While the cast can be seen beaming brightly in the spotlight, there is another star pointing that light at the correct time and in the correct location. Hearing the hilarious lines from our favorite actors is only possible when the mic is turned on and set at the correct volume. The beautiful sets and costumes that bring the story to life were created and designed by the unseen faces of the tech crew.
Columbus High School's Full House Productions closed the run of their Spring Musical Into The Woods on Monday, March 28th. While their work may remain unseen by the audience, the tech crew plays just as big a role as the lead.
"Just as much happens backstage than onstage, if not more," says Silverstein.
Costume Manager, Emma Silverstein, is responsible for the iconic looks worn by the amazing actors.
The inspiration for the costumes came from"watching some other productions of the show online and also via making Pinterest boards," says Silverstein.
Though the costumes appeared magical on stage, the crew and cast had their share of outfit mishaps.
"We had a lot of problems doing very quick costume changes [and] costume mishaps," says Silverstein, "such as rips and tears which we had to quickly safety pin or sew backstage."
"It [hair and makeup] gives the audience the chance to fully immerse themselves in the story, and it helps the actors get into character," says Abeyta.
Hair and Makeup Head, Sage Abeyta, was in charge of all of the stylistic choices for the hair and makeup and all hair and makeup changes during the production.
"There are a lot of variables that go into making a theatrical production," says Abeyta, "and I feel that people are not well informed on how many different duties a show's tech crew must perform."
The works of the crew, especially those in hair and makeup, allow a story to come to life and create a magical end result.
"While stressful and tiring at times," says Abeyta, "it is extremely enjoyable and is overall a good environment to be involved in."
"The actors are the main focus," says McDowell, "but [the] crew is what adds the nice details and makes them shine."
Jason McDowell, the Assistant Stage Manager, was in charge of "crisis management and [the] overall tech head."
The performance may appear without error and seamless, but behind the stage, it may not be the same.
"Closing night, for example," shares McDowell, "the program we use to run Cues,...deleted all of our tracks, so we had to redownload and reorganize all of them 30 minutes before show."
Though some things may go wrong, the role of the crew, their ability to problem-solve, and the story they help create, can be seen through the amazing story they create.
"It leads to many unique opportunities, being backstage," says McDowell of his time behind the spotlight; "The booth is a magical place, and honestly, anyone can do something."