The Theatre Design and Technology class here is a unique program that is offered for students in every grade. Their best way of promoting the class has been during the Eighth Grade Open House, where they usually put on a light show. The students in class design the show themselves and perform it when the time comes after weeks of preparation.

The class has undergone some major changes in the past few years: renovation to the Performing Arts Center, new equipment and three different teachers.

The 2008 renovation was part of a larger $29.6 million project that included classroom additions and football field improvements. The renovation included advanced acoustics to make sure unwanted, outside noise such as rain isn’t heard during a performance.

Other additions included  a balcony to provide more seats without taking up too much floor space and fly towers for backdrops and scenery. It’s easy to assume that the tech students at that time were beyond thrilled to have better (and more) equipment to play with.

The new equipment that the PAC acquired with the renovation included dozens of intelligent lighting instruments with new boards to run them off of, a new sound board and system that was now digital instead of analog. This opened up fresh, new opportunities for students to learn and master the advanced technology. The past four years have also brought more equipment such as a HOG lighting board that controls the intelligent lighting such as 5R lights and new sound receivers with microphones.

The theatre tech class is constantly busy with things to fix or events to plan for and design. When it’s not play or musical season, during class the students do some house cleaning to keep the theatre clean and organized. Students end up spending so much time in the theatre due to the 30 to 40 out-of-school hours they need to get per semester from working events.

The PAC becomes a second home to the more involved students and the class really does begin to feel like a family at times. Uptech and senior Erin Grace wants to let students interested in taking theatre tech know that, “you [interested students] will really enjoy the class, but don’t join it expecting the class to be a blow off.”

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like behind the scenes of a musical then definitely check out the class. You can join during any semester and get a feel for the fun environment.