Filling the theater with an audience anticipating a show they won’t forget, the cast of Curtains is preparing for the spring musical they’ve been rehearsing for since January. Once the musical begins, the lights come on, and the cast and crew get into action, remembering last-minute lines and setting props into place. But the ones leading the cast behind the curtains are the stage managers.
Senior Aurora Lomanto is the single ruling stage manager for this year’s spring musical Curtains and has been dreaming about this position since her freshman year.
“I was extremely excited and honored! It felt like I was accomplishing a huge goal I had been looking forward to,” Lomanto explained, reminiscing about being asked by theater director Marcy Goodnow to fill the position.
Occupying the role of the stage manager requires responsibilities such as helping the cast get into place, calling cues from the booth and supporting the director, Goodnow. Given three months to prepare for the two-and-a-half-hour long show, Lomanto, along with assistant stage managers Sarah Griffith and Lane Heer, had the opportunity to be deeply invested in multiple aspects of the musical.
“They run the show! The stage manager calls all light, sound, and set changing cues. Assistant stage managers make all of the scene changes happening on a stage while managing a crew,” Goodnow said.
Lomanto honed her skills directing backstage during her freshman and sophomore year being involved in the technical theatre classes. Participation in productions throughout her high school career as assistant stage manager in Orphan Train, The Sound of Music, and Walk Two Moons has given Lomanto enough background and training on how the shows run.
Organizing stressful situations comes along with every show. From rehearsals five days a week up until the opening night on April 5, the stage managers take blocking notes and film choreography.
Every part of the theater has some part of the crew working to make the show successful and keep the atmosphere productive.
“During rehearsals, the environment is fun but serious, and the same goes for during the show. We all know when it’s time to have fun and when it’s time to work,” senior assistant stage manager Griffith stated, who is a four-year drama student and assistant stage manager in Walk Two Moons.
Working in different parts of the theater by moving set pieces and guiding the tech crew is where the stage managers and assistant stage managers mainly work, up until the end of the musical where the appreciation for their hard work is displayed in front of the audience.
“[The most rewarding part is] probably closing night, when Goodnow calls us onstage and tells us what we do and thanks us. That’s when I really feel good,” sophomore assistant stage manager Heer said.
Being discreet is the beauty behind the job. Working diligently backstage and in the booth calling light cues is a part of helping oversee the show.
“It’s so much fun being able to support the cast and the crew backstage. We go unnoticed sometimes, but that’s a part of the job; we are literally supposed to be like ninjas,” Lomanto said. “I think it’s an amazing experience that everyone should try to do, [or] the drama department in general...You just have to put yourself out there.”
Photos by Victoria Escamilla and Cheyanne Holliday. Graphics by Victoria Escamilla.