At Harrison High School there are an array of many different clubs and activities offered, including the Harrison Drama Club. You oftentimes hear about all the singing, dancing, and costuming that Drama does, but you never actually hear about what goes into producing all of that. Behind the scenes of the amazing Harrison Drama Club is the laborious works of the crew that never seems to get noticed.
The Harrison Drama Crew is a very fun, messy, and tedious after school activity. At Harrison the crew is a set of students that spend around 6-9 weeks (depending on the show) behind the scenes preparing everything the cast needs to put on an incredible show. The crew is in charge of building sets, painting, gluing, coloring, and decorating all of the sets while also being in charge of the lighting and the sound booth. Typically, the crew is always in the back hiding behind the large stage garage door. You will rarely ever see them on the stage until tech week when the stage managers and running crew dash through the dark stage to arrange sets and try not to trip!
At Harrison the crew is a very close and tight-knit group. Here everyone loves everyone. The crew oftentimes spends time together. Whether it is an after-school lunch or taking adventures at Kings Island, the crew is always spending time together. Everyone in crew loves each other and the drama club so much, which is the primary reason the school musicals go so well.
Down below we asked three crew members to explain what they love about crew and the drama club as a whole and the responses were very wholesome and memorable.
Madison McIntyre is a senior crew member, and she enjoys the feeling of being a part of something. She commented that the crew feels more like a family than a club. This excites her because she has finally found a place with people that understand her and relate to her. The closeness of the crew is what makes this club very special.
Camryn Lundy is a graduated senior who was once part of the crew, and he stated that his favorite part about crew is getting to learn new things. The crew is in charge of many jobs and activities so people who are a part of this club get to participate and learn all kinds of skills. Camryn said that he really enjoyed learning about all the tech aspects of drama and learning how to work lights, sound booths, microphones, and more. The crew not only helped him build a community but also taught him real world skills that will help him for years to come.
Chy Campbell is a junior crew member, and she admitted that her favorite part about crew is the adrenaline rush you get during show nights. The crew members are working during the whole show. Whether they be in the lighting and sound booth or backstage helping with sets they are working like busy bees the whole night. Chy said that during show nights her heart would be pounding, and her hands would be shaking as she rushes across the stage to put the sets across in record times. She really enjoys seeing all of her hard work coming to pay off as the whole audience sees the crew’s hard work pay off. For Chy, crew is not only great space to be in, but it also is a space that lets her express her imagination for the whole school to see.
As a whole the crew is an exciting and electric atmosphere to be in. The crew members spend so many hours of hard and tedious work on making sets, creating cool light and sound effects, and transitioning the show from scene to scene just to make sure the Drama Club can put on an amazing show each semester. So, next time you are watching Harrison High School production take a look around and think about the people who made the whole thing possible: the crew!
