TECH HAS BEGUN

Well tech has begun! It is simultaneously my favorite part of rehearsal and also the most exhausting. It’s the time when you finally see all the pieces come together.

I love being in The ARK. The minute we had our first rehearsal on Jim Kronzer's amazing set— without lights or costumes — the play just felt right. Often it can take a day or two to feel comfortable with the move from the rehearsal studio to the theater. But with NEST the ease of transition was immediate.

Kate Turner-Walker's costumes are just stunning. When I saw them on all the actors, I realized that I've never done a piece set in this period. It was arresting, in a great way, because I don’t think of NEST as a period play. It is so vibrant and reflective of humanity today that I never think of it as about "a time long ago." The genius of the costumes is that they don’t dampen any of the play's vibrancy. They only enhance it.

Chris Lee and I have worked together many times. And once again, I am dazzled by his work. I'm always amazed by the craft and art of lighting design — how beauty is made out of just light and air.

And Matt Nielson has found a fantastic vocabulary for the sound design — totally unexpected — like everything else in this play.

We've been moving along pretty quickly. Now, on to the last push!

- Joe