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By Kriste An

The lights were on, the show was running and Sophia Rascoff ’23 was focused. Her gaze fixated on the stage and her prompt book in hand, she communicated instructions to her fellow members of the stage production team through her headset. Rascoff, a member of the school’s production team, said she appreciates the enthusiasm that fills the theater as a show opens for audience members.

“I love the live spirit as things are bustling, and the show is running,” Rascoff said. “I love problem-solving, and that is what I do as a stage manager, making sure that parts of the production are running as scheduled. Being able to know a show so well to the point that I am able to make these quick decisions on the spot and see the final product come together is a rewarding experience.”

Rascoff said she became involved in stagecraft in middle school.

“I got involved in stagecraft when I was in fifth or sixth grade,” Rascoff said. “In sixth grade, I helped out with some of the stagecraft in a school show. I had also done it at a summer camp. I knew I wanted to be involved in theater, and [stagecraft] was a fun means of getting involved. I had also acted in shows as a child, but as I grew older, I was drawn more to stagecraft.”

Rascoff said she has helped produce a number of shows during her time at the school.

“I stage managed for ‘Urinetown’ as well as ‘Spring Awakening,’ our most recent musicals,” Rascoff said. “At the Middle School, I helped stage manage ‘13: The Muscial’ when I was in eighth grade and ‘Violet’ when I was in ninth grade. I also managed the dance production show in eighth grade.”

Rascoff said participating in stagecraft has allowed her to learn and practice leadership skills.

“[Stagecraft is] something that I had tried doing and loved,” Rascoff said. “I’ve stuck with it because it’s been a good outlet for me to express who I am and be a leader. A lot of the things that are needed of a stage manager compliment how I lead. It’s allowed me to grow as a leader and remain involved in theater, something that I love.”

Unlike Rascoff, Julian Cortez ’25 said his decision to take stagecraft was more impulsive.

“I joined the stagecraft class in eighth grade to fill the elective requirement because it looked fun,” Cortez said. “I loved the backstage and production side of entertainment, and stagecraft seemed like a foot to go down that path. I ended up loving it and have continued with it since.”

Rascoff said stagecraft presents an assortment of responsibilities.

“For most of the shows [at the school], I am the student stage manager, so I am involved in the whole production process,” Rascoff said. “This includes scheduling, taking notes during rehearsals, helping with the audition process, standing in when needed in a piece and working to be a bridge between the actors and director and production team. During tech weeks, I am more involved because I am calling the cues for the show. I have a prompt book, and I have written down in that light changes, sound cues as well as set changes. I am on headset, telling other people to make the stuff happen.”

Upper School Technical Di rector and Performing Arts De partment Head Aaron Martin said stagecraft can be time-con suming and that he is grateful for the work that students do.

“The time commitments dif fer depending on the kind of pro duction that the team is working on, but it is still a lot regardless,” Martin said. “For the musical, for example, the time commit ment is something like 40 hours. That’s a much larger service. The instrumental concert, on the other hand, might be one or two nights for a couple of hours each. It’s a lot of time and a lot of ser vice that these students are dedi cating, and I am grateful.”

Pokress said learning to op erate new machines and equipment can be a challenge.

“[Some of] the greatest difficulties I’ve encountered in stagecraft came with learning new things,” Pokress said. “Learning to operate new machines, for exam ple, can be daunting. I’ve been able to overcome these difficulties through communicating with teachers and being open to advice and new experiences.”

Pokress said despite the steep learning curve, he appreciates the excitement that comes with being a part of stagecraft.

“Seeing a show be put on for audience members live feels thrilling,” Pokress said. “The most recent dance concert that I had helped stage-manage is one that I remember, in particular. It was memorable for me because I had stage-managed a previous dance concert that was canceled, in part, because of COVID. Seeing the dancers have a smooth show this time made me realize how far we’ve come since then. It was a full-circle moment for me.”

Pokress said the bond between the students is another one of his favorite aspects of stagecraft.

“I love the people,” Pokress said. “[Stagecraft] is a niche interest to have, so we do not get productions that I helped manage is good enough for me.”

Rascoff said though stagecraft is often underappreciated, it attracts students who are interested in theater but are reluctant to be in the spotlight.

“It’s not recognized in Harvard-Westlake or in the real theater world either,” Rascoff said. “Stage managers, production teams and stage crew go unnoticed most of the time. But, this is also what attracts a lot of people to that role because people can participate in something like this without a spotlight on them.”

Anderson said one of the main reasons she joined stagecraft was because she would not have to perform on stage herself.

“I joined stagecraft for a number of reasons, but chief among them was that I liked the sense of togetherness that being in theater provides but did not have the confidence to be on the stage,” Anderson said. “I think there is a misconception that stagecraft is form, though.”

Martin said it is often best when the stagecraft goes unnoticed because it indicates that the set has been well-integrated.

“If audience members are noticing the sets or the lights, we’re not doing the right thing,” Martin said. “The idea of going to a show is to watch a piece, and the stagecraft is a part of that piece. If audience members are watching ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ people should not be commenting on the scenic design after the love scene. That is to state that if the stagecraft does its job, it will go unnoticed, and if it’s bad, it will be what people talk about.”

Regardless, Martin said stagecraft is a critical element of school productions that requires much collaboration.

“The first thing to be developed is the scene because that is the universe,” Martin said. “The scene defines the lighting and the [rest] of the production, creating rules for the environment.”

• Continued on hwchronicle.com