BWW Blog: Cody Williams of R+H's CINDERELLA - Tech!

Witnessing a show come to life is an extremely special experience. While it is true that taking the time to tech through a show can be painfully long, it is equally true that teching a show gives you opportunities to witness moments that you will never forget. Since I don't mind long hours, I have had a great time getting the show up on its feet.

Our tech process at Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella is going smoothly, and from my point of view, it is without much stress. We have been going in to work around 1pm everyday and leaving around 930pm. Like any tech, there can be big chunks of down time, but thanks to the nice lower lobby (complete with dance studio mirrors!) we have had a great place to keep rehearsing while not being used onstage. It has been particularly valuable to me in helping learn the two roles I understudy (Prince Topher and Jean-Michel).

There is a danger of spending your time down in the lower lobby or up in your dressing room during tech. When you choose to spend your time out of sight of the stage, you run the risk of missing truly magical moments. More than any other show I have done, this tech process has been full of people in the house bursting into applause and yelling in delight as things happen onstage. I will never forget the look on everyone's face (onstage and off) the first time that Cinderella walked into the ball in full costume. The entire room was frozen by how beautifully radiant she was. No acting required!

When Andy Mills and I walked onstage for the first time as the Footman and Driver, we got applause. I couldn't be any more thrilled with how special our costumes are and how perfectly they are made for dancing! Discovering how a costume limits your movement is an unpleasant reality of tech. We are lucky because William Ivey Long has done such a masterful job of designing our costumes that they actually enhance our dancing. Andy and I were both shocked when we saw how far we could slide in our new costumes.

One of my favorite days of tech so far was when we teched "Impossible" because finally got to drive the golden carriage that I had been dreaming about since the summer. In an attempt to not give away any secrets, I won't say much about it. I will say, however, it does not disappoint! Teching the golden carriage made for a completely serene afternoon. You know you hit the jackpot when your job is to ride a magical carriage that belongs in Fantasyland.

Let me know what part of R + H's Cinderella you are most excited for @odyilliams on Twitter!

Our swing Kirstin Tucker in her Tech gear

Callboard creativity

Laura Osnes made us Thin Mint Truffles!

A Facebook post from our PA Amy Steinman