What's all the Buzz? Behind the Scenes of the Fall Musical
“Overall, this show was a learning experience for everyone.”
A few weeks ago (November 19-24, 2019), the JCHS Theatre company presented its annual fall musical: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Filled with laughter, the show draws the audience into the world of Putnam County and the lives of different characters in a spelling bee competition. As a cast member, I saw first-hand the incredible work it took to put together this hit show, but have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes?
Since August, the JCHS Theatre company has been rehearsing in preparation for show week. While acting seems like the primary job in a play, there is so much more that takes place. Freshman Avital Daly explains that she “never really realized how many people it took to put on a show... there was the hardworking director, choreographer, set designers, tech crew, stage managers, and so many other wonderful people who spent so much time taking the musical from good to amazing.”
Being a part of the cast or crew comes with a huge commitment. Company members learned that attending all rehearsals is key in putting on a great show and even in the face of homework deadlines, lack of sleep, and personal struggles, the company’s dedication remained steadfast. After putting in so much hard work, the entire company was able to feel deep pride in their hard work and its clear reward.
Much more than acting practice is needed to create a great show. Have you ever wondered how the sound and lighting is created on stage? We can thank our tech crew for that! The tech crew is responsible for setting and calling all light and sound cues throughout the show. Additionally, they are in charge of setting up all of the microphones, making quick changes backstage, and ensuring actors’ voices can always be heard. The tech crew, under Mr. McDonald's direction, is the glue that holds the show together and creates a magical setting for the actors.
As with any musical, the singing and dancing have to be strong and it requires just as much practice as acting when conducting a musical. In the beginning, many of the rehearsals were dedicated to just singing and working on harmonies. While the songs alone sound nice, harmonies are what brings the music to an all-new level. I personally found it very exciting when we put together both dancing and singing. Ms. Gentry, our amazing director, choreographed the numbers and Dr. Feltman, our talented music director, taught us the music and harmonies. Once the crew started to both sing and dance on the stage, the show really began to come together. Another thing that really helped in forming the show was the introduction of the costumes. Mallie Lifsitz ‘23 commented, saying “it was so wonderful when everyone had their costumes on. It was like the whole room just lit up.” While the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee had a fair amount of both singing and dancing, it also had many scenes of pure acting and cast members found ways to develop and work with our characters. “We had to make it interesting through acting choices and dynamics between actors,” said Levi Eig, ’21.
The musical not only had actors on stage but also audience volunteer spellers! It was a fun and effective way to integrate the audience into the show and bring them into the world of Putnam County. Welcoming a new group of people on stage every night, “having run-throughs with different audience spellers and seeing how they reacted to the show and also performing was so rewarding,” said Simona Lewis ‘21. Working with audience volunteers throughout Act 1 taught the crew “how powerful theatre can not only be for us, but for people in the audience as well,” Simona added.
Overall, this show was a learning experience for everyone. The Freshman learned what it means to truly be committed to something, and speaking for the upperclassmen, we learned how to take on bigger roles. We learned how to be more than just ensemble members and to take on the stage with ease. Since it was a smaller cast than previous musicals, the crew really got to bond and get to know each other. One of the special things about theatre is that it's an opportunity to meet new people in different grades. By show week, Avital felt she “had a solid group of people she could call her friends and it made all parts of rehearsing so much better.” Many people agreed with Junior Levi Eig that originally they “started with a few friends in the cast... and then bonded with and got to know a lot of new people.” The JCHS Drama company members would like to thank all the adults who helped guide and direct the show, and especially, Ms. Gentry who directed the show with kindness and excitement. The cast and crew hopes you enjoyed the musical and we look forward to seeing you at the next production!
