At the Brandywine School District’s Summer Stock Theatre Program, students literally run the show.
Now in its third year, the five-week program puts its fourth- through 12th-grade cast members in control of nearly every aspect of the production.
Eighty-five students will take to the stage, both front and back, for this year’s production of “The Wiz,” a more soulful, 80s-style rendition of “The Wizard of Oz.”
“By the end of the show, the adults don’t step in unless there is absolutely something on fire,” said Laura Nichols, production manager.
Over the course of the program, which starts with a heavy focus on theatrical games and transitions into intense rehearsals as the show date nears, the students learn about all the different parts of theater, Nichols explained.
Students will work on set design, run the microphones and props, help choreograph the show and even have a say in their costumes and makeup, she said.
This year, more students have taken an interest in being part of the crew, Nichols said, and some previous cast members have switched to a behind-the-scenes role.
Some students like to stay behind the scenes while others enjoy the challenge of choreographing set moves, which involve dodging 75 cast members while dragging objects around the stage, Nichols said.
“For the backstage crew, it is quite a learning curve, but they come up to the challenge,” she said. “The crew does everything in the dark, in 10 seconds or less.”
The crew members work closely with the cast the last several rehearsals to coordinate how they will move items around the stage, she said.
Members of the crew learn a lot about how to think on their feet, Nichols said, but students in every role take home lessons that transcend theater.
For example, the students will brainstorm with the director how to best design the set, she said. It’s a challenge because the set must show the colorful whimsy of “The Wiz” without being too obtrusive.
Ultimately, the cast members finish the show with a boost to their confidence, she said.
“They come in with a little trepidation, some of them, and they learn that they can do it, they can put on an entire show,” she said.
By Adam Zewe
