TECH CREW TRAINING

Hello

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This is an overview of what doing theater tech is like here at LWHS and about the application process.  If you have any specific questions let me know.  mstaiff@lwsd.org

 

Because tech is potentially dangerous, complicated, and there is a lot of expensive equipment, I keep the size of the student crew small. A small crew allows me to work closely with the students, learn who I can trust, give more hands-on training, keep everyone safe, and keep the equipment safe. So there is an application process and you would need to be accepted.  I typically receive about double the number of applications I can accept onto the team each year so getting onto the crew is very competitive.

 

I primarily recruit 9th and 10th graders as it takes at least a year for a new tech student to really develop their skills and become a strong member of the team.  For this same reason, I prefer Juniors and Seniors to already have some previous experience doing tech at another school, church, community theater etc…

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There are three initial training sessions which will happen on Wednesday September 20th, 27th and October 11th.  Training will run from 1:45 to about 5:15pm. These sessions cover basic safety and some basic equipment operations.  You must complete all three trainings.  Please clear your schedule to be here.  If you can’t attend the training, please do not apply.

 

Once you have completed the training you will be placed on the list of approved crew students.  We don't usually have "club meetings", instead we really are about working tech for shows.

 

Once approved you start getting emails from me about upcoming band concerts, choir concerts, parent information nights, talent shows, plays, musicals... everything that happens in the theater you could potentially be part of the crew running it. The little events only require a few student techs and we have about 20 on the crew.  The big shows require everyone.

 

The initial training sessions don't go much farther than how to turn things on and off without breaking something and keeping yourself safe. Working on the dozens of small single night events is where you really develop your skills, and you can choose your level of involvement at that point.  If you really want to get in deep and learn about sound and lighting, you need to show up for a lot of the small events. If this is going to be sort of a fun side hobby for you, and all you want to do is help build sets and do set changes on the musical, you don't have to come to as often.  The students who show up more to the little events develop new skills and get the more important positions on the crew in the big plays and musicals.

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When it comes to plays, musicals, and larger Talent show type events I need everyone on the crew to participate.  We will build sets and props in the afternoons after school (you don’t have to come every time but you are encouraged to come often).  We install the set, we spend a week doing tech and dress rehearsals and then students run all the lighting, sound, fly system, follow spots, props, set changes, etc... for two weeks of performances.  For the Musical this typically amounts to 50-60 hours over three weeks, for the main play it’s about 40-50 hours, so tech is a big time commitment.