The cast and crew of Leesville’s fall play, Vacancy in Paradise, have been hard at work for several weeks. Now, the final week of preparation has arrived and everyone is rushing to make the finishing touches.
This week is what many refer to as “hell week.”
“Hell week is the week of the show where all the cast and crew is running around like crazy people trying to get everything in order, so the play goes smoothly. Backstage is a chaotic mess,” said Carson Rainey, assistant hair crew head.
Kirsten Smothers, a member of the cast, said, “This week the actors have been more serious when rehearsing; we’ve been more on top of things and we’ve been acting more professionally both backstage and onstage.”
Those working on the play spend nearly the entire week at school. On rehearsal days, both the cast and crew work until at least 8:30 and until 10:30 on show nights.
All members struggle to make it through the school day just to face another taxing day of work, but after each show, they realize how much their hard work has paid off.
“Hell week is…stressful, but it’s also one of the best weeks of the year,” said Smothers. “After working on the show for two months, seeing it finally come together…is one of the best feelings.”
Referring to the members’ daily motto, Rainey said, “Because even after the stress of hell week, we are all one big family in the end.”
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