BY REGAN MCCROSKEY (’15)

Every single student that has ever been involved in theater understands the demand of tech week. Whether you’re a lead actor or a member of a crew, it’s a challenging cycle. As a person who has been on and off stage, I can honestly say there is no easy job. And the thing that really stinks is that a lot of students and teachers really don’t understand what we mean when say, “But its tech week!”

So I’ve taken it upon myself to explain exactly what tech week entails.

Tech week consists of 5 days of disgusting, heavy makeup and blinding lights, and the random cold drafts from theater ghosts (or maybe cooling vents). 5 days of hearing directors yell at you, YOU’RE NOT LOUD ENOUGH! Or RESTART THE SCENE!

With 14 hour days and mountains of homework to do, this is going to be an easy week right?

Well, you’re wrong.

Our director wears a sweatshirt that says “grumpy” on it. And if that isn’t foreshadowing, then I don’t know what is. When students are sleep-deprived and the hormones are charged, we seniors usually have to pry a few of the underclassman techies off of each other.

Friendships will begin, and some will end, and now we’ve got and S(A)TD in our midst. Instead of going home at 11 o’clock and starting our homework, we just don’t do it, and we pray to the theater Gods that our grades will magically stay where they are for the week.

And then, the usual tech week plague hits our cast. For two days, we are all very sick, and we all suddenly go home. But no worries! We were here a half day right? So we still go to rehearsal.

But to be completely honest, guys have it the worst, especially freshman guys or guys new to the program.

You see, when I say heavy makeup, I don’t mean just on girls, but guys too. They get to wear mascara and lipstick and eyeliner and EVERYTHING that goes with it.

And the worst part of it all? They have no idea how to get all of it off. So they go to school with raccoon eyes all week. Think about that boys, wouldn’t that be the rain on your parade too?

So there’s the horrible of tech week. But the good news is, it’s the most invigorating thing that I’ve done that I have fully enjoyed. It’s time I get to spend with the family I chose, not the family I am forced into. By opening night, everyone is buzzing with excitement, because were all feeling ready for that moment. It’s a blessing and a curse, but then again, what isn’t?

So next time, when that theater kid in your class says to your teacher “But its tech week,” just take two seconds and remember what they’re doing until 11 every night. And then maybe it will make more sense.