You may not always see them but you can definitely see the work they put in. Stage crew works behind the scenes at every school play. Stage crew does props, backgrounds, scene changes and all the tech effects in a school production.

Every time the lights come on, every time the scene changes, and every time there is sound effects, that’s the stage crew. All the costumes, all the props and backdrops and all the makeup is done by stage crew. With no stage crew, you wouldn’t be able to hear the performers, there would be no costumes, and the performances would be acting in front of a blank backdrop.

There is a lot of preparation that goes into the play. Stage crew works until 4:30 p.m. everyday after school. But during tech week, which is the week before the first show where they run through the show completely, stage crew can go as late as 9 p.m.. “It pays off because I really love seeing how I can be a part of something and how all the people are working towards the same goal of an amazing production,” sophomore Hannah Mikowski said.

There are many different parts of stage crew. There is the build crew, who paints the sets. Then there is production, which has six different parts; run, lights, sound, costumes, video and makeup. Run crew moves different parts on and off the stage. Lights crew controls the lighting, sound crew deals with sound cues, who is speaking and putting mics on the actors and actresses. The costume crew deals with costumes and the makeups crew applies makeup to the actors and actresses. The video crew records the play.

In order to join stage crew you just have to show up. “As long as your guardian signs a form to let you use power tools, you are welcome to come, if your dedicated and productive, we are stoked to have to join crew,” senior Line Bower said.
If you’re interested in joining you should contact technology teachers Erica Davis or Lindsay Roberts.

“For anyone who is considering stage crew all I have to say is that my experiences as a part of stage crew is one of the greatest I have ever had. I have made so many friends and I learned a lot of about technical theater,” sophomore Aviva Kram said.
Any one can take part in stage crew. “Plenty of people come in and out during the year to participate but the number is more limited for the production crew and most people on stage crew are very good friends and we always welcome newcomers,” Kram said.

The work stage crew puts in doesn’t go unnoticed by the performers. “I really appreciate everyone involved in stage crew because the shows would be impossible without them.” sophomore Macy Fewell, a performer in the Cinderella musical and The Music Man said.

Anna Baldwin

Staff Writer