Preparation+-+Rehearsal+time+calculations

flat  = The one-minute rule = Pay attention to **excluding production week & off-book rehearsals**. Off-book rehearsals are those when the cast has learned their lines and are struggling to join their blocking and character work with their dialogue. This is synthesis time, not creation time. You already know that synthesis time dominates production week.

To calculate the rehearsal time for a particular play:
 * 1) Gather some friends.
 * 2) Read the play aloud.
 * 3) Time the reading with a stopwatch.
 * 4) Take breaks so you don’t tire and skew the time.
 * 5) Skip over any lengthy visual descriptions, concentrating instead on dialogue and action.

When you’re finished, convert the time in minutes to hours and you have your answer. Simple.

You can read by yourself but it’s more fun with friends. It’s an estimate, not exact science but you should strive for accuracy. Follow this rule and you will have plenty of time to achieve creative success.