![[left] Daniella Moreno, Nikolas Morante, Michael Harris, Addison Petrea, Emma Wagner [right] at Churchill High School for a debate tournament on Jan. 11.](https://jhsjagjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_0717-1200x800.jpeg)
On stage, the actor finds their light and performs their line, but off stage the theatre techs are managing the lights and sound and the stagehands are getting ready to move props, all to make sure the show goes on.
The JHS theatre department performed ‘Legally Blonde Jr. The Musical’ in January. They had 12 students involved behind-the-scenes, which included the techs, stagehands, and house crew.
“It is stressful but wonderful,” co-assistant stage m`anager Rachel Oates said. “Actors do a lot, and they bring the message, but tech kind of puts a little bow on it.”
Stagehands work to move the set props around in between acts and scenes. The technicians work on stage lights and music.
“There’s a lot happening, and it just requires all [of] your focus,” Oates said. “So, it can be stressful, but once you’ve perfected your set and all of your cues are already down, you’re just sitting and waiting.”
A big role played, apart from acting or directing, is being the stage manager. The stage manager makes important documents like rehearsal reports, production reports, and daily calls, which help rehearsals run effectively and give feedback to techs and actors. The stage manager is also who calls for the show to start, makes sure everyone’s on track and assists the director with whatever they need.
“I like the aspect of controlling the show when it’s happening,” stage manager Scarlett Teague said. “I just like the feeling of the rhythm of the show and getting to be creative.”
Both acting and tech get to be creative, but then they split off into different expressions of creativity. In fact, Teague said lights allow for different colors to convey emotions, so it really helps the actors build their characters off of the tech.
“So, I think it’s really cooperative between both,” she said. “But it’s just different ways of expressing creativity.”
What the actors, techs, and stagehands all share in common is the desire to bring the show to light. This can be seen in little ways, with their warm ups and terms like calling “Thank you, House!” all at once, or even the exhaustion of having to perform four shows a week and then begin rehearsals for a new show the next week.
“If you’re spending each night until 8 p.m. together then you’re bound to make friends,” Teague said. “And be bonded to the people you’re spending so many hours with.”
