Few can say they were unimpressed by the quality of the school production, Macbeth, last autumn. Well-timed gore, flashing lights, and detailed props all contributed to its outstanding quality. The actors and on-stage talents were essential to the success of the play, but Tech Crew was equally important. Responsible for all of the behind-the-scenes action, Tech Crew worked tirelessly for weeks leading up to the production, polishing the details to perfection. Although many know of Tech Crew, few truly understand the numerous tasks its members take to develop Princeton Day School’s acclaimed productions.

Many Tech Crew members first became involved in Middle School. Junior Gabby Ruvinsky, for example, has been part of the group ever since seventh grade when she was first invited by her Tech Crew teacher. Another member, junior Hannah Rafferty, explained how she also became involved around the same time. She was inspired to join Tech Crew after seeing her friends attend a meeting. For her first task, she and her friends helped build props for the musical Urinetown.

“We just rinsed some bottles and threaded them on strings. I just did that for the afternoon and that’s when I really started, and it was very fun times,” Rafferty recalled.

A serious time commitment is a huge part of what makes Tech Crew successful. When the production is still a month or two away, Tech Crew meets weekly on Fridays after school. Technical Director Ben Malone explained how every meeting varies depending on what needs to be accomplished. “If we don’t have a whole lot of work, then we might be cleaning up the shop, working on some long-term stuff like organizing the electrical room.”
Tech Crew will often have a specific objective, such as building a platform. In the following weeks, Mr. Malone evaluates the next steps, and then the following meeting will be devoted to working on another important assignment.

As the production date creeps closer, Tech Crew meets more frequently to accommodate the increased workload. With the days becoming busier, Tech Crew has to come in on the weekends. “When it picks up, it picks up,” Rafferty noted.

Due to the enormous number of tasks Tech Crew must cover, all the members are involved in unique jobs. Providing some examples, junior Naveen Bhatia said, “You can build things, you can go up to incredibly high heights, even set up the very tall lights.”

“I feel that [Tech Crew] can fit to anyone’s personality. No matter what you want to do, you will find it—there’s costumes, makeup, props, house, and all that jazz,” added Ruvinsky.

Tech Crew is filled with dedicated, hardworking individuals who devote much of their time to carrying out the logistics of each PDS production, covering a wide variety of tasks.

“When the curtains open, metaphorically or not, and you see, ‘I painted that. I painted the stage. I helped them memorize their lines. I helped them with x-y-z,’ there is a sense of pride there, even if it’s not seen, even if we are just backstage. It’s really cool to see what you worked on up on stage,” said Rafferty.