The tech crew plays a pivotal role in the success of any production, which was the case for the PDS winter musical, Alice by Heart. The crew began their preparations long before rehearsals began, having meetings starting in October. Technical Director Mr. Evan Paine and Assistant Technical Director and Costume Designer Ms. Chrissy Johnson elaborated on the beginnings of the process, explaining that their first meetings consisted of reading through the script and discussing how they would collaborate to build the world.
This specific show, according to sophomore Assistant Stage Manager Michael Berry, has a very involved set, which was almost entirely built by student carpenters and painters. Student involvement is an important aspect of tech crew; Ms. Johnson explained, “Students essentially run everything backstage—from set movements, to prop running, to quick changes for costumes, there is a lot of fun to be had while backstage!”
During a live show, the entire run crew is backstage and responsible for cooperating effectively with actors to execute quick changes, work through wardrobe malfunctions, and set the stage for each scene. Berry elaborated, “Overall, backstage can be a mix of calm moments and controlled chaos, where timing and teamwork are essential to keeping the show running seamlessly.”
Berry, Junior Stage Manager Sahana Karthik, and Junior Wardrobe Supervisor Sarah Bridgeman all agreed that the most challenging aspect of being a part of the management team is communication. With so many tasks handled by various people, it takes careful organization to ensure that accurate information reaches the right team members so that the show can run smoothly.
During tech week, which is the final week leading up to the opening performances, actors, as well as all crew members, were expected to attend lengthy rehearsals during President’s Day Weekend and all throughout the following week until late at night. When asked what they wished their peers and faculty to know, Berry stated, “…even though you only see about an hour and a half watching the show, we put hours of time and work into perfecting the show each day.” It is important as audience members and as peers of our cast and crew that we appreciate the effort and passion expressed by each and every person contributing to this production. With that in mind, next time you see a production, at PDS or otherwise, take a moment to acknowledge all of the work put in that you cannot see.
