By SARA CASLER
Tyler Conrady. Most students recognize this name as one of the most talented actors to ever hit the drama department’s glorious stage. But only those that are directly involved or incredibly nosey, know what it takes to put together a drama production from the set, up.
Senior Naivette Henriquez is the stage manager for this production, Dracula. Before rehearsal starts, she has the crew ready to start a show or rehearsal with everything ready at a moments notice.
“On Broadway, for every actor, there are five technicians. In our school, we don’t have that many people or enough room back stage, but I feel that shows [just] how important we are. The crew never stops working. They start before rehearsals and work long hours. Without a stage manager [and crew], shows would be chaotic,” Henriquez said.
Following the pre-show organization, step one is set design and construction. Senior Veronica Kelly is the student assistant technical director. She spends an average of four hours an afternoon during show season building, buffing and perfecting the set that brings the imagination to life.
“The unique part about the set is that it really draws people in. It will compliment the time period and genre of the play and it adds to the atmosphere. We get to transform our theater into a nineteenth century cemetery and a fully decked out office, [bringing] our audience into a different reality where the vampires don’t sparkle,” V. Kelly said.
The next components are the costumes and makeup. Dracula would be unrecognizable without his characteristic fangs and cape. Costume department head senior Kendyl Stewart is responsible for bringing horrific sights to life.
“The costume department makes sure that the audience doesn’t see any naked actors, no matter how much they may want to. The costumes are the audience’s first impression of the show’s mood and setting [aside from the set],” Stewart said.
Dracula is a chance for the makeup and costume departments to get inventive. The time period of Dracula requires a set of outfits and accessories relevant to his era.
Other aspects of the technical crew never mentioned include lights, props and stage management. Junior Ali Kelly is responsible for making, fixing or scavenging any props that the actors may need.
“The actors tell the story. Technicians help to create the world around the actor,” A. Kelly said.
Dozens of preparations go on behind the scenes that the audience never sees.
“No one ever appreciates what the tech crew does,” Stewart said. “That is, unless we don’t do it. Then the actors would only be cold, naked, quiet voices in the darkness with nothing to sit on.”