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Creative Staff

​Melissa Peregrina, technical director, mperegrina@aacps.org

Martin Egna, director, megna@aacps.org

Timothy Kurtzberg, music director, tkurtzberg@aacps.org

Jennifer Politte, choreographer, jpolitte@aacps.org​

Administrative Staff

Emily Miller, faculty advisor, ebmiller@aacps.org

Erin Ward, production coordinator, epflora@gmail.com  

Application Deadlines

Tech Crew Leadership & Design: October 24, 2023

Tech Crew Member: January 2, 2024

Tech Crew Description

Tech Crew Leaders & Designers

Students who are interested in leadership or design positions on tech crew should see Tech Leader/Designer job descriptions and the Application Instructions on this web page. Some Tech Leaders and Designers begin work as early as October, November or December. The deadline to apply for leadership and design positions is October 24, 2023. 

Tech Crew Member

Students who are interested in tech crew member positions (non leadership/design) should see Tech Crew job descriptions and the Application Instructions on this web page. Tech crew begins work in January or February. The deadline to apply for tech crew member positions is December 22, 2023.

General Tech Info

• All Tech crew leaders/designers and tech crew members must work all tech and dress rehearsals and all performances. They must also attend meetings and general rehearsals as determined by Ms. Peregrina, our technical director. 

• All Tech crew leaders/designers and members should wear all black for dress rehearsals and performances.

• Like the cast members, tech crew leaders/designers and members will need parent provided transportation to Studio 39 in February.

Tech Rehearsals: February 9-13, 2024

Performances: February 15-18, 2024

Locations

• Rehearsals October 26, 2023 through February 8, 2024: Bates Annex

• Tech Rehearsals & Performances, starting February 9, 2024: Studio 39,  291 Locust Ave, Annapolis MD 21401 (5 minutes from Bates)

Parent/Student Virtual Information Meeting (optional for students interested in tech only)

• This meeting, required for parents/guardians of students auditioning to be in the cast, is optional for parents/guardians of students interested in tech leadership/designers or tech crew only. The discussion at this meeting will largely be about the time commitment and absence policies applicable to cast members. Most tech crew have a much lower time commitment and a more flexible schedule up until tech week. However, any student interested in tech crew only and their parent/guardian are more than welcome to attend this meeting. The director will remain available after the end of the meeting to answer tech or cast questions.

Virtual Information Meeting
7-8pm, Monday, September 18, 2023

• Please register by Sunday, 9/17, 7pm, to attend the virtual information meeting or to be notified when a video of the meeting is available by clicking the button below or on the Bates Drama Club website. The registration button became active during Labor Day weekend. 

• If you are a tech family planning to attend the virtual info meeting, please review this web page (“Tech Crew Information”) and the “Student Participation Contract” on the Forms web page and have them available during the virtual info session to ask any questions you may have. We will not be reviewing these documents in full during the virtual info meeting. But we will be answering your questions to clarify the documents.

• Both documents are available at this website.

Print or Save
PDF of Tech Crew Information (this web page)
PDF of Participation Contract (on the forms web page)

• This website can answer most of your questions and includes the tech application, rehearsal schedule, participation contract, and more. Information documents will also be available in the Bates Drama Club wall pocket outside the cafeteria.

• We will be using Microsoft Teams to meet virtually. Some devices can use internet browsers to connect on Microsoft Teams. We recommend downloading the free Microsoft Teams app for the most reliable experience.

OPTIONAL Student Tech Crew Interest Meeting

• Thursday, September 28, 2023, 4:05-5:00pm

• No registration needed. Students can just show up.

• Location: Bates Annex, room 400 (look for signs).

• Meet Ms. Peregrina, technical director & Mr. Egna, director. 

• Learn more about tech jobs and the show.

• Express interest in particular jobs and leadership or design positions.

• Students returning to tech crew from last year should attend this meeting if available as well.

• Transportation: After-school activity buses are supposed to service Bates starting in late September/early October on Tuesday and Thursdays. But, as of 8/27/23, we do not know for sure if they will start on the promised date nor what time they will depart. If activity buses are running as promised by the AACPS transportation department, we will dismiss bus riders in time to catch their activity buses. If activity buses are not running as promised, students will need to provide their own transportation home after the interest meeting.

How to Apply to Tech Crew

The tech crew form has moved from paper to online in 2022 and is accessible from student Chromebooks as well as mobile devices and parent computers. You must be signed into a Google account. The student's school google account will work as well as the student's personal Google account or a parent's Google account. Whatever account you use when you start the form, you must use if you wish to save your progress and return later to finish. The Tech Crew application became active during Labor Day weekend.

The deadline to apply for Tech Crew Leadership or Design Positions is Wednesday, 10/24/23.

The deadline to apply for Tech Crew Members (non leadership/design) is Friday, 12/22/23.

One Form for All Jobs

Use the same form for any tech crew category—leadership & design or crew member. If you’re interested in only leadership or design positions or in leadership, design AND crew member positions, submit your form by the leadership/design deadline of 10/24/23. If you are only interested in being a crew member and not in a leadership or design position, submit your form by the crew member deadline of 12/22/23. 

If you do not have internet access at home

If you do not have internet access at home and need assistance, the Bates Drama Club technical director, Ms. Peregrina, mperegrina@aacps.org can assist you. Please send her an email to set up a day that works for you both. You can fill most of the tech crew form out together. But a parent/guardian will have to approve your application and provide additional information.

What can I do if I submitted the form and then want to add more jobs that I'm interested in?

If it's still before the applicable deadline, simply log back in with the same Google account you used to submit the form the first time and edit your original form. If you can't find the original, complete and submit another form and be sure to select the statement at the end that says you are submitting another form by the same student as an update to the first.

What if I don’t get the job I want?

