Fall play showcases the importance of collaboration

Actors are not the only ones involved in a play. Behind the scenes there are producers, directors, designers, stage managers, and running crew, all of whom collaborate to ensure productions run successfully. This year’s fall play, Harvey, which hit the stage last weekend was a success with the help of many players.

Dominic Luzwick, a junior at HEHS and student director, said his favorite part about being in the fall play is taking his experiences that he’s had onstage and bringing it to the rest of the cast to help them make their characters come to life.

“The hardest part would be getting everything done in a week,” he said. Although the cast has been rehearsing for about a month and a half, the technicians, which include the lights, sound, and stage managers, have about one week to make sure the show is ready to go.

Luzwick has been on stage since he was two years old. Musical theatre is built into his family. He wanted to still be a part of this year’s fall play even though he has other activities that he is also involved in here at HEHS. He is grateful for the opportunity to be able to balance the sports that he is involved in along with the fall play.

Everyone involved in the play, whether it’s backstage or onstage, only have three rehearsals to get used to the scenery, props, lighting, and sound. Every Saturday there’s a tech day for the actors and technicians to build the sets, set up the lights, and get the sound ready for the show. These “Tech Saturdays” are mostly used for sets and it is the time that they build the scenery and furniture onstage.

Mia Buttita, a freshman at HEHS and technician, says her favorite part of being a technician is getting to help build and put together the set. A close second for her is also getting to learn how to do some of the different jobs backstage and being a part of keeping the show running. Being backstage, the hardest part for her is keeping track of where she needs to be and what she can be doing to help.

Buttita has been on stage in shows before and thought it would be a cool experience to test out the behind the scenes portion of it. Her favorite part about “Tech Saturdays” is getting to paint the sets and floors.

“It’s a fun experience and a good time, actually participating in tech related jobs and also getting to know new people that like the same activities I do,” said Buttita. After joining the fall play as a freshman, she has made many new friends and would “highly recommend” joining.

During the shows there are two parts of tech: backstage and booth. Backstage includes jobs such as taking care of props, set pieces, and cues. Booth involves lighting and sound effects.

Actors also have a very important role in the play; being onstage they are required to memorize all of their lines and are responsible for turning a writer’s ideas into a full-fledged character with his or her own set of gestures, accent, body language, movement, as well as signature dialogue.

This year’s fall play, Harvey, is about Elwood P. Dowd, a wealthy alcoholic who begins to see a huge rabbit named Harvey in his dreams. Veta and her daughter live with Elwood, and Veta is concerned that he has gone insane. Veta reveals that she visits Harvey from time to time while attempting to have him committed. Dr. Chumley, the head of the mental institution, seeks to reconcile his responsibility to treat Elwood with his own growing encounters with Harvey.