By: Eleni King Martin

Three years ago, I experienced being a part of the McCaskey stage crew for the first time. I had participated in stage crew during middle school, but it seemed informal and superficial. At McCaskey, our theatre department is one of the most developed parts of our school. My freshman year, I started as an assistant prop manager. This was one of the best decisions I had made during my time at McCaskey. what it’s like to be backstage and how it contributes to personal and professional relationships with other students. 

Although the main entertainment of Something Rotten will be onstage, the backstage life is just as important. McCaskey’s stage crew consists of multiple backstage groups. The tech crew runs the sound and lighting. The deck crew moves sets on and off stage. The prop crew makes and manages all the props on and off stage. The costume crew manages quick changes and costumes. Lastly, our stage managers, who make sure the entire show runs smoothly.  Each section of the stage crew works together to make the spring musical seamless.   

Throughout the show, so much is happening backstage, it often feels overwhelming. Personally, as one of the prop managers for the spring musical, I have found that in the chaos we have a lot of fun. Countless inside jokes and memorable moments have come from being backstage for tech week or show week, and knowing that makes me excited to get back to the theatre. 

However, stage crew can take up time. Although the stage crew does not need to attend rehearsals as often as cast members, we still need to attend a month of rehearsals. Rehearsals tend to be four-to-five days a week, and take around three hours a day. As a result, issues in time management and motivation can arise. However, I’ve found that the long rehearsals often allow time for bonding, such as forming new friendships and creating countless inside jokes. Although the time commitment is challenging, the excitement and the friendships that have come from both cast and crew are worth it. Senior Ben High supports this, saying that his experience with stage crew has been “tiring, but worth it.” 

In an interview with other members of stage crew, Senior Logan Fleetman said, “Stage has become really enjoyable for me. I’ve gotten the chance to meet a lot of different people through it.” I can’t help but agree with him. Throughout my three years with the stage crew, I’ve been able to become friends with a large variety of people. 

In my experiences, I have found that strengthening my friendships with my fellow crew members has made us a more cohesive unit when it comes to working on the performance. Having an actual connection with the stage crew allows us to be an actual team, rather than just being a group of people working together. 

Overall, I’ve found that although participating in stage crew can be really tiring, it’s worth it due to the friendships I’ve gained and the memories I’ve made. For those interested in supporting our stage crew, come see the performances on March 19-21 at 7pm and March 22 at 2pm. Tickets are $10 for community members, and $7 for students.  https://mccaskeyvidette.com/2026/03/02/are-you-ready-for-something-rotten/