Behind the Curtain

Behind+the+Curtain

Many see the productions put on by Langley theater and only see that: the production. But do you know what happens behind the scenes? Months of planning and work go into these performances, both by the cast and crew

This spring, Saxon Stage put on a production of Chicago, a story set in the roaring 20’s which deals with diva criminals struggling to have their own spotlight. Velma Kelly, in prison for murdering her husband and sister, must find a way to stay relevant after Roxie Hart steals the tabloids for murdering her secret boyfriend.

Preparations for the cast of Chicago began in January, as people came in to audition and found out their roles in early February. Rehearsals started soon afterwards and became more frequent as show time neared. Rehearsals were a little different than last year, with the new auditorium came, well, new surroundings that took some getting-used to. Sheilan Pourri, a sophomore, says  “It was kind of hard to adjust because we had been preparing for a stage that was 8 feet smaller, so we had to go through the entire show and fix the spacing.”

The crew, however, starts their work in mid-March, getting used to the lights and soundboard and sitting in on rehearsals. Isa Diaz, a sophomore, says “There was a lot of troubleshooting and messing around with things in the short week before the show.” The crew has to make sure that every song, spotlight, and prop is in the right place at the right time.

All their work mounts as it comes closer and closer to “Hell Week”, as it’s called by cast and crew alike. It’s the week before the first show, where rehearsals go on everyday as late as eleven. “The long hours can take time away from sleep and schoolwork, but it all pays off when you see the production in full gear and people tell you about how much they enjoyed it,” says Isa Diaz.

However, It looks like the hard work paid off. Chicago was sold out for half of the performances. Claire Goldhush went to see the show twice, “My favorite part was when they reenacted the night of Fred Casely’s murder, because it was choreographed really well and it was funny.”

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