Club feature: technical theatre

Photo by Addison Gross.

Addison Gross

Reporter

Many interesting and unfamiliar clubs pop up around Crete-Monee High School every year, but this one important club taking place isn’t exactly new. It has been joined with our school's drama club for years; however, technical theater has finally become its own club.

Technical theater is all about being the 'invisible hand' of a production. They handle building sets and props, working the lights and sound, and moving set pieces during the show. They essentially do everything behind the scenes of every CMHS drama club production.

“Technical theater is about the inner workings of how plays and shows are made, and how we as the crew create the magic and illusion of the performances,” said Jaeden Roberts, a high school senior and long time backstage crew member.

This year the club will be receiving its own funding, which is a huge deal for the club. Previously, things correlating to performances had to be shared between actors and crew members, not allowing as much to be done for the backstage crew and the actors.

“It was very limited because we had to share a budget and a roster and a schedule with the Drama club…now that the clubs are separated and have become just two clubs collaborating, that leaves technical theater with a lot more potential for props and gives us more time to work!” said one of the past stage managers and now high school senior, Daniel Wade.

One of the many new aspects of technical theater is this year's new stage manager Alainna Hughes. She has been a part of backstage for some time and is really showing her leadership skills now and stepping up as the new stage manager for the club.

After talking to a few of the longest standing members of drama club/technical theater we get some insight into what exactly is going on backstage and what will be done for our upcoming production of Clue.

“One of the most ambitious things we have going for the play is the individual rooms that we are creating for the production,” Wade said.

“We are scaling and creating more extensive and more intricate sets from last year with new lighting and effects,” Added Roberts.

While this semester technical theater is closed for new members, next semester for spring musical the club will be welcoming new members to come join the brand-new technical theater club, and it’s highly encouraged that students come by and try it out! Even if you are a senior this year, it’s never too late to get involved, so keep technical theater in mind for the next semester!