As rehearsals for this fall’s production of “The Old Man and the Old Moon” wrap up, the technical team is hard at work behind the scenes to bring the whimsical, folktale-inspired play to life. From innovative puppetry to complex sound and lighting cues, this year’s show presents unique challenges and opportunities for the tech crew and actors.
The main role of the old man is played by Jack Farmer (11). As the play unfolds, his character embarks on a journey that blends adventure, love and responsibility. His performance will largely rely on the technical elements surrounding him.
“There’s puppetry and there’s silhouettes and all kinds of different tech aspects that we haven’t had. Different from ‘The Play That Goes Wrong,’ different from ‘Nine to Five,'” theatre educator and director Julie Estrada (staff) said.
Estrada chose the show for its creative challenges, noting the technical aspects set it apart from previous productions.
Kimberlin Cohen (12), who oversees much of the technical coordination, is responsible for ensuring that all of the sound equipment is set up correctly and functioning during rehearsals. “I usually help with mic checks and changes and I help make sure the equipment is working correctly,” Cohen said.
Another major component of this year’s play is the use of puppetry, which presents a unique technical challenge for the crew. Avis Skinner (12), who is responsible for props and puppetry, was tasked with designing and managing the puppets that help bring the moon, the characters and other magical elements to life on stage.
“We don’t have as many set changes as in other shows, but the props we do use are very important to the atmosphere,” Cohen said. “From the moon itself to the objects that the characters interact with, everything is going to be very different.”
A big part of bringing the technical elements to life is training the student crew members. Cohen, who helps with training of the tech team, wasn’t able to train someone this year but explained how new tech students — or “kids,” as they are commonly called — learn.
“They shadow the leads and work on everything from setting up microphones to running the sound booth,” Cohen said. “For the tech crew, it’s all about learning by doing. The students run the show themselves with a little supervision from their leads during tech week. It’s a great opportunity for them to get real-world experience in technical theater.”
The key to this year’s play is all of the technical aspects. Lighting, sound, props and puppetry must come together to create a cohesive visual and new experience for the audience. Estrada, Cohen and Skinner worked closely together to ensure that each technical element enhances the overall storytelling.
“We’ve rehearsed enough now to all feel cohesive and ready,” Estrada said.
The play will be performed at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14, 15 and 16. Additionally, teaser performances took place on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Tickets are now available, and the cast and crew are excited to share the magic of the production with the audience.
As opening night approaches, the cast and crew are eager to share their hard work. “It’s been a challenge, but it’s been incredibly rewarding to see everything come together,” Estrada said. “I think the audience is going to be blown away by how everything works together.”
Kendall Mehl • Nov 15, 2024 at 12:51 pm
I am a part of the Ensemble in the show. I personally want to thank all of the tech people who put this together. Last night for opening night went really well thanks to the tech. This show is extremely fun and the tech helps with that. Today one of my friends came up who I thought had no interest in theatre and she said that last night (Opening night) was really good. I feel like the tech doesn’t get enough attention based on what they do. They all have important jobs in order to make this show great!