The theater tech prepares for the fall show The 39 Steps that begins showing 9/26

What does a typical day in theater tech look like? 

Clay Watson: “There’s a lot of running. It’s fun, but it’s exhausting.”

Katelyn Wayne: “It depends on what theater class you take. For example, we’re in theater IV, which is mostly us directing people what to do, in order to help us create what we want in the long run. However, theater I and such are focusing on basic concepts and are being introduced to how to build props and sets.”

 Clay Watson: “Although theater tech is so cool and fun, when I go home for the day at like- late 7 p.m., it’s a good time to be home again. Theater tech is fun but very tiring.”

What’s your favorite part about working with theater tech?

Clay Watson: “I enjoy doing sound, like, last year for Mamma Mia I did mics. So I was able to put mics on everybody and I got to play music during warm ups, so it was very fun doing YMCA everyday.”

Katelyn Wayne: “So I do makeup because I personally do not have the skill set to do things like lights or sound so that’s not really my thing, so I do makeup, because it’s something I enjoy doing at home. And also special effects makeup is very interesting to me because you can make someone perfectly normal like Clay and make him look like a zombie in just an hour and a half.”

Clay Watson: “That’s the first time someone had ever called me normal.”

Katelyn Wayne: “And so like it’s interesting to see the transformations happen with makeup.”

What are the current goals that the theater tech is focused on, and how does theater tech work to support hitting those goals?

Katelyn Wayne: “Right now, we are focusing on getting the show up and running. As of right now we have a good base- like a good walkable platform to play on. We don’t know if it’s 100 percent secure yet, but basically all of the actors and staff ‘gave tech their space to work, and we’re giving them the space whenever they need to do drill down a platform, because we can’t have a show without tech.”

Clay Watson: “I have been on both sides, and tech is immensely important for getting the show done. Because this is the first time I’ve been on the acting side of a more mainstream show, and it is crazy to see work that they’ve put in. I did it all last year and the year before, but now being on the other side and seeing them is crazy to see it all pop up in a day. The set, looking at it now, is vastly different than what it looked like last week.”

What’s the team culture like?

Katelyn Wayne: “It’s a pretty welcoming environment, and we’re all very accepting of who somebody is and what they believe in. And if they want to grow up to be an astronaut they can still come in, have fun, and learn a couple things. So it’s a pretty welcoming and inclusive environment- that’s one of the things I want to cherish more and grow more because it’s always a great thing to build upon.”

How would you describe the work environment in theater tech—is the work typically collaborative or more independent?

Clay Watson: “For theater tech, I would say that it’s super collaborative, there’s very little you can do by yourself- unless you’re like, Billadeaux.”

Katelyn Wayne: “Even Billadeaux has an assistant tech director and stage management.”

Clay Watson: “So, there’s very little that you can do by yourself, because there’s  a lot of work needed to get the show done. On the acting side, for memorization, it’s collaborative to a point. At some point you need to go over your lines by yourself  2000 times a day and just get them down, so that you can practice with the people.”

Katelyn Wayne: “The work you do outside of school, like to help the collaboration grow is individual.”

How do you manage the stress of tight deadlines and schoolwork?

Katelyn Wayne: “I don’t. It’s just stress.”

Clay Watson: “I have no AP classes, I have an off period and took an easy schedule for what I knew I would be doing this year.”

Katelyn Wayne: “Also if you are sitting down for rehearsal for like two hours doing nothing, then yes, get your homework done then. You can go home and sleep and take  a shower and do whatever you need to do, or get it done in class- that’s what I do.