Well, hello again!

When last you heard from me, The Liar was fully staged and running full steam ahead into final rehearsals. And now we have audiences! Let’s do a little catching up, shall we?

Two weeks ago, the cast joined the show’s designers at 325 Tudor Court on the mainstage of Writers’ Theatre. By this point, the cast was ready to start playing in a new space and begin getting a sense of how our play would feel in a theatre rather than a rehearsal room.

Technical rehearsals are traditionally a production’s final ones before the show is opened to you, the audience. These rehearsals bring together all the different production elements to create the fully realized piece of theatre that shows up on opening night. Painstakingly, the cast, crew, designers, managers, and director go through every light cue, sound cue, and costume change. The cast begins working with the final set pieces, costume pieces, and props. All the while, changes and adjustments are being made by a team of artists dedicated to the production.

For The Liar, tech was an incredibly smooth process and we spent the entire time learning volumes about the play. Sound Designer and Composer Andy Hansen breathed new life into the scene changes and character entrances with a bright and energetic score. Lighting Designer Jesse Klug created a bright, immersive, and entertaining world with active lights. We stepped through every moment of the show, dialing up the energy and humor with fine-tuned technical moments. The actors were thankful for Rachel Healy’s beautiful costumes and Keith Pitts’s dynamic set, both of which taught them so much more about the play and their characters. After a smooth tech and rehearsal process, the team couldn’t wait to add the last piece of the puzzle to our production of The Liar: you.

The final segment of the rehearsal process happens in the first two weeks of public performances. Called “preview” performances, these shows allow us to check in with how our play will be received. What makes you laugh? What makes you cry? We’re not stepping on anyone, right? Before performances each day, the cast is working with the director adjusting to lessons they’ve learned and continuing to tweak little moments within the play.

We’ve spent those rehearsals in a surprising way. Instead of embellishing, we’ve learned that the simplest path is often the best. The past week has allowed us to go back and find the simple event and truth behind each moment and each relationship. Who knew that truth would be the funniest thing in a play about lies? Thanks for teaching us that lesson!

Previews are an incredibly informative time for any show, but they’re vital for a show like The Liar. We rely on learning how you receive our story, our jokes, and our moments to determine how the play is paced. In many ways, the audience is a character in this play. I wouldn’t dream of spoiling anything special, but our characters aren’t afraid to share their comments, secrets, and more directly with audience members. You’re as much a part of the world as they are. So, please, come join us all week as a very special cast member of The Liar!