Tech week is over- bring on the audience

Tech rehearsals are long and stressful. The problem with the technical rehearsal is that they are 12 hours long. Also, in rehearsal, everyone and everything is visible. You can anticipate what is going to happen next because you are sitting beside the stage manager and director. When you move into the theatre the stage manager and the director are sitting in the audience, the actors are on stage and the assistant stage manager(s) are backstage, behind the curtains. It takes a huge amount of effort to stay ahead of what is going to happen. In the case of this show, there are only three actors and a lot of words and they are not completely ready to do it on their own, so I have been sitting "on book" to supply lines when needed. But at the same time I need to have all the props in the right place at the right time. I am also the liaison with all of the new tech crew. In rehearsal I am the wardrobe lady, stage carpenter and all of the tech crew. Once on the stage I need to let them know what it is they need to do. On top of that you need to be prepare at any time to run out on stage to troubleshoot, move set/furniture/props to a new place, or spike (place tape to mark when something needs to start or be moved to). To sum up, tech days are long and hard because I have to give 100% concentration for the whole time. Nothing is more tiring than having to concentrate for a full 12 hours - and this show is worse because there is not a lot going on. Christmas Carol was busy so it went really fast. There was always something to do. On this show I do a lot of sitting around and waiting. Which makes those 12 hours longer. I am just glad it is over. Now we are on to shows!