Starting your first rehearsal off strong comes down to one key factor: Preparation.
The first rehearsal is the first time the cast will get to meet each other as well as the director and form their first impressions. While you will get to do some of this face to face impression making, your reputation as the SM will be set by the way the first rehearsal is run. Coming in prepared and confident will let everyone know you are the person they can trust during their time on this contract.
Because preparing for rehearsals happens during prep week, let’s start there.
What is Prep Week?
Prep Week starts one week prior to the first rehearsal, when the PSM‘s contract begins. During prep week the PSM creates every template, document, and calendar for the show, sends initial emails to each member of the production, and preps the rehearsal hall for the first day.
This time before the first rehearsal is also known as SM pre-production. Prep week seems daunting at first, with what seems like an endless slog of documents to create, but it does get easier with time.
On non-professional productions there may not be an official prep week, though the same work still needs to be done prior to the first rehearsal.
What needs to be done during Prep Week
Feel free to reorder these events for your own workflow, but this is the typical process for me. I don’t assign these tasks a specific day to get done during prep because each show is different. Instead I use this time to work at my own pace since much of the rest of the process isn’t as flexible. Because some things rely on other people’s input, I tend to prioritize those things in the list incase they aren’t available during part of prep. Here is the order I generally work in:
1 Sign Paperwork
Before beginning any work, make sure you sign your contract and fill out any payroll forms necessary to begin working. This protects both you and the company, so insist on this step being first.
2 Gather Supplies
Ideally the company should have a stock of SM supplies for you to pull from, but realistically this will almost never happen especially in smaller companies. If they don’t have supplies, they should either reimburse you or give you a company card or petty cash to purchase supplies.
3 Reach out to the Production Team
During your initial meeting to sign paperwork, you should receive some kind of initial contact info for the Production Manager and other production team members. I typically reach out to the production team early in the process to introduce myself first. This lets them know me before I inevitable need to reach out to ask a question.
I will usually ask to meet with the Production Manager either in person or on zoom to hear a bit more about the company, and to get some basic info on the design of the show. You should request a scale ground plan of the set during this meeting to use during the later part of prep week to tape out the rehearsal hall. I ask for this early since it can take a few days to get printed if the company doesn’t have a plotter (large scale printer).
I also ask for contact info for anyone I am missing. Be sure to have contact info for the cast, crew, production team, and admin staff.
4 Read the Script
After reaching out to the team, I will usually get a cup of coffee and sit down to read the script for the first time. This first read of the script should be purely for your enjoyment. There will likely not be another time for you to sit and actually enjoy the play without something else on your mind for the rest of the rehearsal process.
5 Read the Script Again
Yes, you read that right. This second read of the script though will usually be used as my first read through with the technical elements in mind. I also try to burn character names into my brain early so I can place them with names quickly.
I will visualize the stage directions and setting info to picture where possible problems might arise through the process. Thinking of these early will help prevent problems down the road.
I keep a notepad next to me to jot down any thoughts or concerns I might have about the show during this read through. These can include, but aren’t limited to:
- Dangerous elements which might require extra rehearsal time.
- Complex sequences which might create challenges in the rehearsal hall.
- Emotionally challenging scenes that might require extra care in the rehearsal room and beyond.
- Words I am unsure of, or think others may be unsure of their meaning.
- Plot questions that I can’t resolve on my own.
6 Create Contact Sheet
Creating the contact sheet comes early in the process so I have time to double check that each of the contacts I have listed on the contact sheet are correct before distributing it.
7 Reach out to cast and collect headshots
After I create the contact sheet, I copy and paste each email address one at a time to send an introduction and to verify their names spelling, their phone number, and role(s) are listed correctly. More than once I have had an error corrected during this check in. It has saved me from reprinting and redistributing once rehearsals began, or worse, missing someone on the first daily call and then having them show up late or not at all.
8 Create Templates
Once these intro emails are out, I begin creating templates while I wait for responses.
Templates to create include shift sheets, run sheets, daily calls, rehearsal reports, and anything else you might need later. After your first few shows, you will have a decent stock of templates to pull from this task gets much faster.
If you are interested in getting a jump start on templates, please reach out to me at contact@everythingbackstage.com, I will see what I can provide you with!
9 Create A Glossary
Going back to the list of challenging words I wrote down from my second read through of the script, I will create a small glossary to include with each script which includes the meaning of each of these words in the context of the show.
