BWW Blog: Sarah Osman - Tech Week Troubles and Being Inspired (An Introduction)

Before Show: Written 4-17-2016

As I sit typing on my laptop, I know deep inside that I am less than 24 hours away from tech week. This tech week will be my third tech of the year.

I go to a performing arts high school (the OCVTS: Performing Arts Academy in Lakehurst, NJ), and as you may conclude, I love performing! This month alone is insanely loaded, as my school drama club has already put up two installments of a one act festival (which I am so glad I was apart of!) with this week marking the beginning of showcase season. This time of the year is a time in which my school's three majors (acting, vocal, and dance) showcase their talents through performances that are usually sorted by major and underclassmen / upperclassmen status.

This Friday I will be involved with the Upperclassmen Actors' showcase, as I am an actor and now an upperclassman (junior year whooo!). But knowing that this week is the show brings in much stress that every actor, techie, administrator, family member, friend, etc. knows well.

Just the thought of tech week makes people cringe. Adjusting to the space, the fear of someone saying the scottish play, obsessively tracking down props, hours of tech, and sleepless nights are just a few of the things that roll along with tech week.

We swallow gallons of tea in order to keep going and when showtime comes around... we find ourselves in this state of euphoria. Countless hours of rehearsals, lines being recited in the halls, blocking being gone over, checking for cues, calling things over headset, giving notes to the cast, sweat, tears, hugs, bonding and just about every other thing that goes on during tech week is what makes it worth it. To me, tech week is incredible.

Showcase with my acting class is a beautiful time of the year. This being my third year of high school, is my third acting showcase. I know tomorrow at load-in everything will go by fast. I will see my acting class perform and I will perform with them. We will rehearse and laugh and have fun times as we always do! My acting class has grown so much from freshmen year and I am so glad I got to grow with them. I look around and see this passionate group of people who I am constantly inspired by.

For the junior portion of the showcase, my class will be performing four one acts. The first one act will be the comedy "Actor's Nightmare" by Christopher Durang, allowing the audience to laugh their hearts out and feel comfortable with their environment. We betray the audience right after that by putting on three one acts that are dark and unsettling! Works inspired by Edgar Allen Poe will follow; "Tell- Tale Heart" (in which I play the 'Young' the "mad" murderer!), "The Raven", and "Masque of the Red Death" (both of which I am a Shudder!).

This show will be my acting teacher's first show being directed at the school, as he is a new addition to our acting class family! Watching him grow close to the class and putting this show together has been so wonderful. Everytime I see one of my acting teachers work, I am so inspired by their passion and it pushes me to continue doing what I love!

Watching my class work on these pieces is truly mesmerizing. Seeing the amount of talent and passion that eludes from my classmates and teachers is inspiring, motivating, and refreshing. I honestly cannot imagine anything else I'd rather be doing.

It is somewhat comforting and scary knowing that in less than a month, I will be going through another tech for a different show. However, that is the beauty of theatre and being apart of productions.

I am so thankful to be attending the OCVTS: Performing Arts Academy. A place in which I know I can always be inspired to do the things I love and learn more about the things I love. Although tech week starts tomorrow, I know I am ready for this journey and the many more journeys to come.

-Sarah Osman

Special thanks to: my school, OCVTS: Performing Arts Academy, and its teachers and students!

My acting teachers: Doug Bollinger, Anthony Ciccotelli, Laura Grandi-Hill

My classmates: Class of 2017 Actors

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