Go backstage with Catalina theatre

There is no questioning Santa Catalina School’s ability to put on a fantastic show. The theatre program is one of the greatest reasons to attend this school. Even if you do not participate in a production, for two-ish hours three times a year, you get to appreciate the amazing artistic abilities of your friends and classmates.

I have been a part of theatre at Catalina since my freshman year. I have been lucky enough to play a plethora of different characters, from a teenage girl, to young men, to older men, to goddesses, to fairies. If you’ve enjoyed our shows but never been a part of one, it’s almost impossible not to wonder: What goes on behind the scenes? Here is a snippet of the countless hours of rehearsals that go into putting together a show.

As an actor, the first step is a read-through. This is when everyone gathers to read the script, aiming to truly grasp the show's events, character objectives, motivations, and plot. The goal is to convey the story as vividly as possible, showcasing the depth of Catalina Theatre’s focus on storytelling.

Following this, if the show is a play, we usually go straight into blocking. Blocking, to put it simply, is the movements and positions of the actors. However, it is more thoughtful than just following the script and plopping people on a stage. We put extra thought into the character’s movements, meaning every step, finger lift, eyebrow tilt, sit, crouch, stand, and high five has to add something to the story. And on top of that, we have to think about the audience’s point of view, overly emphasizing said movements to ensure everything is conveyed to every audience member the same. Since this is 90% of what actors do when being in a play, this is what goes on for weeks to follow.

In a musical, we have to constantly think about losing subtlety and what our body is doing, on top of singing, dancing, remembering cues, and memorizing lines. Instead of going straight into blocking, we usually focus on the songs and dance numbers first. This also requires thinking about what your face looks like, the attitude you bring to your particular character, as well as being more aware of how your body moves. For a show like Shrek The Musical, all of the characters are very animated, dramatic, and over-the-top no matter who you’re playing: a knight, a fairytale creature, an ogre, everyone has a story no matter if we see it onstage or not.

After hours of practice every week, we get into Tech Week. This is where all the focus is turned away from the actors and what is done in terms of performance, and toward all of the technical aspects of the show. During Tech Week we are at school all weekend and then we are in the Performing Arts Center from 6:00–10:00 p.m. all week. Students who are part of tech are assigned a particular job, such as sound, props, and costumes. There is a deck captain who is in charge of everything literally backstage, and a stage manager who is in charge of, well, everything. There are flies who are in charge of the things that fly in from the top, like sets. There are cats who live in the catwalk above the stage and control spotlights. There are a bunch of specific details that go into these different types of jobs, but to name them all would take ages. As for actors, their job is to perform the show like normal, including waiting in the dark for shifts, light cues, etc.

Next is dress rehearsals. It’s so fun seeing everything come together and come to life on stage. I always look forward to wearing fun makeup and doing my hair differently. Still, dress rehearsals are incredibly chaotic because everyone is either running around, trying to make a cue, doing a quick costume change, or working backstage on a prop or set. For Shrek, I’m a sugar plum fairy, gingerbread man, rat, mouse, and Duloc Dancer, so although it’s super fun getting to dress like a fairy and be all sparkly and colorful, changing in and out of costumes can be dreadful.

Finally, we get to my favorite part of the show, which is the actual performance. Everything is still super intense like it was in dress rehearsal, but after more practice you get into a routine. The best part is seeing how all the work you put into the show pays off. And at this point, all of your loved ones get to come and support you and understand why you missed so many family dinners the past two weeks. The most satisfying feeling is when we take bows at the end, because it’s a mutual thank you from the audience to the performers to the tech crew. We did it!

In being part of a show, we get trained to act and think like professional actors and technicians. We learn so much about what goes into a performance, as well as how to manage our time. Catalina Theatre has also taught me a lot of internal lessons about my character. I have loved theatre all my life, but being part of Catalina Theatre has made me love it even more. You should try being part of a show here at least once!

Come see a show for yourself! Get tickets to Shrek The Musical.

For more behind the scenes content, follow @catalinatheatre on Instagram.

See photos from Shrek The Musical.