This article originally appeared on the Feburary 14, 2018 issue of The Clarion.

At Riverside Brookfield High School, many productions run without a hitch thanks to the help of tech crew. From the musicals to the dance shows to the plays, nothing would run smoothly without the aid of this group of students.

Tech crew is composed of students from all grade levels. Some join their freshman year, while others join later in their high school career. Tech crew never turns away someone who wants to help.

Although it might seem like one might need woodshop skills or prior knowledge to join tech crew, that is not the case.

“You don’t have to join your freshman year… Anyone can join. You don’t need to know how to build a bridge or how to work the lights. [The tech crew members] can train you,” said senior Katherine Lynch.

According to most of the seniors, tech crew was a run very differently when they joined as freshmen.

Currently, Lynch is the main stage manager. Any and every production is supervised by her. It’s her job to call cues and make sure everything runs smoothly.

“We used to have a stage manager for each side of the stage, and lights would call their own cues,” said Lynch. “But now we have one stage manager calling all the cues for that production.”

These new changes to tech crew happened about two years ago. Since then, these changes have been refined to best aid everyone involved in any production ar RB.

Those involved in tech crew handle a multitude of tasks. Some specialize is a certain area, such as sound or construction, while others help out in almost every aspect of tech crew.

John Gorski, a senior in tech crew, is the construction manager. He has designed sets for the fall plays and spring musicals.

“There are so many things you can help out with in tech crew. Some you can even do while sitting. There is never a dull moment in tech crew,” said Gorski.

Many tech crew members work in the booth on the balcony, which many students have fondly nicknamed “heaven”. The audio manager, junior Andres Resto, is in charge of the sound board, making every production sound as good as it looks.

Members on tech crew love the kind atmosphere and environment the group creates. Some members even plan on continuing to be a part of tech crew after high school.

“I definitely plan on doing tech crew in college,” said senior Natalie Baiocchi. “I’ve done tech crew so long…I love it so much.”

Although many jobs can be handled by anyone on tech crew, more specific jobs need to be taught to new members. Many seniors or juniors need to train new recruits how to do the jobs of those who have graduated, or those who are graduating soon.

“There aren’t many people who know how to work the new soundboard,” said Resto. “I’ve made it a priority for me to teach new people how to work it.”

Students a part of tech crew take on many jobs and responsibilities outside of school, such as building and painting sets. Recently, students took a trip to Home Depot to buy wood and supplies for this year’s spring musical.

Tech crew members take time after school and on the weekend to work on the sets, lights, and sound to make every production at RBHS the best it can be. These students go above and beyond to make sure a production go smoothly, and all without being seen. For a successful show, tech crew can’t be noticed by the audience.

“If something’s wrong with the lights, or if there is feedback from the mics, [the audience] knows you’re there,” said Resto. “If you are not noticed by the audience, then you’ve done your job right.”