What's In My Rehearsal Bag?

My rehearsal bag is an enormous tote, with lots of pockets inside and out. Not only does it hold my rehearsal gear, but it also holds my clothes during costume changes and my outerwear as well. Especially if you’re working on a show with a big cast (my last had 69 cast members!) what’s in your rehearsal bag is your lifeline to keep from going crazy during those long, long rehearsals.

What’s In My Rehearsal Bag?

Mini Hand Sanitizer. Besides being used on your hands, you can squeeze hand sanitizer on to a tissue or a napkin and use it as a wipe to sanitize surfaces.

A Packet of Tissues/Hankie. Don’t count on anything softer than toilet tissue to be available, and you don’t want to be sniffing all night long.

Lip Balm, Travel Size Hand Lotion. If your lips or skin get chapped, it’s really distracting.

Pencils/Pens, Sticky Notes and Tabs. These are great for marking lines, cues, and scene/costume changes, as well as any changes to the script that the director makes.

Something Quiet To Do. In most cases, you only have couple months of rehearsals before your show goes on—you need to keep quiet for the common good! A book, kindle, handicraft like knitting, or homework is ideal. Movie streaming or games aren’t the best, music is okay if you keep it low enough you can hear conversations distinctly. You cannot be so submersed that you miss your cue! If it’s a project you’re working on, it should be easy to bundle up and toss in a bag. Nothing with a lot of parts that you might lose.

Cardigan. It might get freakishly cold, either due to too much A/C or money-saving in the dead of winter.

Antiperspirant. Just a travel size, just in case. My problems with aluminum in my armpits go out the window when it’s show-time. Apply your regular deodorant before every rehearsal, whether you need it or not; when dress rehearsals start, apply antiperspirant liberally before you get changed into your first costume, then again at intermission.

Feminine Products—because Murphy’s law.

Phone Charger. Whether you’re using as a research tool or your quiet fun, you’ll want to do it on a full battery.

Wallet and Keys. I bypass carrying a purse and toss my wallet into the bottom. Our community theatre is located across the street from a gas station on one side and the public library on the other, so opportunities to run out for snacks or reading material are ever-present.

Medication. Don’t forget timed medication, or any allergy helps or your Dayquil, if you’re fighting a cold.

(Sometimes) Snacks. Greasy/crumbly/smelly foods are out, otherwise you get a gross script and unhappy castmates. Fresh bell pepper or cucumber slices are a healthy option.

When the Dress Rehearsals/Show Start, Add:

Your own shoes—Even if you’re not worried about foot fungus, chances are shoes from the costume room won’t fit you comfortably. A pair of low-heeled character shoes in black are great. You can use them for musicals or plays equally well.

A box of nylon hose. Not just one pair—a box of 3 or 4 pairs. Besides the ruin-a-pair minimum, you’ll be glad of extra pairs in case of giving away, unforeseen accidents, and leaving pairs behind you in places.

Your personal makeup kit. At the very least, bring your own eye makeup. You should have the basics, including: dark brown or black eyeliner, mascara, foundation, powder, blush, and lipstick. It doesn’t need to be a brand specifically for stage wear, or even expensive. Just keep in mind that shades should be a bit more intense than for street wear, because lights wash you out. Optional is an eyebrow pencil, lip liner, primer, eye shadow, setting spray, or bronzer. You might need these depending on your character, facial characteristics, or how the other makeup comes together under the lights. Don’t forget the tools to apply!

A hairbrush/comb. You don’t want to use the ones there. They’re probably fine…but they might not be. Keep it in your bag, don’t leave it on the counter or someone else might use it  

Extra bobby pins/mini hair bands. A box of each. These you stick in people’s hair and never see again.

What Isn’t In My Rehearsal Bag?

ASAP, My Script. Memorize all your cues and lines. You know how when you watch a movie, and it gets to the point where you can lip-sync the lines? It’s like that. Know what happens before and after when you speak, and get the blocking down, so you can play the scene through like a movie in your head. Most of us don’t have that many lines, so this should be really easy. #sadbuttrue…. Leave the script at home. If you really get into a pickle during rehearsal and can’t remember a line, sneak a peak at a castmate’s while you’re running lines.

You know what would happen to me? In my most recent show, I would come off intermission to my “biggest” scene, and not be able to remember a single specific line while I was waiting off stage. But I KNEW that hearing the other actors would trigger the playback—and it did. Don’t panic! You got this.

Unnecessary Crap. Every day before rehearsal, I sort through my bag and clear out the crumbs, wrappers, receipts, odds and ends, so that I would have exactly what I needed and nothing more. Nothing is more frustrating than digging through a giant bag for something you know should be in there, and coming up with everything but.

Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs. Obviously. But I just want to say it—stay healthy, keep your body in good shape. This is not an industry that will let you get away with anything less. Plus, you might get more people than yourself in trouble if these items are found.

My Emotional Baggage. Theater is the superpower that lets you leave your outside life at the door, and bars that door against those things coming at you while you’re inside. You’ll be able to focus and give 100% if you leave behind everything that makes you upset. Don’t worry, you can pick up your responsibilities when you leave!

One day I wasn’t able to leave an illness in the family outside. There wasn’t a thing I could do to help, no reason for me to feel bad—but I was a wreck—hands shaking, not able to concentrate. Half a dozen people asked me if I was okay and I messed up my intermission job (lead actress’s hair!). Moral: check it at the door. The show must go on!

Hopefully this helps for any fellow-newbies wondering what to bring….Break a leg!!