If you would work as a leader, designer or a crew member, it’s best to indicate that on your form at the beginning. Saying you would work as a crew member does not reduce your chance at a leadership or design position.

Student Participation Contract

To accept any leadership, design or crew position offered, students must submit an online form agreeing to the rehearsal attendance and participation requirements described by the student participation contract and as determined by Ms. Peregrina. Crew positions will be final once we have received all crew offer acceptance forms.

Review the participation contract on the Forms web page of this website now to see if you are willing to meet the participation requirements.

Tech Crew Leadership & Design Job Descriptions

Tech Crew leaders and designers will begin meeting with Ms. Peregrina, our technical director, as early as November or December. Some will also begin attending rehearsals with the cast in December as well.

Stage manager (1 student)

The stage manager has many responsibilities during the rehearsal process, during tech and dress rehearsals, and during performances. He or she has the largest time commitment and the most responsibilities of all the tech jobs. Some form of technical theater experience is required for this job. Below is a partial list the stage manager’s responsibilities. Many responsibilities can be delegated to assistant stage managers but the stage manager has to guide and manage the assistants and retains responsibility for the task.

• Manage assistant stage manager(s), lighting crew, sound operators, prop master, costume crew lead, stage crew (with faculty guidance and assistance.)

• Work most rehearsals.

• Work all tech and dress rehearsals and performances.

• “On book” at rehearsals (keeping an eye on where we are in the script).

• Take notes during rehearsals from the director, choreographer, and music director, to create a brief rehearsal report that the technical director will share with the creative, design, and tech support teams.

• “Call” the show (give timing instructions to lighting and sound operators, and stage crew during tech and dress rehearsals and during performances).

Assistant stage manager(s) (1-2 student(s))

• Perform tasks as delegated by the stage manager.

• Work most rehearsals.

• Work all tech and dress rehearsals and performances.

• An assistant stage manager will typically control the playback of music during rehearsals until the sound operator comes on board later in the process.

• Assistant stage managers may lead or guide a stage crew team during tech and performances.

• This is a great position to help prepare for a stage manager position in the future.

Properties (props) master (1 student)

• Create prop list from script.

• Create and maintain prop inventory list.

• Set out and safeguard props during rehearsals and performances.

• Brief actors on the proper handling of props.

• Safely store props after rehearsals and performances.

• Work most rehearsals likely beginning in January. 

• Work all tech and dress rehearsals and performances.

• Plan, organize, and label prop tables in the performance space.

• Ensure no one but the props crew or the appropriate actor touches props.

• Monitor condition of props and report breakage or needed repairs or design problems to stage manager.

• Manage prop assistants.

Costume crew lead (1 student)

• Lead several students in the movement of costume pieces during tech & dress rehearsals and performances.

• Work with adult costume manager in designing the movement of costume pieces for the course of the show.

• Work many rehearsals beginning as early as January.

• Work all tech and dress rehearsals and performances.

• Manage costume crew.

Sound operator (1 student)

• Start and stop recorded musical accompaniment tracks as cued by the stage manager.

• Coordinate with an adult microphone operator.

• Operate recorded music during rehearsals starting as early as January.

Projections Operator (0-1 student)

• Operate the computer-based scenic projection system as cued by the stage manager.

• Work with the sound operator & light operator so that visual and sound elements coordinate.

• Train on the system in December or January.

• Check equipment for proper operation before and secure equipment after each tech rehearsal and performance.

Projections Designer (0-2 students) 

• Design and create images based on the director’s overall vision and the technical director’s guidance to use as scenic projections during tech rehearsals and performances.

• Designer will pitch ideas and explore possibilities and will have to meet deadlines. 

Tech Crew Member Job Descriptions

Tech crew members are the students who work onstage, backstage, and in the control booth to move set pieces, operate lights, and assist with props and costumes under the direction and management of the stage manager. Our play cannot be performed without tech crew to make sure all the technical elements are working right and quickly resolve problems when something goes wrong so the audience never knows.

All tech crew member positions begin work in December or January.

Stage Crew (2-8 students)

• Stage set pieces as directed for tech and dress rehearsals and for top of show before performances.

• Move set pieces at scene changes under the direction of a crew lead.

• Secure set pieces at the end of the show.

Prop assistants (0-2 students)

• Assist the prop master in organizing and inventorying props.

• Ensure proper operation and condition of props under the direction of the prop master.

• Report damage or problems with props to prop master.

• Ensure no one but the props crew or the appropriate actor touches props.

Follow spot operators (0-2 students)

• Operate follow spot lights to light the stage/actors as directed by the stage manager.

• Ensure your equipment is functioning properly pre-show and report any problems to the stage manager.

• Turn off and secure your equipment post show.

Costume run crew (1-2 student(s)) 

• Assist the costume crew lead in organizing and inventorying costumes.

• Ensure proper condition of costumes under the direction of the costume crew lead.

• Report damage or problems with costumes to costume crew lead.

• Ensure no one but the costume crew or the appropriate actor touches costumes.

Light board operator (1 student)

• Operate the computer-based light board in the control booth for stage lighting as cued by the stage manager.

• Ensure proper operation of your equipment pre show.

• Turn off and secure your equipment post show.

Sound board operator (1 student) 

• Operate the computer-based sound board in the control booth to manage amplification of performers as cued by the stage manager.

• Assist adult staff to organize sound equipment.

• Assist adult staff to mount body microphones on performers.

• Ensure proper operation of your equipment pre show.

• Turn off and secure your equipment post show.

Sound technician (0-1 student)

• Assist adult staff to organize sound equipment.

• Assist adult staff to mount body microphones on performers.

• Manage and assist with testing wired microphones.

• Ensure proper operation of your equipment pre show.

• Turn off and secure your equipment post show.

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