She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers’ Edition Black Box Production April, 2021
I was the Director and Technical Director for this show during the pandemic; therefore, I had a limited number of technicians that could build and run the show (six students). This meant that the set and technical effects needed to be scaled down significantly, yet produce an entertaining story that the playwright intended. During this production, I learned a lot about creating props and costume accessories, using high density foam, as evident in the pictures below.
Scenes from Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus
UIL OAP Regional Alternate (top 36 in 6A Schools) March, 2021
My contributions to this show involved designing the capitals and then painting the harpsichord and bench made of foam to resemble a wood grain. I also painted the capitals, bases and the wraps to resemble a marble/stone appearance.
Les Miserables: School Edition
January, 2021
For this show I was in charge of having students build the bridge structure, its stairs and parts of the balcony. All of this construction was done on campus; whereas, the rest of the set was built off-campus in a shop with a larger floor space to aid in COVID safety. Then the set was moved to the auditorium and put together. During the off-campus building phase, I helped one of the two Saturdays that the set pieces were made and base painted. During the second day, I found out my wife had COVID symptoms, and I quarantined myself, and did not finish work on the rest of the set, as I later was hospitalized for two days in December. This year, as a consequence of COVID, Cameron Hefty from ProFormance Systems, was lighting and sound contractor, Technical Director and also Designer for this production.
Wylie High School produces one musical each year. Students who are currently taking fine arts courses are eligible to participate as cast members or technicians. We received 12 nominations from the Lyric Stage, Schmidt & Jones High School Musical Awards. including Best Musical. We won Best Lighting Design and Best Costume Design as well as two acting awards.
Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic
October, 2020
This was our first production of the year, and we chose to do it at the Murphy City Park Amphitheatre to safely accommodate our performers as well as audience members during the pandemic. This year my school district allowed me come to the high school and teach online classes to only remote students (about 120 total) as a means of protecting my family who have compromised health conditions. As a result of this situation, Cameron Hefty, the lighting and sound contractor we used for this show, became the Technical Director, while I was in charge of all of the hand and stage props for the show, working with six students as my properties crew.
Part of the stipulation made by the City of Murphy was that we had to load in and strike after every rehearsal and performance. This event was so successful that next year (the 2021-2022 school year) we plan to return to the park, producing Epic Proportions for our fall show.
