Knockers- Tech Rehearsal

We are less than a week away from opening night and tech has begun. Knockers is first in the line up which is good and bad for my actors. Good, being that they can carry their energy and excitement into the performance right away, and they'll be able to get out of costume the soonest since it is getting increasingly hot in Corvallis. It's expected to be in the 90's during performance weekend. The negative side to it is that, once they get done with their performance, they have to wait till the other one acts are completed before they can leave. And during tech, that can take a long time. I do feel bad for them, since we get out at 9 pm or later. They often come to me with an exhaustion in their voices and barely strung together smiles asking when rehearsal will be over since they have so much homework to do. It's week 10 and I know very well that all their professors are assigning pre-final, final projects and essays, midterms, and concerts. I want to tell them that I'm in the same situation they are in; I've got my academic life is crunching down around me too. I feel bad telling them every night that it'll probably be till late again. Especially since they move a lot of large set pieces in the second act. They seem exasperated and slightly annoyed with that fact so I'm going to bring them cookies tomorrow to say well done. They deserve a little treat. They're working hard.