As we march closer and closer to November, most in technical theater are awaiting the new play’s opening they have been working on since August. The play is called I Heard You Were Dead and it is by Don Zolidis, who also wrote the play we performed in 2021, The Grimm Brothers Spectaculathon. Sara Noah is the director.
It is an exciting opportunity because this is a brand new play and Bear River is one of a few high schools who have been chosen to perform it. The show plays November 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 11 at 7pm in the theater. Tickets are $10 students; $12 general and are available online or at the door. More info can be found at brtheater.org.
But that is not the most important thing that technical theater teacher Erin Beatie wants her students to take away from the work they are putting in.
“I am always excited to see what the students are able to do and how fast they are able to pick it up,” Beatie said. “It is always a slow start, there are always mistakes. What they get out of it is life-long skill and that is what excites me more than anything. The play is going to come and go. What they get out of this experience will stay with them forever.”
Olivia Herr is the Stage Manager and is in charge of all the backstage, sound and lighting cues for the play. She has been working with all the designers and the director, and is taking drama class so she can organize with the director (who is the director? Add in her name like ‘Director Sara Noah’ or whomever it is) and the actors. This means she is making sure to create the technical script that has all the blocking for the actors and also what light and sound cues are coming next.
Herr also needs to make sure that all designers have their designs in on time to have a rehearsal with all technical parts and actors.
Mia Guerra is a costume designer and also in the play as many characters. She says that it is pretty complicated to get the costume ready. She had to get measurements for all actors and then figure out what outfit was already in the costume room that would fit the actors and fit their roles. She also needs to make sure that the actors can easily take the costume on and off because there are a lot of outfit changes throughout the play.
But most of the people in technical theater are just building the set.
“We started the set back in August with design plans,” Beattie said. “Just the build plans took over 8 hours. The set design was two weeks of work. And we have been building for two-and-a-half weeks. We will be adjusting up until opening. From start to finish, it is a three month process.”
This set is a little different than usual, as it does not include too much wood. For their shows they have been doing a lot of wall sets and this one is a platform set. A platform set is different from other sets because they need to be more sturdy so all the wood is thicker and better lasting because actors will be stepping and standing on platforms on the set.