Feature: Capital Region Students Get Firsthand Look Behind the Curtain of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS

Several Capital Region youth got the chance of a lifetime over the past few weeks, peeking behind the curtain of the national tour of "An American in Paris" and seeing firsthand all it takes to tech a big Broadway musical.

Through the Proctors Theatre Education Program over the last four weeks, students were given a chance to learn about several different components that go into putting on a musical including lighting, sound, scenic design, stage management and producing. The idea came from Education Program Manager Michael Gatzendorfer and Education Director Christine Sheehan. "It's an opportunity we would hate for kids to miss out on," says Gatzendorfer. "Musicals started teching here a few years ago and we thought it would be kind of cool to start a program where they can see what it takes to put on a show when not performing in it."

"We started out learning about all the different jobs in this business and what each person does," says Mallory Jones, a junior at Scotia Glenville High School and participant of the Broadway Tech Career Orientation Program. "When I usually see shows, I don't think about what goes into teching a musical, but this program has made me think about all the other job opportunities, other than performing, that are available in theatre."

Jones is only one of the sixteen students enrolled in the program. With Proctors as a partial producer, "An American in Paris" has spent the last six weeks or so teching their touring production here before sending it off on the road. Previews for the show begin tonight.

General Manager Townsend Teague explains just how much work tech of a Broadway musical is from the day they arrive to the theatre to the second the curtain rises. "For the first few weeks," he explains, "we work from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., which might seem like a long day in other professions, but is awesome for us. Once the cast is here, the days get much longer. We usually end around midnight."

Teague is just one of the 110 people working to tech the musical. Tables are set up throughout the seats of the theater, each designated to a different aspect of the production from technical direction to music production to lights and projections.

The crew worked here in Schenectady for about three weeks while the cast rehearsed in New York City. During this time, the crew ran dry runs: running the show without actors, focusing on transitions and safety checks. The cast arrived at Proctors on September 27.

At the end of the program, students were invited to attend the final dress rehearsal of "An American in Paris." In the future, Proctors hopes to continue to expose students to all that the world of theatre has to offer, whether it be on stage or off. Gatzendorfer adds, "It's been so exciting for us to see them open their eyes to all the different possibilities in this business."