Theatre is such a unique world of art, creativity, talent, and life. People from all different backgrounds come together to work on one end goal: The final show. There are so many great things to do and learn and the summertime is the best time to go out and join your local theatre.
What do you even do, you ask. Well, you can either be on stage delivering lines or singing numbers or be backstage making all the theatre magic come to life. Both roles are essential to bringing a show together. The actors deliver the story, while the technicians enhance each element.
The two most important departments of technical theatre would be lights and sound. Without a light designer and operator, the ones on stage would not be illuminated. I have recently been learning anything and everything about theatrical lighting. It is a whole new world in itself. The amount of times I have been up and down a ladder holding a lighting instrument is a way too many. But nonetheless, it's worth it one the show comes together, even if it is at the last minute. Lighting gives the audience insight into what they need to pay attention to. It highlights certain areas, gives us mood lighting to intensify a scene, and gives the ability to clearly see the set and the "world" that is on stage.
The other crucial department of tech is sound. Yeah, you can look good in costumes and makeup and have an amazing set to work with. Heck, you could have pinpoint perfect lighting on stage, but none of that matters if you can't hear anything. Sound operators have a very difficult job, especially during shows. Actors respond differently to dress rehearsals without an audience compared to the actual performance with live members in the theatre. Some speak louder or softer than before, and it's the sound operator's job to be on top of each and every microphone channel to ensure the highest level of balance.
Both jobs are critical to put on a show, as is the rest of technical theatre. But the theatre gives so many opportunities to learn new things. It's a great place to meet a diverse group of people, make new friends, and maybe even find your niche in the theatre world. I highly recommend going out and trying to get involved in the community theater near you. It'll definitely be an experience like you've never known before.
