Cue to Cue

We waded hip deep into our technical rehearsals this week. In the business this is called a Cue to Cue. This is when we integrate sound and lights into the peformance of the show. As an actor that means you will start a scene and then they will stop you and figure out the levels at which the lights need to be to create the mood and also so you can be seen. This also involves finding the exact timing at which the changes need to happen.

This process can be frustrating and at times magical. Being able to move the story forward. Sometimes the actors will say the same line over and over again and lighting cues and sound cues will be written over and over again trying to get just the right effect. You can be acting and all will go from light to dark in the span of three words.

Sometimes you can get punchy. Lines that are in no way funny take on a hypnotic and fugue like quality. When the director says "Let me see the top of your 'Wonderful! Wonderful!'." and a certain actor and blogger loses control and laughs so hard he has to leave the stage, you know how punchy you can get.