Hearing the opening overture of a show you are working on is a feeling like no other, said Tech Crew member Marina M. “When you get to opening night and everyone is amped up, you’re overwhelmed because it’s finally happening,” she said. “Tech theatre does so much of the unseen work, and it’s so much fun skittering around backstage with your friends while helping make amazing things happen.”

UPrep’s Tech Crew is comprised of five Upper School students who work for Technical Theatre Teacher and Theatre Manager Leroy Timblin. All these students—Karsten S., 12th grade; Rose H. and Marina M., 11th grade; Parker B. and Landon V., 10th grade—work on an as-needed basis. They help Stagecraft class students work on and run the Middle and Upper School plays and musicals and run tech for events in Founders Hall and around campus.

“Tech Crew members fell in love with the artform while taking Stagecraft class. They have a passion for technical theatre and feel at home here,” said Leroy. “They are already here working outside of class time because they love it, so hiring them to be part of my crew made sense.”

Leroy trains his crew up, with the goal of ensuring they are prepared for theatre tech jobs by the time they graduate from UPrep. Technical theatre includes design for costume, set, props, lights, sound, make-up, and projections; stage management and running the lights and sound booth; and charge art or being responsible for painting and surface treatment of a production’s scenic elements.

Often, the students become experts in one area and train crew members and Stagecraft students in that area. Landon trains people in lighting tech, from running the light board and adding emphasis to a scene through lighting to working with the actors to make sure the lights aren’t too bright. “I love being able to make the magic happen on stage,” he said.

Crew member Parker teaches people how to work the sound board now that he has more than a year of experience in this area.

You learn a lot of creative thinking and problem-solving skills through running tech,” Parker said. “And the people who find this interesting tend to be some of the best people you’ll ever meet.”

Crew member Marina appreciates the leadership skills she’s learned through being a stage manager. She knows how to project her voice, to speak clearly, and communicate well and succinctly. “A lot of tech theatre is about effective communication for safety and efficiency. There is a lot of call and response that doesn’t always come up in the same patterns in daily life,” she said. “I use these skills in my other passions. I love being outside, and my theatre management skills transfer into leading outdoor groups.”

Marina also loves the camaraderie of working toward a common goal. “There is a friendly rivalry between tech and actors, but we are all working together,” she said. “Tech makes the magic of theatre happen. If you’re doing a good job, no one knows you are there.”

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