Behind the Scenes: Young Frankenstein

Behind the Scenes: Young Frankenstein

The shows put on at Northtown by the theatre association are one of the highlights of the school year. A lot of hard work goes into the musicals that are performed both in the fall and in the spring. However, when the students are performing on stage, we tend to forget about those who work behind the scenes, making the whole thing possible.

One aspect outside of the theatrics of the musical is the publicity. Those who are a part of the publicity team are in charge of getting the word out around the school and the community. They design the posters that are put up around the school, the t-shirts for the cast and crew, and they create a lobby display for the performances. This year`s fall show is Mel Brooks` “Young Frankenstein-The Musical,” and you can find posters hanging up in various places throughout the buildings.

“Its really important because that way we not only get people to come see the show, but to also let them know about our theatre association that would not have known before,” said junior publicist Peyton Galloway.

As soon as the cast is announced, the publicist crew gets to work to get the word out as soon as possible.

“When the show gets closer, we start making announcements and reach out to try and get people to come,” said Galloway.

Two more behind-the-scenes part of the show are the costumes and props. The students involved with the costumes help the actors change into the different outfits during the breaks. Those who are a part of the props crew set up the scenes with the proper backgrounds and set pieces. They also make sure that if an actor needs a prop for a scene, they have it in time.

“If chaos ensues for any reason backstage, we are the first to report and to the best of our ability to handle the situation,” said senior props manager Monique Maxwell.

In order for the other backstage crews to do their part, the stages managers chart the movement of characters on stage so the light crew can draw their light plot. They also choreograph where and when the props enter and exit, help with costume changes, and make sure that characters don’t miss their entrances.

“This is my first show being a stage manager,” said junior Danielle Cawley. “My favorite thing about helping with the musical would be watching the musical progress from first rehearsals to the shows.”

There`s a lot of hard work that goes into the putting on the musical, both on stage and off stage. Whether it`s helping with the show directly, or helping to spread the word. Every aspect of the musical is important, and there wouldn’t be a show without each member of the theatre association.

“My favorite thing about helping with the musical is when I get to see the whole musical come together,” said costume crew sophomore Elisabeth Nielson.