As the theater dims to a flicker of glowing stage light, the production begins. The stage is filled with colorful props, sets, and theater effects too engrossing to look away from. But what happens behind the scenes goes much further than long hours practicing and rehearsing. What makes the show truly come alive is the Stage Crew.
The Stage Crew is a club at the Wellesley Middle School that gives students interested in working in the behind-the-scenes of theater a chance to work with others with the same interests.
Although Stage Crew Members don’t physically go onto the stage and act on it, the members of this club work hard to bring the show to life.
“It’s really exciting, and it makes you feel like you are somehow part of the show. Even if you are not onstage, you are still supporting the people in the show, and you are making it happen,” says Jeslyn Lu ’30.
A lot goes into making performances happen, and what makes one come to life is the work done by stage crew members.
“We have a sound cue operator, which is also really important… in Anastasia, there’s a train whistle that happens. With that happening too soon, it’s going to be weird, and if it happens too late, it’s going to be weird. Anytime we have students moving scenery around, that’s one of those moments where there could be accidents, but as long as everybody’s calm and pays attention we can have the whole scene come to life,” says Interim Technical Director, Becki Gray.
Performance scenery can truly be taken for granted, and this beauty really cannot be completed without the Stage Crew. “These guys can’t do this without us, or the stage crew in general. The actors cannot put set pieces together. I’m not going to lie, they probably wouldn’t be able to do this,” says Jeremy Silver ’29.
What matters most about being a part of the Stage Crew is the memorable experience and the collaborative effort that goes into everything to make a successful result.
“It’s most memorable when everybody finally comes together, and we finally start working together, or when you start making a new friend,” says Lu.
At the end of the day, the beauty of everything comes down to the hard work going down behind the scenes.