Dipping a fine paint brush in vibrant colors, junior Tess Gillham touches up geometric shapes, smoothes fine lines, and creates beautiful kaleidoscope backdrops she, and all others performed behind in this year’s 51st V-Show, Kaleidoscope.
This year, Gillham and freshman Liam Durbin are the only two students who are both Stage Crew members and V-Show performers, Rich Winship, Auditorium Manager, Set and Lightning Designer, and Technical Director said.
“As a performer, you get to understand what it’s like to actually run a show from the backstage point of view, which I think is very valuable,” Winship said. “And vice versa for crew people going on stage because you know how an actor feels.”
In V-Show, Durbin performed in two juggling acts, one puppet act, and controls the flies by operating the auditorium’s rigging systems to fly in and out scenery, props, and curtains for stage crew. Durbin was part of the stage crew at Attea Middle School, while simultaneously developing a stage presence over the last eight years as an actor outside of school.
Gillham is involved in Back-Up Singers (BUS) in V-Show. She began performing in the Freshman Act two years ago. Sophomore year, Gillham decided to join Stage Crew, leading her to create many pieces of the set such as platforms and stairs.
“I didn’t have an appreciation for the sets or the different parts of the stage and now that I have a full understanding of it I know to respect Stage Crew since they don’t get a lot of recognition,” Gillham said.
Participating in Stage Crew while performing has taught Durbin and Gillham valuable time management skills, Winship said.
“They have got to be good at balancing their time, being organized, and being responsible for where they’re supposed to be,” Winship said.
Beyond time management it takes a level of commitment to immerse yourself in both worlds of crew and performing, Winship said.
“It takes a desire to be a performer and it takes a desire to be a backstage support,” Winship said. “There’s artistic elements to each and you can satisfy your desires from both.”
