Theatre: behind the scenes

by Charlie Kaneer, Opinion Section Editor

The following story was written by a student on the staff of The Jaguar Times as part of Hilliard Bradley High School’s Journalism Production course.

Aud Schmidt (right) and Elijah Qualls (left) perform a dance during Alice in Wonderland. Photo credit: Yearbook .

So, you’ve watched a theatre production. Maybe at your school, at a local theatre, or on YouTube. Hopefully it was good, and as an actor, I know I personally appreciate each and every person who watches a production I’m in. However, I noticed that the watchers I appreciate may not appreciate me and my colleagues in the same way. Allow me to explain. That isn’t their fault, they are typically here for a story and to watch the main characters interact with the world around them. What they do not know is what goes into it- what goes on behind the scenes, and the work that each and every actor and “techie” (student technicians/stagehands/lights/sound/etc.) put in to build the world they watched. I figured I could highlight the unseen so that next time you watch a production, you may see it a little differently.

Personally, I do wish people realized how much time techies and actors put into these productions. As Elijah Qualls (10) puts it, “Rehearsals go on for hours, and they get so draining” … “We wake up at 8 AM on a Saturday to go do something we love because we know in a week or two we’ll have an audience.” … “We’re willing to grind however long we need to if it means that the audience will love our show.” Most days, after school, we don’t go home like other students. We attend 4-hour-long set-builds and 3-8-hour-long rehearsals to make sure the set and acting are perfect. Outside of rehearsals we memorize lines, make cue sheets, and plan costume ideas. For the length of a production, our life becomes that production.

I also wish I could better explain how little details go so overlooked. Small costuming decisions, subtle lighting changes, and all other world-building aspects that ties the show in one big bow. There are roles that go unseen like stage managers, prop managers, and the lights and sound crew. Each and every person is a cog in the complex production machine and whenever even one person is missing, it can make an entire rehearsal process challenging. It often becomes so much more than just a show to the people in it. It becomes friendships and memories that we’ll always have to look back on.

Elaina Author sits upon her throne during the court scene in strutting her stunning performance as the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland. Photo cred: Yearbook

Most of all, we want the audience to know that we truly do it all for them. Aud Schmidt (12) enthuses, “I wish the crowd knew how excited the whole cast gets to perform the show in front of people.” … “For our first live performance in Alice,” [In Wonderland] “everyone backstage was bouncing off the walls.” … “The audience is a huge part of what makes theatre so great, so I wish they knew how much it means to us actors that they show up and take the time to watch us.” While you watch us, we’re watching you too. Every laugh, gasp, and sniffle is fuel to an actor’s flame. It’s what we thrive off of. We all yearn to thank each and every single audience member for their support.

I hope this opens your eyes to the theatre-production process a little more and opens your eyes to the time and emotion put behind the plays and musicals you watch and enjoy.

Love always,

theatre departments everywhere.