Tech Week Jargon GuideEasyStagecraft Course · Tier 1B · Module 3 (Speak Stage Management) · v1.0 · what each phase of tech-week actually is + how long it should take

Why this matters. Tech week is famously stressful + famously misunderstood. When your SM says "we're doing a dry tech tomorrow morning", you should know what that means + what the cast can expect. This guide walks through each tech-week phase in order, with realistic durations.

Phase 1 · Paper tech

What it is

SM, Director, Lighting Designer, Sound Designer, and (optionally) Choreographer sit at a table + walk through every cue on paper before stepping into the venue. No cast. No kit. Just notepads + the script.

What gets done

Every cue identified + numbered.
Trigger lines marked on the prompt copy.
Cue type confirmed (LX / SQ / FLY / DECK).
Standby relationships agreed.
Any anticipated technical issues raised + planned for.

Duration

3-5 hours for a typical musical. Half a day.

Why it's worth doing

Saves ~4-8 hours of in-venue tech time. Without paper tech, every cue argument happens in the venue with everyone watching = expensive.

Phase 2 · Dry tech

What it is

Operators + crew run the show from the prompt corner without cast. The SM calls every cue. Each cue is fired + recorded in the console. No actors on stage; cue stack is the focus.

What gets done

Each LX cue programmed into the console.
Each sound cue programmed into QLab.
Fly cues + deck cues rehearsed by crew.
Cue-to-cue flow tested.
Standbys + GO trigger points confirmed for SM.

Duration

6-10 hours for a musical. Usually one full day.

Why it's worth doing

Lets crew catch cue-stack errors without cast watching. Programming + testing is faster without actors waiting around.

Phase 3 · Wet tech (cue-to-cue with cast)

What it is

Cast in costume + in position. SM calls cues. Tech crew operates. Cast skips dialogue between cues — the focus is on transitions + cue execution, not performance. Slow, frustrating for cast.

What gets done

Each transition rehearsed end-to-end.
Cast in position for each cue.
Costume changes timed.
Cue stack timing refined.
Sound levels checked with cast on mic.

Duration

8-12 hours for a musical. Usually one day + one evening.

Why it's worth doing

Cast learns the transitions. Cue timing gets adjusted to match cast reality (e.g. costume change actually takes 12 seconds, not the 6 we planned).

Phase 4 · Full run / Stagger-through

What it is

Full show end-to-end with cast in costume, all cues firing, all transitions in. SM stops the show only for major issues (a missed entry, a serious cue error, a safety problem). Otherwise the show runs.

What gets done

Show pacing tested.
Audience-perspective sense of flow.
Lingering small issues identified for notes.
Cast nerves settle into the actual show structure.

Duration

1× full show duration + stops. For a 2.5hr musical: ~3-3.5 hours.

Why it's worth doing

First time the show feels like the show. Critical for confidence + pacing.

Phase 5 · Dress rehearsal (final dress)

What it is

Full run treated as a performance. No stops. SM calls the show as if audience is present. Director takes notes from the auditorium — given after the run, never during.

What gets done

Final pre-audience pressure test.
Costume + makeup + lighting interactions checked.
FOH team rehearses house-management.
Front-of-house signage + safety briefing finalised.

Duration

Show duration + 15 min pre-show + 15 min post-show notes. ~3.5 hours total for a 2.5hr musical.

Why it's worth doing

Catches what a no-pressure run doesn't. The discipline of "no stops" is exactly the pressure of a real audience.

Phase 6 · GP dress (with small audience)

What it is

Final dress with a small invited audience (other students, parents, faculty, sometimes a community group). Free or by donation.

What gets done

Tests audience-response timing.
Identifies dead spots that need pace adjustment.
Cast gets first audience feedback.
Front-of-house team gets real practice.

Duration

~3-3.5 hours total.

Why it's worth doing

Pre-empts opening-night nerves + finds the comedy/drama moments that play differently in front of an audience. Not always done — depends on time + budget.

The tech-week schedule (worked example)

Day	Phase	Hours	Notes
Sat (one week pre-show)	Bump-in starts	8-10	Rig + patch + focus begins.
Sun	Bump-in continues + Paper tech	10-12	Lighting focus + paper-tech session at home.
Mon	Dry tech	8-10	Operators + crew. No cast.
Tue	Wet tech (cue-to-cue) — Act 1	4-5	Cast in costume, cue-to-cue. Act 1 only.
Wed	Wet tech (cue-to-cue) — Act 2	4-5	Act 2.
Wed evening	Stagger-through / Full run	3.5	End-to-end with stops only for serious issues.
Thu	Dress rehearsal 1	3.5	No stops. Notes after.
Fri	GP dress	3.5	Small audience. Notes after.
Sat	Show 1 (opening)	3.5	Real performance. Audience.

Total tech-week hours: ~50-65 across 7 days. This is exhausting + intense. Plan rest blocks + meals; cast + crew burn out otherwise.