The stage lights go down on the forest set, the fourth scene has just been completed and the world stops. Not for the audience members but for the techies. They have a solid 22 seconds to make sure the stage looks completely different. By the time the lights come back up, there are two huge platforms where trees were and now a grand staircase coming off them with columns hanging in the back. A technician or “techie” is the backbone of theatre, they make the magic happen, make sure you can hear and see the show , without actually seeing them.

Cinderella, the fall musical, opens in one week today. I am a run crew member for the musical and here’s the breakdown of what we do. Being on run crew means we take set pieces on and off the stage and just make sure everything looks good from the audience’s perspective. Tech rehearsals started on Jan. 8th going from straight after school until 6 or 8 p.m., or even sometimes 9 p.m.. On Saturdays they usually start early from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. When you get to rehearsals, you usually make sure everything is in line backstage. Making sure all the props are there, the stage is swept, and the set pieces are in there place. There are a lot of aspects of tech, not just run crew. There are fly operator’s, assistant stage managers, the stage manager, sound and lights etc. We all work together to make sure the show is up to par for the director.

One thing all the techies are a part of is building and painting the set. Building and painting started in mid December. In this particular show there are huge set pieces that play a crucial aspect to this show. The carriage and the throne are two of my favorite decorative pieces of Cinderella. Some other amazing set pieces are the cottage that Cinderella’s family lives in and the whole palace set in general.

The show opens on Jan. 21 and goes until Jan. 23. After a month and a half of dedication to the show, come and watch us do our job, without actually seeing us.