(Wylie East High School) Lights, camera, action, cue music, props are broken. The last two aren’t as well-known but they are what make the show a great production. Without the “techies,” the show couldn’t go on.
The technology students are responsible for building sets, cuing lights and music and ensuring that all props and stage settings are in place. Without all of this, the show would be set on a dark, empty, silent stage.
“I think everyone underestimates the techies because they don’t see them. Without the lights and sets, there wouldn’t be a production,” theatre director Andrea Farnham said.
In Wylie East High School’s recent production of Rimers of Eldritch, there are five official techies: Brieanna Figuly, Dolton Etheridge, Josh Prince, Mimi Tran, Hannah Proctor and Ezra Anderson. However, the tech classes help build sets and other odd jobs to help the main stage crew.
Most of the techies are in the sound and light booth during the performance located at the back of the auditorium.
“I start out the show in the wings of the stage but after about 10 minutes I move back to the booth,” stage manager Breanna Figuly said. “For Rimers [of Eldritch] there are no full time stage hands. We are all in the booth.”
The last few rehearsals are commonly called “tech week” because those are the rehearsals that the techies attend to learn the show and the cues to make sure everything goes off without a hitch opening night.
“You have to get set design done quickly so you can start on lights and sound effects,” set and light designer Josh Prince said.
The techies spend a lot of time at the school after school and on the weekends, building sets and learning the ques, the starts and stops to the light and sound. And with 78 ques in the play, learning it in just a few rehearsals is difficult.
“We could always use volunteers,” Figuly said, “You don’t have to be in the class. We love having extra people. People are nice.”
Written by journalism student Caitlyn Bogart, news and features editor; published Nov. 29. 2011 in WEHS Blue Print. The journalism/yearbook students are under the direction of Casie Thedford.
To submit your news, events or student-written articles, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.
The scene behind the scenes of ‘Rimers of Eldritch’ added by Editor on
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