Tech crew readies for Holmes variety show opening

As of Thursday, Feb. 23, rehearsals for the Holmes Variety Show included tech crew. While the performers were rehearsing and perfecting their parts, tech crew was learning and adding their parts to the Variety Show scheduled to place on Thursday, Feb. 2; Friday, Feb. 3; and Saturday, Feb. 4.

The purpose of the tech crew is to keep the show running smoothly. “There would be no Variety Show without the tech crew. The tech crew runs the lights, microphones, curtains, props and costumes. Tech crew also moves furniture set pieces, chairs and risers. The tech crew takes care of every unseen thing that an audience takes for granted,” said Jeremy Prouty, the teacher that works with tech crew for the Variety Show.

Many students join tech crew because they want to get involved, but don’t want to actually perform. “I joined Tech Crew because I wanted to be a part of the show, but I was too nervous to actually be performing,” said freshman Abigail Mott, the member of tech crew in charge of handheld microphones. 

The amount of students getting involved in tech crew varies throughout the years. “This year, tech crew is around 20 kids, which is one of the biggest crews we have ever had,” Prouty said.

Tech crew is a very important part of the show. The members need to learn to act fast and anticipate what the actors need. “In addition to knowing every part of the show and what is needed to make each part work, the tech crew members also have to be able to think and act fast when things go wrong, because things often go wrong in live performances. The stage managers and the backstage techs need to think fast and act faster to spot problems before the audience can,” Prouty said.

Students who are in tech crew have many challenges to overcome while they’re rehearsing. “The hardest part of tech crew is staying a nice person. For me, personally, I tend to get a little mad when somebody walks away with a microphone or they all storm me at once for their microphones,” Mott said. “I generally try to talk and see what the problem is, but if things just keep piling on top of another, I have to take a breather and calm down before I can rationally help with the problem.”

However, Mott said in the end, it’s all worth it. “The best part of tech crew is the very end when it’s all over and you finally get to step out and see how happy the audience is.”

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