As the lights turn off and the opening song starts, the Wizard of Oz musical begins. Behind the stage and in the wings, the Red Devil dramatics crew is already hard at work. Although the actors are the ones in the spotlight, the crew deserves a round of applause as well.
The crew members each have different jobs that focus on one part of the show, whether that be keeping everyone in line and organized, making props, moving set pieces, and so much more. They all make the show unlock its full potential. At rehearsals, the Stage Managers(SM’s) keep everyone focused and communicate between the actors, other crews, and the directors.
The Prop Crew makes the props and the simpler set pieces. When tech week starts and the sets are done, the Run Crew comes in and moves all of the sets and props on and off the stage between scenes. Everyone is working together towards the same goal: to execute the director’s vision and make an amazing show.
Jhanvee Dave is a freshman on the Prop and Run Crew. When asked what she thinks is a job well done for Run Crew, she said, “Success for this role is moving set pieces on at the right time and on the spike tape and being off stage in time.” The run crew is one of the hardest parts of the crew because of the speed and focus needed to execute properly. They move set pieces two to three times their height across the stage in the dark, all in under 45 seconds.
Juliana Noschese is another freshman on the Props and Run Crew. She worked as crew on Peter and the Starcatcher, the fall play. She was asked about her typical rehearsal day on Props Crew and said, “I arrive at rehearsal and start thinking about what props were working with that day. For example, Professor Marvel’s caravan, which we had to paint. We will usually start when the cast starts their whole jig. If we ever think about something else to do or run into problems, we ask for a key, and we go to C-120 or the basement to get stuff we need to continue making the prop.” The prop crew is one of the most important roles due to the number of props there are.
In the Wizard of Oz, there are about 3 props per scene, which doesn’t seem like a lot, but when there are over 20 scenes, it adds up quickly. In the Munchkinland scene alone, there are 5 umbrellas covered in tissue paper designs, the witches’ legs, two bouquets of flowers, two toy trumpets, bells, a scroll, and four big lollipops. Not only does the Props Team need to make almost all of these props by hand, but they also have to manage where all of the props are and when they go on stage.
With all the work that the crew does, they deserve more recognition for all the hard work they put in to make the show as magical as possible. Without the technical elements of a show, all you have is the actors on an empty stage. No sound, no costumes, no set or lighting. The crew of Red Devil Dramatics is truly one of the best at making all of the shows outstanding and captivating, especially towards the younger audience. When all is said and done, the crew of any show deserves its own bow and round of applause.
