Cue to Cue tech session

It almost sounds like a billiard term but a cue to cue tech session is vitally important in the production of a play, at least one with several scene changes and lots of stage fixtures. And yet it is deceivingly simple. Each scene is enacted briefly (without all the lines of dialogue, songs, or dance numbers) but with the actors on stage who are on stage during that scene. Then for the change of scene, people are assigned the various stage fixtures that need to be moved on or off stage. For professional playhouses, these assignments would probably go to stagehands but for community theater, the assignments go to actors that can reasonably be expected to be available for the task. A script of the assignments is produced and integrated with the regular script. And you'd better remember your assignment as much as you are expected to remember any of your lines.

Another thing that is done during the cue to cue tech session is "spiking" the fixtures. To ensure that the tables, benches, rolling platforms, etc. are placed in the same place each time, small pieces of tape are placed on the stage floor. In Oliver! many of the set changes are done during blackout so sturdy, phosphorescent tape is used that can be seen in low light conditiongs and will not easily wear off during the performance.