Tech Week Essentials

As you may or may not have known; in the past couple of years since moving away from NYC - I’ve gone back to community theatre. I’ve always loved doing theatre, and at one point it was what I wanted to do for a career. While I did realize that life wasn’t for me, I still love performing, and I am so happy to have found this community and outlet.

That being said, having done nine (currently in numbers 10 & 11) shows in the past twenty months, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about surving tech week while also having a full time job and life.
Through all of this experience, I’ve honed the perfect Essentials List, and I’m excited to share it now!

antiperspirant | makeup wipes | nuun | bandaid | tights | lozenges | protein bars | waterbottle | crochet hook, book, yarn

antiperspirant | makeup wipes | nuun | bandaid | tights
lozenges | protein bars | waterbottle | crochet hook, book, yarn

Tech Week Essentials

Barring the normal necessities (your script, pencils, hair & makeup tools) that are unique to each show you’re in - I’ve curated a pared down list of essentials for every actor during Tech Week & Show Days.

Soothing Makeup & Cleansing Wipes
If you’ve never been on stage and have only ever worn day to day makeup and not stage makeup, consider yourself lucky. Every day of tech, dress, and shows, you’re slathering on a huge amount of makeup. Actors may look normal from your seats - but up close there’s loads of makeup on. To feel clean, refreshed, and stave away breakouts, I always use soothing makeup wipes to clean my face (often before I even get in my car to go home!). These Aloe Vera ones from Burt’s Bees are my favorite, and not only remove the loads of makeup, but also cleanses and soothes my skin.

A Big A** Water Bottle
I know what you’re thinking “Sarah, what on earth do I need a 64oz waterbottle for?!” And I’m here to tell you: not all community theatres have a water refill station; and if you want to perform well, you’ve got to be a hydrated queen. I love my nearly 2 liter stanley. It’s the perfect size for shows & long rehearsals - often I’ll go through the whole thing between call time to bows!

Vitamin C Electrolyte Tablets
Speaking of the need to be a hydrated queen - drink your electrolytes! I get it, sometimes there isn’t time to take a gulp of water between scenes. I love helping my body out by having a nuun with every show. It’s lower sugar, full of good-for-you-and-your-hydration electrolytes AND it has Vitamin C to boost your immune system! Because lets face it, there’s not much worse than being sick during a show.

Protein Bars
I HATE eating a big meal before rehearsal or a show. I know it may not be the best to have meals later at night - but I cannot rehearse or perform on a big ol’ full stomach. That being said - I also can’t do my best without fuel. And this is where protein bars come to the rescue. You want to make sure you’re looking for at least 15g of protein to keep you satiated for a two and a half hour show, with lower sugar so you don’t experience the good ol’ crash.
My favorite are barebells (specifically the creamy crisp flavor!) - they’ve got 20 grams of protein, taste delicious, low in sugar… and don’t make you gassy and bloated like other protein bars. They’re so convenient during tech week and long rehearsals to keep me fueled and full of energy.

Lozenges (preferrably Manuka Honey!)
Whether you’re in a musical or a straigh play - your voice is your number one instrument. And you’ve got to take care of it. I love these Manuka Honey lozenges. They were recommended to me by my voice teacher, and I have one before every tech/dress rehearsal and show. It really soothes the throat without drying out the vocal chords or making your throat feel ‘sticky’.
If I don’t have lozenges on hand, I’ll just add a huge spoonful of manuka honey to my pre-show tea!

Hypoallergenic Antiperspirant
Yes, we should all be wearing deodorant regardless (no one likes a smelly costar or dressing room!) But for the sake of costumes and not having visibly damp pits under bright stage lights, I definitely suggest using an antiperspirant. And for someone with very sensitive underarms like me - I highly recommend Duradry. It’s the only deodorant+antiperspirant I’ve found that keeps me dry without causing a reaction or irritating my skin at all.

Bandaids
Blisters, and hang nails and props, oh my! No matter what happens, it’s always good to be prepared. Your playhouse should have a first aid kid - but I always like bringing my own extra strong bandaids so there’s never a worry of possibly getting blood on a costume or having a flying bandaid mid scene.

Transition Tights
Not only is it always a good idea to have a second pair of tights in your bag (there’s been multiple times when I’ve needed to loan a friend a pair!)- but it’s an even better idea to make sure they’re durable transition tights. True, if you’re wearing the same pair of shoes the whole show, transition tights aren’t a must - but they’re perfect for switching from barefoot to shoed (and also come in handy when you need to pop on a quick mid show bandaid without removing your entire costume to get your tights off.

Something To Do (for those stretches when you’re not on stage!)
Let’s face it - there’s going to be times when you’re not the lead. And while there are no small parts, there are definitely times when you may not be on stage for several scenes at a time. I’ve been in two separate shows that despite being a supporting character; I wasn’t in the second act at all! It’s during these moments it’s really nice to have something to do with your hands - and is more productive than simply doomscrolling. My ‘thing’ of choice? Crochet. (If it’s good enough for Sutton Foster, it’s good enough for me!) Particularly, I love making little stuffies. They’re great as gifts for expecting friends, for your furry friends, or just for yourself! My favorite book is Edward’s Menagerie by Kelly Lourd. The patterns are easy to follow for beginners like me, and they’re all so cute! Here’s a particularly good kind of yarn, and here’s a pack of crochet hooks so you won’t ever be wanting for the right size.

Let me know in the comments what’s on your Tech Week Essentials list - and even if you’re not a theatre actor; let me know what’s in your go-bag!

As always, if you want to join along for the fun & daily updates, follow me on instagram & tiktok @sarah.kowalchuk!

xx, Sarah