Devise & Revise

Furniture and Props Galore

Although I've had experience working on new plays with ever-changing scenes and lines, I have never had the opportunity to work on a devised piece before this. It's quite a challenging experience because my team and I do not have a script to refer to, nor do we have any solidified characters or scenes at this point. Since we are still in the "devising" phase of the rehearsal period, the cast and team are still creating possible characters and scenes (and nothing is set in stone). This makes my job much more difficult (yet exciting!) because the props and costumes that the characters require change on a daily basis.

An entire side of our rehearsal room is lined with miscellaneous furniture pieces/props in order to provide inspiration and ideas for the cast. The props range from fake cell phones ("mobiles") to large pieces such as a faux Christmas tree and two full-size shopping carts ("trollies"). While this exploration is exciting, it can also be frustrating at times. Unlike other shows where there is at least some solid idea of the technical needs, my director does not want to make any definite decisions at this point, which makes it much more difficult for the design team to properly budget. In addition, I'm having difficulty budgeting and sourcing props, not only because this is my first time properly sourcing props for a show, but also because I don't want to overspend too soon. Furthermore, rental wait-lists and online orders need to be considered since they take time to acquire, so hopefully by the end of this week, decisions will be made.

Rehearsal logistics aside, today I talked to my cast about the importance of rest and good health. There's some sort of flu-like virus going around Central, which I unfortunately caught yesterday. Luckily, it seems to be only a 24-hour sickness. One cast member and myself left rehearsal yesterday due to this sickness, and five cast members were absent today. 'Tis the season, folks. Germs are spreading and the cold weather is setting in, so it's time to start drinking orange juice and getting the sleep that you deserve!

PS ~ HAPPY ELECTION DAY!