Tag Archives: tech week

Toga & Techie Scream

Text: “At my high school, in drama club, before every show, the tech crew had very special and sacred traditions. Now before every show our crew got together in the hallways behind the audortiam and do a little thing called “toga” or “techie yoga” while the actors were away doing their vocal warmups. It was usally led by the stage managers. It was to loosen up before the shows, we would do all kinds of stretches. Following thw toga, was my favorite part, the techie scream. Now this was to get out all frustration from the heavy work of tech week. The stage manager would lift up their hands and you would scream as loud as you can and get out all frustrations. You would conclude the screaming when the stage managers hands were back down. We would do this before every show for all of the 4 years i’d been there. It was started a long time before I got there and am pretty sure it still occurs today.

Context: AL went to Arlington High School in upstate New York, and their drama club was called Admiral Players – as their mascot was an Admiral. The tech crew would do a yoga routine to stretch out and get loose before everyshow and would also finish with a scream to get out any frustration from the grueling tech week.

Analysis: This tradition shows how the tech crew made their own way to bond and deal with the stress of putting on a show. The techie yoga and the techie scream helped people relax, stretch, and let out frustration from a long tech week. Even though it seems goofy, doing it was something everyone looked forward to. Because it was done every year, it also became a tradition that connected different groups of students over time. It made new students feel included and became bonding with everyone during this tradition. It shows how small rituals like this can make people feel closer and turn a stressful experience into something more fun and memorable.

String

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Morris Plains, NJ, USA
Language: English

The interviewee was a member of the local high school’s theater program and valued the ritual as a part of connectivity and valuing the community of the theater program. 

“When I first joined theater I accidentally found out about a surprise tradition called Lock-In so I asked questions about it. People told me there were things like scavenger hunts and that it ended with String. I asked what that was and the [G](the upperclassman) just gestured to her wrist where there was several different colors of string. It turned out to be this sweet little circle up where we all took turns throwing a ball of yarn to each other and wrapping it around our wrists then throwing it to the next person without cutting it. The thing was that we threw it to someone, not our best friend, who had inspired us or made us happy or taught us something during that season. Someone special who made their time better. Then that person would do the same thing. At the end we would all hold our wrists up in the air and the president of the ITS board would tell us that the string represented we were all connected across the departments. We would then go through a cut it so everyone could wear the string till opening. Normally people would keep the string bracelets and wear them for other seasons. I still have the string from all of 7 of my shows.” 

The tradition was something to look forward to every year. It was a way to feel included and appreciated for the hard work and long hours that were the theater program. It is also a time to reflect and enjoy the people who have inspired and helped you. Wearing the string on your arm all day for a week and seeing all the people you are connected to in the school in the halls is a way to feel unity and appreciation for others.