Hampton, VA

If you've been reading this blog, you may be somewhat familiar with what our set for Henry V looks like:

This is our set in Hampton, VA:

It's a scrim.  And an RP screen.  And as much of our deck as we could fit.  Hampton is a tiny little theatre that the Acting Company always plays, with the understanding that it's generally not big enough to hold the production at its usual size.  As this is the biggest tour the company has ever mounted, the contrast is even greater than usual, but we have been told for months that this day would come, and that all the challenges will be worth it because the theatre is tiny but very nice, and the people are cool.  Thus, the company comes back year after year despite the fact that the theatre doesn't meet the usual tech requirements.  So far the rumors seem to be true.  While small onstage, the backstage area is well-appointed and comfortable, and feels far more like a professional theatre than some other, much larger venues we've played.  We do have one outdoor crossover, which I'm a little concerned about due to the possible forecast of rain tomorrow.  Hopefully we'll escape having to deal with that.

Today we loaded in at 8AM as usual, except that we were done in probably less than 2 hours instead of the usual 8 or so.  At noon the cast came in for a scheduled 5-hour rehearsal, with the intention of only needing 3 hours.  We finished in just over 3 hours, restaging the entire show to be played on a bare stage, taking into account the limited wingspace and unusual crossover needs.  A lot of the scenes that are normally played on the second story of the set are now set in the house.

The cast comes back at 7PM for an 8PM curtain, so we have some welcome down time before the show.   Daniel and I will probably spend a little more time checking cues that we rushed through during rehearsal, but that's about it.  Then we have a matinee tomorrow (two performances of the same show consecutively in one venue is something I don't think we've done since we left the Guthrie), and then we head back to New York for our big opening at the New Victory.