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E-mail This StoryThey're the glue behind the scenes, keeping a production on schedule: creating the set, adjusting lights and sound, researching costumes, formulating publicity, directing and troubleshooting.
"We lock up and clean up. We're here early and stay late," said Anna Kavich, a senior in Plano Senior High School's technical theatre program.
And with the second year of University Interscholastic League's (UIL) Theatrical Design contest, five Plano ISD technical theatre students have progressed to the state competition, set for May 5 at the University of Texas at Dallas.
From Plano Senior High School, group entry comprised of seniors Josh Davis, Shannon Merchant and Kavich and individual publicity entry Tyler Branen, junior, will compete. Plano West Senior High senior Gillian O'Conner also advanced in the individual publicity field.
This is the second year UIL has hosted a competition solely for technical theatre students. Actors and tech students achieve awards through UIL's One-Act Play, but only a fraction of the awards are for technical design.
"We didn't know what to expect, this being the first year (we'd entered the competition)," said Plano West Theatre Director Norv Sykes. "Next year will be different because we'll know a little more."
This year, students were asked to design the set, costumes and publicity for "A Trip to Bountiful." Students can either enter as a group and submit concepts for all three categories or enter individually in one category.
The play, by Horton Foote, is set in the 1950's and illustrates a woman's struggle to escape her current situation by returning to the place she grew up, her pilgrimage to Bountiful and the emotions of returning to place that has changed.
"The project was brought to us at the beginning of the semester, and I thought, 'Why do we have to do it. It's pointless,'" O'Conner said. "But I was not going to turn in something that was half done."
After creating a poster, program, publicity schedule and T-shirt for the play, O'Conner said she anticipates seeing the competition in Austin.
"I'm interested to see what they're going to critique me about," O'Conner said.
Brannen, who also submitted an individual publicity concept, said it took multiple sittings to create his concept.
He joined tech theatre as a freshman after deciding he wasn't a fan the early mornings associated with marching band and needed a fine arts credit, Brannen said.
"It's an adrenaline rush during the show," Brannen said. "I used to play sports, and this is the only thing that's come close."
Merchant, who designed the set for her group's entry, said she enjoyed searching for the play's theme and expressing the mood changes through design.
"The play grew on me. At the surface level there's not a lot of stuff," but after implementing the theme, Merchant said the design went from plain walls to the abstract.
The students will be orally critiqued at 1 p.m. May 5 in the Bass Concert Hall at UT.
"The tech students need to be recognized for their hard work," said Abby Kraemer, Plano Senior High School technical theatre teacher. "I'm glad there's a competition they can show off their talents."
Contact staff writer Cristen Perkowski at 972-398-4263 or cperkowski@acnpapers.com.
