Power tools are buzzing in Technical Theatre's new makerspace
The sun bakes the pavement into a sweltering lake of condensed heat. Freckles of sweat spot each student’s face and arms as they line a narrow shelf with glue and heft a long slab of wood atop it. They’re making flats—vertical wall panels—for the upcoming play, Steel Magnolias.
This is Technical Theater, the conservatory of production wizards who make every Mayfield show possible. The responsibilities they shoulder is, to be succinct, overwhelming.
"I worked here over the summer as a student assistant. We welded, and it was very difficult,” admits Christine Diaz ’18. “It’s been proven that we’re bad at facing flats. One day we spent two hours trying to staple one. But it was fine. We work as a team in everything we do. So everything works out in the end."
The group’s domain extends beyond prop-construction and lighting. They must first read the script in depth to determine the various sound or stage cues necessary to create a smooth production.
"We need to get a general idea of what we’re working with,” says Melanie Ahn ’21. “Steel Magnolias is not a comedy, and it’s not a tragedy either. It’s a bit of both, and that can complicate things."
Even so, out in the former garage that has been painstakingly converted into a wood workshop, few Mayfield girls have dared to enter. Here, the students make it clear that they have as much fun as they do work, if not more.
"Melanie fell into a bush once,” Eliana Miskey ’18 laughs while recalling the funniest thing that’s happened in Theatre Tech. Actually, according to Technical Theatre Conservatory director, Phillip Velasco, students should have nicknamed the conservatory “Tech Theatre,” because “it’s not Theater Technical.”
Thank you Mr. Velasco for carefully guiding the hands that saw!
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"I worked here over the summer as a student assistant. We welded, and it was very difficult,” admits Christine Diaz ’18. “It’s been proven that we’re bad at facing flats. One day we spent two hours trying to staple one. But it was fine. We work as a team in everything we do. So everything works out in the end."
The group’s domain extends beyond prop-construction and lighting. They must first read the script in depth to determine the various sound or stage cues necessary to create a smooth production.
"We need to get a general idea of what we’re working with,” says Melanie Ahn ’21. “Steel Magnolias is not a comedy, and it’s not a tragedy either. It’s a bit of both, and that can complicate things."
Even so, out in the former garage that has been painstakingly converted into a wood workshop, few Mayfield girls have dared to enter. Here, the students make it clear that they have as much fun as they do work, if not more.
"Melanie fell into a bush once,” Eliana Miskey ’18 laughs while recalling the funniest thing that’s happened in Theatre Tech. Actually, according to Technical Theatre Conservatory director, Phillip Velasco, students should have nicknamed the conservatory “Tech Theatre,” because “it’s not Theater Technical.”
Thank you Mr. Velasco for carefully guiding the hands that saw!
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Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.
