In any event which involves a group of people, there are always some people who are more visible than others.  So if “treading the boards” (acting) is not for you but you want to get involved then consider the work that goes on behind the scenes.

We all see the actors on stage, and maybe you get a glimpse of the Director who usually acknowledges the sound and lighting engineers with a wave of a hand as they lurk in the lighting box. Without the dedicated band of Techies, along with stage management, set/prop builders, costume, and the make-up personnel, the amazing shows we produce would, well, not be amazing.

But there are many in the crowd of unsung heroes who are always there for us? And very important they are too! None of our shows would ever hit the stage without them.

These are just some of jobs people do behind the scenes.

• Those brave souls who grapple with Italian bureaucracy before AND after every show.
• The mums, dads, siblings, wives and husbands who, time after time, have to read the cues for their actor as they memorise their lines. And there was one famous occasion when an Air Hostess on a transatlantic flight was persuaded to run lines with the Grand Old Duke of York who introduced himself as “An actor from Milan”. Alas she was roped in under false pretenses. Her passenger’s name never saw lights on Broadway!
• The patient and generous people whose houses are filled with costumes, props and scenery.
• And the even more generous people whose houses are taken over every week by large groups of actors when they come to rehearse.
• Our wonderful team who operate the Front of House: they welcome people to the theatre, check their tickets, answer lots of questions and deal with the one or two difficult people who try to get past them without paying.
• Our hosts who man the bar to provide a never-ending supply of drinks and snacks.
• People who design and produce our publicity material.
• All the people who help to make costumes, scenery and props.
• Our make-up artists who do so much to create the characters we see onstage. (Can you imagine how hard it is to put lipstick on a 15 year old boy????).
• The Stage Manager who must be prepared for anything from lost or broken props to a jammed toilet door with a hysterical actor on the wrong side!
• The engineers for lighting and sound who must work hand-in-hand with the actors as both roles can be the cue for the other for stage effects and acting.  Without the engineers, our shows would be very dark and quiet.
• The prompt who has to stay totally focussed on the script so that they can jump in with the correct line if the actors forget their lines or say the wrong line.  it’s often quite a job to get the actors back on course if they wander “off piste”!
• Our supporters who come to the theatre for the final few rehearsals to help with any unforeseen issues.
• The kind members of the audience who stay behind after a show to help us clear up.

To all these people, and to all the ones I’ve forgotten to mention:

THANK YOU!

We couldn’t do it without you!