Stage Tech Students Work as Unseen Artist

The stage tech students are very involved in musical theater, working hard to fabricate props and plans to use in this fall’s upcoming production, Meet Me in St. Louis. The students are working on some very specific projects right now, though it’s only the beginning of what they have to do throughout the rest of the semester. “We are working on a mural to hang outside the classroom to advertise the show, we’re analyzing the script, and we’re designing the sets. Right now we’re doing research to figure out what things looked like back then,” said Mr. Webb, the head teacher of the musical theater class. Many of the students are involved in the painting process, along with the rest of the work. They are working together as a team to get the big projects done. As for the “analyzing a script” aspect, some may wonder, “Why read the script when you aren’t the ones acting?” The students give a reason for this: “I think analyzing the text definitely gives you a feel for props, what you’re going to need,” said Emily, a sophomore in stage tech. The unseen artists study the play scripts in order to get in tune with the setting and help them decide what props to make. Without them, there wouldn’t be any props or decorations for the play. “They make things happen; they’re the backbone of everything. They’re the ladder that the actors get to stand on,” Mr. Webb adds. However, aside from the work aspect, the students also have a good social dynamic within the class. “Everybody becomes like family after we get to know each other for a long time,” Mr. Webb says. The stage tech students are working in unity for the good of the actors and the show.