‘Tech Week’ is the Toughest Week for any Theatre Production

Seniors Kyle Tabak and Kyle Billings engage in a rapier duel during rehearsals for the theatre department's fall show, "The Play That Goes Wrong," that was performed on Nov. 18-20. This is not Tabak’s first time wielding a sword; his role in “The Three Musketeers” all utilized rapiers. “It was cool and fun,” Tabak said. “Especially when Billings had to change his sword, and I then was holding...

Junior Kyle Tabak removes the hands from the clock after being asked to show Florence's face. The character who had recently fainted got trapped in the clock, causing other characters to carry it around stage. Many gags like this would appear throughout the show to showcase it going “wrong.” This was one of the many rehearsals that took place during what cast and crew members refer to as 'Tech...

Junior Cordelia Jenkins (center) assists Billings (left) in moving the clock. The clock had held the character of Florence who was trapped inside. During 'Tech Week' cast and crew members will typically be at school until well after 9 p.m. each night. Photograph by Ian Davis

Seniors Ellie Dunaja and Kyle Billings participate in a gag where the Gardener refuses to look at the woman his character is having an affair with. “It was a lot of fun, " Billings said. "Arthur the Gardener and Cecil- they were both the same character essentially, challenged me in new ways. The play was a show within a show, and playing those characters was like playing a character within a character....

Seniors Billings and Erica Broadaway hide a recently knocked out body in a grandfather clock. There was a hidden door behind the clock that allowed for actors to pass through for special effect. During 'Tech Week' the cast and crew will put in nearly 100 hours just in that week preparing for the show. Photograph by Ian Davis

Senior Lauren Paules returns to her desk after assisting senior Ian Davis in lowering a wall flat. During 'Tech Week' all three of the wall flats needed to be slowly lowered to avoid damages. Photograph by Alexa Viands

Junior Wyatt Gutridge, sophomore Camille Rowe, and running crew standby after the stage falls apart. The biggest gag during the play was when three of the walls would fall down around the actors. According to crew members, it took approximately 70 hours to construct the sets for the play. Photograph by Ian Davis

Senior Maddox Ridout assists the stage crew with assembling a door. This door was specifically made for a later removal gag. Photograph Courtesy of Eric Paules

Senior Lauren Paules assists the sound team with attaching a microphone to Erica Broadaway. This will be Paules’ last year as the stage manager for SHS theatre. “Having this be my last year as stage manager is super bittersweet. Being our theatre’s stage manager has been a goal of mine since I was in fourth grade!” Paules said, “Although this last year isn't exactly as I had pictured it then,...

Theatre tech crew enjoy their weekly Chick-Fil-A meal. Food order runs became a routine during 'Tech Week' last year.  "Food is the best part of 'Tech Week,' between the rush of leveling everything out before the show days and making sure everything is prepared, food really manages to bring everyone together for some quality 'family' time," Tanner Russell said. Photograph by Brennan Ledesma