Slipping on sawdust, stepping over knives and scouring for props, senior Jeremy Kriska considers the people he shares this environment with his family.
As a crew member, Kriska works behind the scenes during productions. Crew jobs range from construction to costumes and makeup to lighting. Students often rotate through various tasks specific to type of production. According to Kriska, many students working on construction have never taken a woods class, yet still participate in the creation of stairs, platforms and other stage sets. Kriska has only done sound jobs.
“When I came into [Glenbrook North] there were two people who knew how to do sound,” said Kriska. “There was a junior and a senior, so they needed to start teaching people how to do it.”
Senior Bridget Pintz joined crew because it had a small staff during her sophomore year.
“There was an announcement that morning for makeup and costumes because I guess they only had one person doing it, so I decided to show up, and I’ve been going ever since for the past three years,” Pintz said.
Crew members begin working on the production at least a month before the premiere. A week before opening night, they participate in “No Conflict Week” where hours are 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
While working on construction, junior John Michael Van Treeck said he has run into physical conflicts. During his sophomore year, a brad lodged itself into Van Treeck’s finger when he accidentally shot himself with a brad gun while making pillars for the play “Elephant Man.”
“I had to go to the [emergency room] because we couldn’t pull [the brad] out ourselves,” said Van Treeck. “It was scraping up against the bone.”
According to sound director Joby Benoit, several issues can happen during a performance.
“Things can get knocked over, actors or props [can end] up in the wrong place, lights can go out, microphones can break,” said Benoit. “The crew has to identify the problem, come up with a solution and then execute that solution, all within a matter of seconds. Thankfully for ‘Legally Blonde,’ we didn’t have that many issues, and the ones we did have were fixed fast by a quick-thinking crew.”
Kriska believes that crew has been the most unique part of his high school experience.
“Two years ago on the opening night of ‘Phantom of the Opera’…I remember…I was on this fader and I was pumping [the music] louder and louder,” said Kriska. “My ears hurt but the director was like ‘make it louder.’ It felt so cool and the whole theater was shaking and it was one of the greatest experiences of my high school career.”
Pintz also thinks that crew has greatly impacted her life.
“You’re doing something bigger than yourself,” said Pintz. “It’s not like I’m on stage or crew comes out and bows. It’s all learning how to sit back and not be out in front but still being appreciated.”