The Edward Milne Community School Theatre has given the Sooke community many laughs, heartfelt performances, and good memories, yet there is one side of the show no one ever really sees: the tech crew.
These unsung heros of theatre are behind the curtains, constantly adjusting audio, lighting, video, stage props, assist in stage construction, among other countless tasks that ensure the audience gets the most fulfilling experince going in.
“It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy everything in and around the theatre and I love working with a lot of technical stuff,” said Grade 10 student Nick Lumley, who joined the technician crew last September.
He says the reason for going in as a technician was because he liked the threatre sideo of things, but wanted to be more in the background.
Jan Joslin has been a theatre tech for the last two years, but like his colleague, he shares a similar desire of involvement when it comes to theatre production.
“I was always interested in theatre, but more doing things behind the show,” Joslin said.
A general love and comfort for working with computers and technology – often seen as tedious by others – comes naturally to the theatre’s tech crew members, including Alex Bidner, who, like the others, doesn’t shy away from a technical challenge, of which there are many in any given production.
Their after-hours efforts don’t go unrewarded either, as the theatre technicians are part of a four-credit course, one that began life as just a club to teach others about safe theatre practices.
It’s certainly paid off, as the end-product from the course is self-evident in the performance delivered throughout many shows seen at EMCS, with audio, prop and effects bordering on a high-end professional level.
While EMCS’s theatre technician crew changes every year, one thing is certain: if it looks cool and sounds good, a tech is never too far away from the magic.
For more info on the course, please call the EMCS office at 250-642-5211.