Throughout the first semester of the new school year, students have experienced immense changes in all facets of school life. Many electives, most notably stagecraft, have been faced with the tough task of completely restructuring their curriculum in order to follow health and safety guidelines.
Stagecraft is an elective that is dependent on the annual fall play and the winter musical. During the time of each of these performances, students taking stagecraft are in charge of creating sets and props. Thus, projects involving the play and the musical take up the bulk of the semester’s work.
Although there was no fall play and there will be no winter musical, the students taking stagecraft still created fun projects while maintaining six feet of distance. “We are working on a project online about vector works while using the specs of our bedroom,” sophomore Ben Margolis said. In addition to this project, Ben and his classmates have learned how to lay down the dance floor and hang the lights for future events.
Although hands-on activities have been limited, stagecraft teacher Mark Kravetz has still been able to get his students familiarized with what they would have done if not for the coronavirus restrictions. “Students have still been able to hang and cable lighting equipment and use the genie lift for light focus,” Mr. Kravetz said. “We will also be able to work on projects in the woodshop, as there is enough room to keep a distance.”
Although students in the stagecraft elective are able to use a lot of the same facilities as in previous years such as the woodshop, some facilities, including the theater booth area, have been off-limits. “It is just too cramped,” Mr. Kravetz said. The students also have to take turns going up and down the lift, which causes more waiting around than normal.
Just like many have had to as a result of COVID-19, Mr. Kravetz and his stagecraft students have had to adjust to the new guidelines set forth by the school and to this new normal.
