Concentrating on brushing a thin coat of gold paint onto pieces of ornate red trim, Leo Brewer lays his finished puzzle piece next to the others arranged in the compact studio.
Brewer, a NE work-study student, continues brushing as he simplifies the production process.
“We build, we paint, and we set it up,” Brewer said.
The production crew is constantly working to create the immersive sets students get to enjoy during drama productions semester after semester. For them, the work never stops and students must fulfill every role to ensure the set is finished before showtime.
Whether it be carpentry, painting or making props, they must piece together the puzzle that is assembling a set.
Head carpenter Dereck Jenny was a previous TCC student who uses his carpentry skills to get paid while he pursues a paralegal degree at Texas Wesleyan University.
“A lot of ingenuity goes on back here,” Jenny said. “Nothing is standard around here because everything’s made to fit.”
He described how they reuse flats, a technical term for the walls of the set, and chop up and repaint depending on what the show needs. Production makes their own pieces to fit.
The process can be intimidating for students. Between tight deadlines, limited resources and helping hands and having limited experience, building a set might seem daunting.
Students aren’t required to take a particular class to participate in production. Anyone can volunteer and everyone is welcome. Jenny offered reassurance, though, for those who might be up for the challenge.
“Most students in production don’t know anything about set design,” Jenny said. “Some have never even touched a power tool or know the difference between Philips and a flathead screwdriver.”
By the end of the semester, students gain an immense wealth of practical skills. Some said they can renovate their homes or build their own furniture. Through their experience, they learn how to properly take measurements, identify what materials are needed and how to operate the right tools for the job.
Students even grow in interpersonal skills: teamwork, focus, time management. All these skills help them develop professionally.
Cozette Sawyer, a NE early college high school student, works on campus rather than her high school theater department because of the connections and professional experience offered at the campus.
“You just have to walk into the shop. There’ll always be something for you to do,” says Sawyer.
Learning lab coordinator Theresa Furphy operates as the NE technical director and production manager. She creates the set designs, assembles the team that creates the show and educates students during the process.
“A theater background is great for everybody.” Furphy said. “Law schools love students who have been in theater before.”
NE student Fairah Harper is pursuing a career in acting but works in production because she said the experience she gets from working on set is what will get her booked and paid while looking for work as an actor.
For Furphy, the best part of the production process is when audiences see the set for the first time.
“I just want people to come see these kids and shows,” Furphy said. “They work really hard and they’re talented people and folks need to be here to see it.”
Tartuffe, written and directed by Ashley White, is a modern take on Molière’s play of the same name. The show is a farce, a comedic and dramatic work that utilizes crude humor and impossible situations. The plot follows a con man who attempts to swindle his way into a wealthy household, but he underestimates the house’s inhabitants.
Tartuffe will run March 4-7 at 7 p.m. and a 2 p.m. showing on March 7.
