Thursday, March 2, 2017

A HELL OF A WEEK FOR ‘SISTER ACT’

By THOMAS LAWLESS

Since mid-December, the cast and crew of the spring musical, Sister Act, has been preparing for their big night.  After countless hours of rehearsing, memorizing lines, and building sets, there is officially one week left until showtime. In the world of theater, this week is referred to as “Hell Week.”  It is the week when the costumes and makeup go on, crew sets are ready to be run backstage, and lights and sounds are set to go.  The musical is run through numerous times this week in order to catch any last minute mess-ups or do-overs before opening night. 

THOMAS LAWLESS FOR WIZARD WEEKLY
When watching a musical, one sees the performers reciting their lines and working hard to grant the audience an entertaining performance. Although the only ones being seen are the actors, there are also people backstage that these actors couldn't have performed without; they are the people who truly make the show come to life.  Stage manager, Carly Sacco, accompanied by her fellow assistant stage managers, Laura Rodriguez and Emily Young, are the three main people behind the hard work and creativity that goes on backstage at Washingtonville High School.  From building and painting sets to timing out all the lights and sounds, these three girls, along with many others, stay after school and work on weekends to ensure that the best sets are made to entice the audience the night of the show. 

Two year assistant stage manager Emily Young, explained some of the backstage insights that many are not aware of. “We started designing the set in December and then in January we went to White Plains to see the show live to get more of an idea of how we wanted it.”  After about three months of planning and building, the crew’s hard work and dedication has certainly paid off.  Being a stage manager comes with a lot of responsibility.  Just like being a captain on a sports team, the stage manager carries the crew through their “season” of building sets. Emily mentioned how, “A lot of time goes into being a stage manager.  You always have to keep an eye out for the kids, but also let them be creative and let them endure their own projects.” Crew stays after school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays for about six hours. Once hell week comes along, crew members stay until approximately 10pm. It is evident that a lot of time and effort goes into being a part of crew.

If you have yet to do so, make sure that you purchase your tickets to come see the stellar performance of Sister Act! By purchasing a ticket, you are not only supporting the cast, but also the crew who has certainly worked just as hard to make sure the musical is breathtaking. The show is being performed on March 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the High School auditorium.


  

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