The opening night for “The Clumsy Custard Horror Show” is Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. followed up by a show on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. and a matinee on Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. 

During the days before the show, the cast and crew were deep into tech week. Theater director Ms. K.T. Peterson said the show will be a festive ‘80s extravaganza. She said, “This is their first week really on the stage. They got to get on it some last week and try to work through some things.” 

Peterson said she hoped that Nov. 17’s rehearsal would bring “a light at the end of the tunnel” for actors distraught over a not quite ready play. Peterson stressed that the chaos is not unusual for a play. She said, “It’s always a train wreck. I think in my entire career of doing this professionally, and even in universities, I know one director who when I asked, ‘How’s tech going?’ and she said ‘wonderful’ — I wanted to slap her.” 

Assistant director junior Colin Chandler, who also plays King Dumb in the play, took a brighter view. He said, “ It’s looking pretty good and it’s getting better each day. Thankfully we started tech a little bit earlier because for the last show we were scrambling to finish tech the day before the show, but this time we gave ourselves more time and it’s looking better.” 

Chandler said acting on the set was a great experience after so long in the green room. He said, “It’s great to move around on. It really allows for a lot of dynamic movements and moves for the actor to make that have a lot of emphasis and impact behind them. There are some bits that can be done that wouldn’t make sense at all without the current set we have, and frankly it’s a blessing from construction crew.”

Freshman Luciana Lindner, who takes a prominent role in the play as Arnis Boheme, agreed. She said, “The set helps motivate me more and envision how it’s actually going to be like it’s on opening night.” Lindner, who has been acting since she was 6, praised Peterson’s direction. She said, “(Peterson) has brought my mind to a new idea of what theater is and how to deliver on a part.”

For any unsure of going to the show, both Chandler and Peterson delivered direct appeals asking for a sold out auditorium, but the rehearsal can perhaps speak for itself. In a serious note before another run-through, Chandler asked a few of his fellow actors, “When I ride off on the toilet, can you guys push me off?”