10 Create Your Blocking Script
I start off with printing myself a couple of single sided copies of the script to use during the run for various reasons. Then I create slip sheets to record blocking onto and print as many of those as there are pages in the script, plus about 30 extras.
If you are right handed, hole punch your script on the wrong side and your slip sheets on the left side like normal. this should leave your script pages on your left and the blocking notes area on your right side of the binder.
For more info on this, read my article which details everything you should need to know to get started with blocking.
11 Read the script Yet again
This time, think about the specifics of the technical design of the show and how they relate to the characters. Think about what elements of the set might be important to point out to actors prior to staging the show. What might be difficult in a tight costume piece, or even a large hoop skirt? Think hard about what might cause problems.
12 read the script one more time
You will thank me later.
13 Gather all technical info
Gather any and all technical drawings and paperwork on scenic, lighting, electrics, sound, costumes, props, automation, and anything else that you might need to reference during the rehearsal process. these documents will all end up in your prompt book.
14 Meet with the director
Although you should have already reached out to the director to confirm their contact info, recommend setting a date for an initial meeting to talk about the first week’s schedule. Ask what they would like to accomplish on the first day, and for a general schedule for the rest of the week. These conversations may also include the music director and choreographer.
15 Create calendar
If you are waiting to hear back on some of the scheduling items for the first week, begin working on the general rehearsal calendar. this should be an overview of the entire process from start to finish.
After hearing what the first week will look like, create the first weeks schedule as well as your first daily call. Wait to send the daily call and calendar until the day before the first rehearsal, as there will still be a few more bits of info you will need.
16 check in with costume shop/designer
Ask who will need to be seen for fittings first, and try to sneak in as many people as you can during the end of the first day if possible. Typically the first day will include lots of full cast activities like orientation and a table read, then full cast music rehearsals, so don’t worry if you aren’t able to get anyone in until the second day of rehearsal.
17 Create French scene breakdown
I’ve covered this in it’s own, so click here to read more info about creating French Scene Breakdowns.
18 Print scripts for everyone (if necessary)
This won’t always fall to the SM, but often does. Print scripts (with sheet music) for each member of the cast, the SM team, the director, the choreographer, and the music director. Print them all double sided except for a few copies for the rest of the SM team and director.
Since printing scripts takes a long time, I move on to the next step while the printer is running. Stay close to the printer though to load more paper and fix any errors or jams that come up during printing.
19 Collect Company Policies
The company should have their own Anti-Harrassment and Anti-Discrimination policies for you to use. If needed, also ask for any Covid policies, and Child Actor Specific policies. These may seem unimportant at the moment, but they are very helpful for setting clear boundaries from the beginning.
20 Print the rest
Not all of it, but almost everything. Anything you need for your prompt book should be printed now, as well as anything needed for the actor packets you will create to place in each binder.
21 Actor Packets
At a minimum, actor packets should include a calendar, a contact sheet, and any company policies. They can also include info about the area, and addresses of the rehearsal hall and theatre. some of this should be included by company management, but in smaller theaters this often doesn’t exist to the level it could.
22 study your specific equity contract
Each equity contract is different, and if you are on a new type of equity contract you should spend some time familiarizing yourself with the differences from what you are used to.
23 Tape Out the Rehearsal Hall
Taping out the rehearsal hall is a process that will probably require a second set of hands, for more information on taping out the room, I recommend watching this video by Half Hour Call which goes into much more detail.
24 Prep the room
Get a count of how many people will be attending the first rehearsal, and set up the room accordingly. Make sure there is enough table and chair space for everyone involved. I recommend putting up signs leading to bathrooms, kitchens or refrigerators, and green rooms or waiting areas if they aren’t already up.
If there are any special considerations for the days events like music rehearsal or design presentations, figure out what will be needed for that and have it read to set up quickly when the time comes.
25 prep any first rehearsal goodies
Some SM’s choose to bring something special to first rehearsal for everyone to enjoy. Often this will be muffins, cookies, or something similar to provide everyone something to snack on during breaks and before rehearsal begins.
26 Try to learn as many names as you can
Prior to the first rehearsal I will print out a sheet with all of the actors headshots, their names, and their character names. I study this the night before the first rehearsal to have some of their names down prior to the first rehearsal beginning.
You shouldn’t greet them by name the first time you meet them, but remembering people’s names after one intro will make them feel much more welcome in the environment, which should be the main goal of the first rehearsal.
