In live event production, many shows are one-off builds. You load in, deliver, pack down, and move on. But for touring shows or longer-term residencies, consistency becomes the goal, recreating the same production across different venues, sometimes back-to-back, often with limited prep time. That’s where the value of technical rehearsals really comes into play.
Just as performers rehearse their roles, technical teams need time to rehearse with their kit. When standards are high, every cue matters: the lighting needs to hit exactly the right moment, the audio mix must be clear and consistent, and the visuals need to be precisely timed. Perfection doesn’t happen by chance – it’s planned and practiced.
We recently supported a client preparing for the next phase of an already successful touring show. After a strong run in 2024, the client wanted to elevate the experience for the 2025 tour – refining content and delivery to ensure a consistently exceptional show across all venues.
Rehearsal budgets are often tight, they don’t generate revenue like ticketed events. In this case, the shows were already contracted, and the client was funding the rehearsal period themselves. We worked closely with them to keep the process efficient and cost-effective, understanding the long-term value of this investment for everyone involved.
Following weeks of pre-visualisation and studio-based tweaks, we took the show into a full-scale technical rehearsal at Studio 001 at Production Park – a world-class facility designed for production prep. With over 1,500 sqm of space, 20m ceilings, and 75-tonne flown rig capacity, it gave us the ideal blank canvas to build a representative rig based on the tour’s average venue specs.
Our setup included a large upstage LED screen, three flown lighting trusses, a substantial line array PA system, and all necessary control gear – practical, not excessive. Over the course of the week, we translated digital planning into real-world delivery. Cable looms were measured and built, audio mixes were refined, lighting positions adjusted, content tested, and performer sightlines verified. Every detail was reviewed in show conditions – but without the pressure of an audience or the constraints of a live venue.
Beyond the technical benefits, there were long days, late nights, and plenty of coffee – but also invaluable team building. It gave the technical crew and performers time to understand how one another work before being thrown into high-pressure live environments. And for the team, being able to stay on-site at a facility of this calibre was both inspiring and rewarding.
