Why I Still Do Crew
Mar 27th, 2007 by Alex
I spend a good amount of time with the Severna Park High School Stage Crew. I’m frequently asked by coworkers and my college buddies why I would waste my time doing high school shows. Simple. I don’t think it’s a waste. A bit longer explanation would be that we don’t do high school shows. Sure, I do a lot of work in the high school (physical location somewhat demands that). However we strive for — and usually excel at — putting on a better show. As a result, the shows we put on could rival (or exceed in some cases) the level of quality seen at a college show.
Why do I keep coming back? In short because I enjoy it; there’s lots of reasons why. Here’s some of the big ones.
I am experienced.
I have significant amount of experience working in the high school. Though my experience with theatrical production outside of the high school is limited, within the high school I know how things work. I know what structures will support the weight of a student and which couldn’t hold a cinder block. I know how body heat affects the auditorium’s acoustics. I am intimately familiar with the working of the shows that we do. I know how to get access to the basement and where the main networking closet is located. All of this knowledge is inherently valuable to a student. It would be a shame for my knowledge of these areas to go untapped.
I am a role model.
When you work closely with students, it’s inevitable that they will look up to you. I consider myself to be a responsible adult, as are the other alumni that come back to aid with the shows. With all of the garbage on television and the falling standards of our society, I think it’s a positive thing for students to have good role models to look up to. It’s a privilege to be in that position and it’s one that I take quite seriously, although I am trying to cut down on my use of profanity.
I am a teacher.
I’ve taught kids numerous things about construction, tools, audio equipment, lighting instruments, and life in general. How to keep a Dewalt level and on-plane so that you don’t strip the screw head when putting up walls. How to use a level. How to use a chop-saw. How to build scaffolding safely and balance your weight properly. How to coil cables properly. How to handle a microphone. How an electrical plug is wired up. How to dress a par can. How to use chopsticks to eat take-out from Beijing. Many of these things were taught to me by an alumnus when I was a student, so it’s good to pass the knowledge on. These may seem like trivial things, but in the end they’re like teaching a kid to ride a bike. The best part about it is that these kids want to be here; it isn’t like they’re forced to sit and listen to me. They’ll never forget these things, no matter how much time passes between. It feels good to see someone use a skill that I taught them, especially when they’re doing well and even moreso when you see them teaching others.
I am a supervisor.
It’s one thing to show someone how to do something. It’s another to sit back and let them do it. There’s no better way to learn than to practice doing it. Once a particular skill is taught to a student, I supervise the student to ensure that they practice in a safe and appropriate manner. I might offer assistance if they’re having problems, or perhaps just a word or two of advice. More often than not, a student becomes trusted with that skill so that they don’t need further supervision.
I am learning.
Since returning to do crew, I’ve learned quite a few things as we expand the equipment used in the shows. I’ve learned about the proper use of safety harnesses, the fundamentals of welding, how to operate a Genie AWP, how to use chain motors to fly equipment, some concepts of three-phase electrical equipment, the operation of hydraulic scissor lifts, and much much more. In addition, I’ve learned how to operate a dozen or so mixing boards and signal processing gear (most of which this year).
I am building something.
At my day job, very little of what I do creates tangible objects. Yes there are physical servers and rooms and things to deal with, but a lot of what I do involves sitting at a workstation. I love working with my hands. At crew I get my hands dirty and BUILD things. It is great to build something out of nothing. A set piece that used to be a handful of 2×4s or a framed wall that didn’t used to be there. There’s something magical about starting with an empty stage and building a two-story set that can withstand 150 cast members stomping around on for weeks.
I am joined by an excellent team.
I get to work with an incredible crew. There are others like me that come back year after year and it’s a pleasure to work with them. Many are people with whom I worked when they were students. The amount of work that we can accomplish in a few hours is staggering.
I am having a good time.
As much as it feels good to help out and teach people, the bottom like is that I have a great time. Where else do I get to play with expensive toys and make a lot of really loud noise without the neighbors complaining? Where else could I get to use a Sawzall to cut lighting equipment in half? Where else do I get to fix things by blugeoning them with a large hammer? Where would I — a computer guy — get to use air chisels, pneumatic staple guns, No Bounce hammers, Remington nail guns, and other implements of destruction? I wouldn’t! As exhausting as some of the shows are, I’m not ready to give them up yet. When I’m ready to get married it may be different, but it is currently more appealing to me than sitting in a bar, rambling to random people about how things were at the office or the current political climate.
