By Sofia Partesotti
Photo by Sofia Partesotti
CA Stagecraft is often considered one of the most interesting CAs for a variety of reasons. Students use materials no one else does, and they get to work behind the scenes of plays, projects, and so much more. This year, there are 29 freshmen in CA Stagecraft. How did these students get into stagecraft, and what is their experience like so far?
“I chose stagecraft because I wanted to see how the plays and musicals were made at Willow,” said freshman Corrine Saenz. “I saw Hades Town at Willow and was very impressed with the quality and thought put into it.”
“Stagecraft differs from other CAs because you can express your creativity with fewer boundaries,” said freshman Serene Clark. “Also, the audition process was different from any other CA, which made me very interested. Instead of playing a song or drawing your house, you had to design your own superhero. You got full creative liberty with very few restrictions.”
Stagecraft students work on all aspects of plays at a foundation level, including sound effects, build projects, and artistic skill practice.
Emelia Uzee said, “Currently, we are doing a foley project. This is where we pick a scene from any movie, and with our groups, we have to make all of the sounds in the scene live.”
Another project includes “a project to help improve our painting skills,” said Saenz. “It’s a vintage advertisement that we have to paint on a piece of plywood.”
Students work in small groups or individually, depending on the project.
“Usually, we work alone, or in groups of two,” said Uzee, “but sometimes, we work in groups of four or five if the project is a lot of work, like our foley project.”
The freshmen learn how to use a variety of materials and tools.
“We have access to any tools that are in the shop,” said Uzee, “like chop saws, jig saws, drills, etc.”
Build projects typically use wood, plywood, screws, paint, etc., but the foley project the class is working on uses more special materials like rocks, a shoe, tupperware, and a metal wheel.
Students in Stagecraft look forward to making things everyday. The class gives them creative expression and confidence using tools. This is a very important life skill not taught in other classes in school.
“In later years, things that are built in CA Stagecraft are used for school productions, and sometimes even rented out,” said Clark.
