most important things to tell "civilians" when they are backstage

1) Never EVER walk behind the backdrop. Always walk around behind the stage if you need to get to other side. (Sometimes this will involve sprinting due to increased distance. Yes, this means that your break between parts onstage just turned into a heart-racing run.You will survive.)

2) Never walk offstage and stop right in the wing. There are generally people following you and you create a massive traffic jam unless you keep walking all the way to the wall.

3) If you can see the audience, they can see you.

4) Do NOT stand into front of the vertical booms. You will cast a shadow on the stage.

5) Do NOT stand directly in any wing. Dancers come running offstage all the time and being in their way is bad idea.

6) Making jokes during tech week is ill-advised. The director is being picky and snappy and this increases the pressure on all the dancers. They are already exhausted from dancing so they will most likely not respond positively to your well-meaning attempts to relieve tension. Assume that most of the dancers are ready to snap at any moment. (Honestly, most of them are.)

*I wrote this blogpost during theater week for La Fille Mal Gardee, but Fille turned into finals and blogging ceased as I became mentally and physically exhausted . . . so, I'm posting it now :) I'm considering it part of tbt (throw-back Thursday) even though I generally choose to avoid participating in such nonsense. Also, I'm performing with my "home" studio this weekend so it's really just preparation for returning to the theater :)