see that you are making notes and it shows that you are really listening and taking on board what they are saying.
6)Wear clothes you can move in
Nobody wants to be uncomfortable for a rehearsal so wear clothes that you are comfortable in and can move in but make sure that they are appropriate for what you are going to be doing. For example, if you know that you are going to be dancing, don't turn up wearing skinny jeans. You may look good but they are not the most practical idea to dance in. Make sure that you are happy with what you are wearing but don't be overly concerned- you're going to be spending a lot of time with your cast members, they're not going to care about what you look like.
So there we go guys! Those are my top tips for surviving rehearsals!
Break a leg
Abbi x
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