The lights dim, the chatter dies as people ease into their seats, reminded to silence their cell phones and enjoy the show. The music begins and the light pours out of the opening curtains to reveal a thrilling new world. When the curtains close at the show’s end, the spell is broken. People leave full of awe and often credit actors for the magical experience, unaware of the intense process and collaboration that takes place behind the scenes of every production.
In the months leading up to the production, the crew builds the set, the pit band memorizes note sheets, the lighting crew installs new lights and track lighting cues, the designers dig through wardrobes, seamstresses labor over their sewing machines, the stage manager records blocking, the sound crew practices setting levels, and in the final hours until starting time the makeup artists scramble to paint every face.
Ms. Jennifer Anderson explains the monumental role of technical theater in delivering a show. “Just as a makeup artist brings out the natural beauty of every single person, I think sound technicians and artists have the ability to bring out the beauty of everyone that is on the stage.” She said. “We have a lot of power. Not just in turning the knobs on the sound board up and down, but to really tweak and enhance the final production.”

“We don’t do it for the recognition. I don’t want the spotlight, that’s literally why I chose tech. But being ignored is something different.”

Star S. (‘19) has worked backstage since sixth grade and has close relationships with her teachers as well. “Mr. Held and Mr. Bryant are such awesome people and I am so glad to know them through this. They are so amazing at what they do.” Star said. “Mr. Bryant making the plant for Little Shop was so cool.”
Star also gives further insight about the immensity of the technical process. “Before you even see people start auditioning, people start constructing the set while others would be fixing the lights and getting the light cues ready,” she said. “By the time the actors start rehearsing, we’ll still be doing construction until the last two or three weeks.”
One of Star’s fondest memories across her TAS tech career was when the backstage crew came out onto stage at curtain call for “Bugsy Malone.” They danced in the confetti until the show closed. Then they cleaned up the confetti while the actors went out to be received by their audience. “It would be nice to come out at the end for the curtain call,” Star said. “We are only a small name on the back of the program. Then later actors gesture to us at curtain call, that’s kinda it.”
Star does not stand alone in her disappointment with this aspect of her job. “We don’t do it for the recognition. I don’t want the spotlight, that’s literally why I chose tech,” Hannah said. “But being ignored is something different.”
Ms. Anderson finds this to be the nature of the job. “Being at the soundboard is difficult because if something goes wrong, everyone blames you. But when things are going great, people often don’t say ‘hey, great sound crew!’ It’s kinda a thankless job, but it’s a satisfying job because you have the wisdom to know what a difference you made. It’s not about being seen to do things, it’s about the action itself.”
Hannah echoes this sentiment. “I don’t think people understand the extent of the work we do,” she said. “Beyond credit, I think people knowing the work that we do is more important than knowing who we are.”