In the high school theatre world, there are terms, such as theatre-bi, half-breed, etc., that describe students that choose to be both on stage and behind the scenes. I have always been proud to do both, but I am constantly asked why I chose to go down this path.
I started acting in sixth grade when I was given the role of the Bandar King in "The Jungle Book." I fell in love with being on stage. I loved being able to show everyone the character I brought to life. Those moments were truly magical, and I would never trade them for the world. The best feeling to me was being on that stage in front of hundreds of people.
The first time I decided to work backstage was nothing like that. I worked backstage for the first time during "Little Shop of Horrors" my freshman year of high school. Even though I mainly just cleaned wheels and kept my head down, I still felt accepted. Being a part of a technical crew is different than being a part of a cast. We were closer than the cast was, simply because we were a smaller group who spent more time together. I was given a different type of feeling that I loved just as much as performing.
Most people view the cast and crew as two different groups who never really have to communicate. That, however, is far from the truth. An actor who has participated in technical work knows how to find their lights, how to project and knows just how hard the crew works to help put on such an amazing show. A crew member who has been on stage in the limelight knows which lines the actors will want to scream at the top of their lungs, they can memorize blocking and lines easily, and has the ability to know where everything is at all times, especially props.
Doing both acting and technical work has, in my opinion, helped me become a better stage manager. Since I have had experience on stage, I would notice smaller things, like a screw that needed be removed so it would not snag a costume. I was better at giving acting notes and realizing when something was too awkward and needed to be fixed.
The most important skill my past experiences gave me was communication. I was friends with most of the actors, meaning that if they had a concern, no one was afraid to tell me. I would work with the crew when there was a problem backstage , and I could answer any question the director had about blocking around the set. Being an actress made me a better stage manager, which, in the long run, helped everyone.
Tech crews and actors are not two completely different groups. In fact, they need each other more than they care to admit. In order to pull off an amazing show, the groups must work together and become one big family so everyone can do their absolute best. This goes for everything, not just theatre. Teamwork and understanding are the keys to being successful with any task in life, and theatre has never ceased to stop teaching me that.
