The theatre tech students waiting behind the set of The Little Shop of Horrors will be able to hear the murmur of the audience and feel the excitement of the actors as their hearts pound with pre-performance jitters on opening night.

Alberta High School of Fine Arts students Colton Hogge, left, Chloe Mohan, Alyssa Munro-Tyson and Jaime Flynn sit in the giant plant pot on the set of "Little Shop of Horrors", the Mainstage musical theatre production. The students and 22 more are working behind the scenes building the sets in the theatre tech class. photo by Tamara Neely

When the curtain rises and the actors step into the spotlight, the teens who have been working behind the scenes will also feel the pressure to perform as they ensure the show runs smoothly.

Since the beginning of January the Alberta High School of Fine Arts theatre tech students have been digging into their creativity to design and build the set, costumes and makeup and figure out how to light and mic the performers. There is more pressure than ever, since this show marks the Mainstage program’s 20^th anniversary.

On Feb. 5, opening night, the audience will be more likely to notice the exuberance of Cole Dempsey in the role of Orin the dentist than to notice the big clock in the centre of the set has wonky numbers on it. But details such as mismatched and misplaced numbers are among the many visual cues the students have incorporated to set the ambience of the show.

Getting the set, costumes, makeup and lighting to the point where they showcase the talent of the performers, the tech students have continually had to flex their creative muscles.

With teacher and parent support, the students are responsible for ensuring the revolving set actually rotates when it’s supposed to; for the custom-built fake fire escape will hold the actor’s weight; and the crew can silently slide the hot tub-sized wooden plant pot through the backstage door like it was buttered.

Grade 11 student Colton Hogge said one of the challenges he and the design crew have been facing is how to make their freshly constructed set look like it has been neglected for 20 years or more.

“Making things look run down is actually really hard — especially when it’s newly painted on,” said Hogge.

Theatre tech students Colton Hogge, left, and Jamie Flynn apply a stain to the freshly-painted set for the Mainstage musical "Little Shop of Horrors." The Alberta High School of Fine Arts students were faced with the challenge of how to make a new set look old and run down. photo by Tamara Neely

Figuring out how to make the set look like it carries decades of grime and abandonment has given Hogge a new perspective on painting.

“I’m an arts student. I love to paint,” said Hogge. “This has expanded my horizons.”

The students, under the leadership of artistic director James Keary, are creating the backdrop for a musical comedy about an evil plant at the centre of a story of love and greed.

Hogge and the 25 other theatre tech students have created sets for a dentist office, a florist shop and the exterior of a building in a run-down part of town.

They started with ideas. Using popsicle sticks, paper, pens, glue – and even an egg – they each created shoebox-sized versions of the sets they saw in their minds.

Theatre tech student Miranda Dusome said that was a particular challenge for her — how to use real materials to create the ideas she had in her head.

Armed with the class’ dioramas, Keary took the best of their ideas, filtered them through the spatial and functional needs of the performers, and created a blueprint for the set. Foothills Composite High School construction students and dedicated parent Gord Hoover got in on the project and together they hammered, nailed, welded and performed mathematical equations to bring the set to life.

Now with blank canvases, Hogge, set design student leader Alyssa Munro-Tyson and the team began painting the structures to bring the vision to life.

When the actors take their bow at the end of the show the creative minds behind the sets will be, well, behind the sets.

But theatre tech students aren’t showboats. They’re not in it for the spotlight.

Grade 10 student Bjorn Wiegele, for example, said the reward for him is rising to a challenge, making new friends and shining a light on the talented performers.

“I like doing the lights — that’s one of my favourites,” said Wiegele, who also welded the fire escape and painted props. “It can bring more character — you can make people look more pale or give them more of a warm colour, for example.”

Wiegele said even though he won’t be onstage, he is going to feel the surge of adrenaline on opening night. And that is part of the attraction.

“I do like the pressure, because it does give you a sense of the excitement,” said Wiegele.

“Little Shop of Horrors” will open on Friday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. The gala, which includes dinner, is on Feb. 6. The show continues on Feb. 9, 11 and 12. On Feb. 13 there is a matinee and an evening show.

Tickets are $15 for evening shows, $10 for the matinee and $45 for the gala. Tickets should be reserved in advance, particularly for the gala. To reserve tickets call 403-540-6574.

tneely@okotoks.greatwest.ca

0 Click Here to 'Like' this post

 Email This Post  Print This Post