Beyond the Spotlight: The Hidden Heart of Silver Creek Theater

The auditorium falls silent as the house lights dim and all eyes turn to the stage. As the velvet red curtains sweep open, the orchestra swells with a song that thrums throughout the audience. The actors step out into the spotlight, commanding the room's attention as they begin their performance.

But who is operating those spotlights and pulling those curtains? Who are the people who truly made this production come to life? These people are the stage crew, and they are vital in the world of theater. Here at Silver Creek High School, the performing arts department is a symphony of power drills, the scent of fresh sawdust, and the frantic clicking of headsets as the crew prepares for opening night all without being noticed.

For many students, the pull of theater is strong, but the thought of performing in front of an audience is petrifying. Stage crew offers a way to still be involved but not have to perform.

“I personally am not very good at acting,” junior Adelyn Hebert said, “so I think the stage crew is helpful because it's not an acting role, but it's still part of that community.”

Participating in big high school productions can be intimidating, but it seems that those on the stage crew have a very supportive group.

For these students, theater is more than just a club. Especially in high school, it can be a huge relief from the daily stress and pressure. The comfort of helping put on a production is something that many kids on the stage crew find incredibly rewarding.

Despite their hard work, the stage crew doesn’t really get the recognition that it needs.

“You've got the actors, and you've got the cast, but you've also [got] all the people behind the lights, the tech, the crew,” Herbert explains. “That doesn't always get as much recognition, and everyone's important.”

This is a common realization among many of those on the stage crew. They have begun to understand that stage techs are just as important as the actors and actresses.

Freshman Elle Haynes put it even more simply: “Without us, there isn't a show.”

The theater director at Silver Creek, Tracy Knick, is very grateful for her crew of stage techs. “They make it so that the vision that we have really can happen for our audience,” Knick says.

However, with the upcoming spring production of Pride and Prejudice, the crew faces a couple of difficult challenges. There’s a series of intricate set changes that require precise timing. Luckily, Knick is confident in her team.

”They're the ones who really make it possible,” she says.

For Knick, the production’s success is only part of the reward. She believes that the true value lies in the community that they’ve created. That sense of belonging is the true heart of theater, that both stage crew and cast members treasure equally.

“Being able to say we have a place for you, and really give them a place to be, and to learn, and to grow. That [is] the best,” she says.

Silver Creek Theater’s next performance is Pride and Prejudice premiering May 1 and 2.