I never understood why some people in the theatre dread tech rehearsals. Personally, I love tech! For me, tech is the most magical part of the process when all the weeks of hard work spent in the rehearsal room magnificently collide with the brilliance of the designers and the production team. Sure, the hours are long, but the results are just breathtaking, especially in the case of Witch by Jen Silverman.

As you may recall in my earlier blog post, I mentioned that the pervasive sense in the room after the first read was that we could not wait for audiences to see this exciting and relevant new play. That feeling has been multiplied exponentially after going through tech. Mieka van der Ploeg’s costumes look stunning against Yu Shibagaki’s scenic design. Paul Toben’s lighting and Mikhail Fiksel’s sound design are a perfect marriage that add a thrilling new layer and nuance to the storytelling that Marti Lyons and the cast have been working on for the past few weeks. Throughout the tech weekend, I’d often get chills down my spine from the sheer genius of all these theatre professionals, working hand in hand to make Jen Silverman’s work come alive on the intimate stage of the Gillian Theatre.

I’m counting down the hours until we have our patrons in those seats; this production is certain to cast its spell on anyone who sees it!

—

Learn more about Hassan al Rawas, Witch Assistant Director, here.

Pictured: Hassan Al-Rawas. Photo by Joe Mazza—Brave Lux.