All My Sons played to a packed house last weekend and the responses we’ve gotten from audience members have been outstanding. It was an incredible feeling to know that the hard work and long hours paid off.

After closing night we gathered together to strike the set- the process at the end of each show where cast and crew take down each piece of the set one segment at a time until the stage returns to it’s neutral space- empty. This is an emotional time for the cast and crew. The process is a necessity- we have a dance concert in the theatre next week- but it is also a ceremony. A way for us to say goodbye to the show, our performances, and the experience as a whole. It will come as no surprise that when we work on a play it becomes part of our lives. Even when we’re not at rehearsal the characters live with the actors a bit, the light cues stick in a stage manager’s head, the details of a particular costume ruminate in a designer’s mind. The audience says goodbye to a show during curtain call, but those of us who have been more closely involved need a bit more than that. The ritual of strike is repeated at the end of each production and allows us the opportunity to transition to a life without the show. It involves collaboration, patience, organization, and a lot of power tools.

Below you will find some photos of the transition our space underwent during strike (I didn’t capture any of the dressing rooms- perhaps I’ll save that for next time!) so you can get a peak into the work that goes into the process. It took nearly thirty people and six hours to accomplish. After which we celebrated with pizza and sharing memories of the show.