How much time for rehearsals?

Question

In preparation for a play (say 2 - 2.5 hours long) when would rehearsals typically start. How often per week? Finally, when would dress rehearsals start and how many before the first night?

Answer 1

4-5 weeks is a comfortable rehearsal period for most full-length plays, assuming a schedule of 4-5 reherasals per week. Generally, things ramp up with about 1.5 or 2 weeks until opening, and, for that stretch, everyone is generally working every time until the show opens. For a Friday evening opening, I would plan to start dress rehearsals on either the Monday or Tuesday of that week.

Having said all of that...there are a number of situations in which the above scenario is not applicable. In the summer stock context, for example, shows are rehearsed and put up in a week or two. And, on the other side of the spectrum, I've worked on shows in the academic setting -- where we didn't have to worry about the expense of an extended rehearsal period -- and took 10-15 weeks to rehearse a show. It all depends on the context.

Answer 2

If I can have rehearsals 5 days a week, I am okay with 4 weeks for a straight play - 6 weeks for a musical.

If I am not able to hold 5 rehearsals a week (because of either cast or theater obligations), I add accordingly.

I've found that there isn't much that's going to improve after that length of time. Most discoveries and choices take place much earlier in the process, in my experience.

Answer 3

Well, here's what I'm used to:

Around nine or eight weeks before the production and once you have a full cast, then you start rehearsals, two to three times a week. Rehersals should be around two or three hours at first, but when you have dress rehearsals, which should preferably begin a week or so before the show, I would legnthen it to four hours or so.


Hope I've helped, and best of luck with the show!

Answer 4

Dang, everyone answered before me and had better answers!

Most colleges work on a six-week cycle. A lot of my area is experimental or new work and that process can take much longer but understanding that those involved can be busy at other tasks early in the process.
You can break it down sometimes, working with the leads in separate rehearsals without the entire cast for example.
The plays I've worked on -- the director blocked the scenes almost immediately based on the motivation built into the script and then worked on character development from then on.

Break a leg!

Answer 5

Our school play is in mid-December and we start rehearsals the week after next, but I have just started doing some one on one work with one of the staff over my character. It's an original script and they are still working on some parts of it. I don't know about dress rehearsals yet. I did hear anywhere from 1-3 weeks before the show begins, but they want me to have my main costume ready sooner than that.

Answer 6

My rule of thumb for rehearsals is 22/23 blocking, working and run through rehearsals @3hours per day before going into tech. This is for a full length play...there are, of course, exceptions to that rule when, say, fight choreography or the like is necessary. it is critical that actors have their books ripped from there hands after four rehearsals per scene. There are other considerations but I don't have the time to get into that.