I would like to highlight our understudies, Nita-Osi and Beaux. They were so flexible during this process and I cannot thank them enough for stepping into big roles whether they knew a month or hours in advanced. 

This was my first time incorporating understudies into rehearsal and tech which was an overwhelming thought at first, but my Stage Management mentors trained me for this. I was able to step into these moments with ease and give the understudies the support they need to succeed. I always checked in with them whenever I could and gave them endless love. 

I got to have 2 understudy tech put ins! Another first! Not only did they succeed, but they showed how they were able to adapt into these roles quickly. On the afternoon of our second dress, I was notified that one of the actors was sick and could possibly be out of the show until our second performance. Since I'm a student and I can't stop going to class because of a situation like this, I felt overwhelmed. I needed to be a Stage Manager in the moment, then come back into being a student. I sought guidance from one of our Graduate students, Matt, who has an extensive background in Stage Management and we talked through a game plan together so the show could continue with the tech process. From 2:30-7:30pm, I was conducting the backstage madness in order to get our understudy, Nita-Osi, prepared to take the stage during tech. I would also like to shoutout the Costume and Fight department for helping with the process and making sure our actor was equiped. From getting last minute pieces, to spending 20 minutes on a big fight sequence, these teams and I were able to work together to make sure Nita-Osi was prepared for our second and final dress. Nita-Osi ended up being in our photo call (which you can see in the production photos), what an amazing way to capture an understudy in action!

I am so proud of our understudies for tackling this text and the intricate blocking in a short amount of time. I always praise them whenever I get the chance, without them our show wouldn't be possible.