By Hailie Gold
I have been involved in theatre for as long as I can remember, but last year was the first time I was highly involved in backstage happenings. I quickly realized, it’s not only the actors that make the show happen, it’s the crew too! Actors are wonderful, and you wouldn’t have a show without them, but if we didn’t have the techs, we would just have actors standing on a blank, dark stage in street clothes, with no direction. Also, techs aren’t just the people who wear all black and pull sets around; teching is much more involved than that. I found the crew to be divided into three branches; the production team, the design team, and the technical team.
First, in the production team, we have the director, who is the head of what goes on onstage. Their word is law. Their job is to make sure the actors look and sound their absolute best Sometimes, they may seem a bit harsh, but they don’t mean it personally. They just want the production to be great and enjoyable to audiences. Honestly, it’s a really tough job, and I can never appreciate them enough. Next, is the production assistant (or PA), the director’s second in command. The PA is responsible for scheduling; maintaining communication with the entire cast and crew; taking notes and keeping the director on track and up to date. The PA keeps everyone on the same page during the entire rehearsal process.
Next, the design team is the group of creative people who make the actors look and feel like their assigned characters. The costume designer is in charge of pulling costumes and wigs from the costume shop/department; designing and making new costumes, and more. Many costume designers also help with makeup and hair design and props. The costume designer works alongside the prop master, who acquires and/or creates every prop. Every object that the actors hold or manipulate is the prop master’s domain. Another important component of the design team are the set designers, whose job it is to sketch out, build and paint the set. This can be one of the most difficult jobs on the crew, as they are often responsible for large, involved pieces that help tell the story by showing a location, a time period, and different feelings for the actors and audiences. By that, I mean what kind of a room is it, or is it an outdoor space? Does it give off a warm, lively feeling, or a more industrial or dark vibe? All members of this team (and all teams for that matter), put so much time and hard work into their creations, so please, please treat your set, costumes, and props with respect.
Finally, the technical team, who is responsible for everything that goes on backstage, and who makes sure everyone and everything remains in order. There is the technical director (and assistants), who usually sit in the booth at the back of the theatre and run lights and sounds. They also have to hang lights and mics, and if you’ve never seen it before, it’s kind of terrifying. They climb on giant ladders and lift and haul heavy lights up and down. I have to give them so much credit! Also, we can’t forget the stage manager, who is the chief of backstage and the lead set mover. The SM remains on headset with the tech director, and is responsible for pulling curtain, calling places, and helping anyone who has a problem during a show. They really do it all, and are kind of like the backstage version of the production assistant.
It’s important to remember that no one is more important than anyone else, onstage or backstage. We’re like tiny gears and screws in one big machine, that work together and help each other out. If one piece isn’t giving 100%, the machine can’t work its best. If you ever get the chance, thank your crew, they make everything look a lot easier than it is, and they will appreciate it- I can vouch for that!