Theater Lights And Sound

Every term, the theater department has a different class available for students. This term it’s Lights and Sounds. In this class students experience what it is like to be behind the scenes of productions, they run the sound board, design light cues for upcoming productions, and record sounds, experiencing the technical side of theater.

When there is a production overlapping with the class, students will work with the crew and help them come up with lighting and sound effects. Mr. Jorgensen, the theater director and the theater classes teacher, believes, “If the class overlaps with a current production, what better way to learn than with hands-on experience?” Just last week the class worked with the crew of Pippin to help with rehearsals after school, which turned out to be a great show to experiment how these techniques could work. This gave the students the chance to understand how much lighting and sound shape the design shape a show’s atmosphere, learning how these fine details add depth to the production.

Interestingly, many students taking this class don’t see themselves continuing anything like this in the future, for most it’s about exploring the other side of the stage you don’t usually see. Sophomore Gemma Bingham states, “I probably will not do this as a profession, but it is handy when working in a theater space to have some kind of knowledge.” The background of the soundboard and lighting goes unnoticed by audience members because they are only focused on the people on the stage. 

So far, highlights would include understanding how to use the soundboard and getting access to places audience members don’t get to see. “One highlight would be going up on the catwalk to work on the lights,” says sophomore Rachel Winfrey. The views provide a fresh perspective on the stage. One highlight from Mr. Jorgensen would be, “seeing the students get to work with the equipment right away.” As the term continues, students will continue to develop knowledge about the class. The lights and sounds class offers a valuable opportunity to go behind the curtains and explore.