Purple Haze
We need a curtain call for the ones pulling the curtain
By Lauren Bagian

Feb. 12, 2009

We’re knee-deep in musical season at Northern. This week was the first week of full cast rehearsals every night, and we’re all trying to pull everything together. Of course, it’s not just the ones on stage who are working hard; the ones who are working behind the scenes of Camelot are working harder.

As the month progresses, the auditorium will be filled with the sound of string instruments tuning, trombone and trumpet calls and woodwind trills. The pit band has been working diligently since December to get Camelot’s challenging score under their fingers. Under the direction of Doug Riley with some special guests, the pit band will surely be ready for the cast when they start coming to full rehearsals next week.

This week was the first week with mics and lights as well. The tech and stage crews have been training new recruits in preparation for the musical. The curtain pulls will be carefully choreographed, the sets (being built by our amazing set-dads) will be moved on and off during their respective scenes and thanks to those black-shirted boys in the booth, everyone will be seen and heard loud and clear. The amount of work they put into each year’s production is fantastic.

Of course those flowing medieval dresses and the armor of the chivalrous knights need to come from somewhere, and where else but from our own personal seamstress. Abby Decker, a senior, has worked on the costumes for the musicals for the last couple of years and has done a wonderful job. With help from some sewing-machine-literate moms, the costumes will be as mesmerizing as they have in the past.

There’s nothing like an on-stage production to teach you about how important everyone’s job is. Obviously the show wouldn’t be possible without the actors and singers and stage, but without the tech and stage crews, the performers wouldn’t be seen or heard. And even if they could be seen, would the actors be as eye-catching without the amazing costumes or the whimsical sets that make the audience get lost in a medieval adventure? Last, but certainly not least, what would the chorus sing to without the music from the pit band? The performers on stage would be absolutely nothing without those who are behind it.