Rolling in 3, 2, 1…action! When it comes to perfecting performance, the Rancho Cucamonga High School drama tech team covers it all. From lighting and audio, to props and costumes, the drama tech team works hard all school year to ensure the plays at Rancho run smoothly and professionally.
As time slowly creeps towards opening night on “Dracula: a Comedy of Terrors,” students in drama tech expressed what they hope to accomplish while working on the play.
“While working the play, we are there to make sure that everything runs smoothly,” said junior Dexter Martinez. “We’re backstage in case we need to do repairs or we’re just running stuff on and offstage in between things.”
Senior Dex Puffer also described what tech wishes to accomplish.
“We are hoping to make tech safer and more efficient in pretty much all the departments,” Puffer said. “I know in set, we’re doing a lot more training with our tools and we’re doing a lot more safety regulations and stuff like that.”
When it comes to working on the play, the RCHS drama tech team is excited for many things, ranging from making props to seeing others’ reactions to the play itself.
Senior props master Alexandria Leyva explained what she is looking forward to the most.
“The biggest thing I’m looking forward to working is, well, first the set; the set is really awesome,” Leyva said. “Our set leads have been doing a really good job designing it, and I’m just excited to see it all come together and see all of the pieces that we’re going to put on it and all the dressings. Second, is that I’m the props master. So, I’m super excited to see all the really cool props we’re making. We’re making puppets, we’re making signs, and it’s just awesome. I love that I get to flex that creative muscle.”
Sophomore Cal Puffer also stated their opinion on what they’re looking forward to the most.
“The biggest thing I’m looking forward to personally is just seeing everything come together and seeing how our actors are able to interact with our set dressings and with their props,” Cal Puffer said.
The environment within the drama tech team feels “family-like,” according to a few of the team members.
“The best part is the people,” Martinez said. “It feels like a family a lot of the time, and everyone’s really close and nice to each other.”
Leyva also agreed with the “family-like” feel of drama tech.
“The best part about being in tech is, first of all, the people,” Leyva said. “I love my tech team. They’re just so funny, so amazing. I love the people I get to work with every single day. We spend a lot of time together, so we’re just a really big family. Then, secondly, is the creativeness. I love that I get to design these things and I get to do all these different projects that I wouldn’t get to do on a normal basis.”
While many of the team members feel the best part about being in tech is that the environment is friendly and close-knit, senior stage manager Jamie Jaurequi favors other things.
“The best part about being in tech is being able to make people smile,” Jaurequi said. “As a stage manager, I get to connect with so many different people. I think the best part of it for me is brightening people’s day up and also getting to see all the different departments come together with their separate projects.”
When asked about their opinions on the upcoming play, the team unanimously agreed it was “very fun, exciting, and new for [their] department.”
“I think it’s very funny,” junior and drama secretary Samantha Arreola said. “I think it’s very exciting and everyone should go see it.”
Dex Puffer also expressed how they find the new play “hilarious.”
“I think it’s hilarious,” Dex Puffer said. “I read the script with the cast, and I was sitting there laughing so hard. I was trying to stay quiet, and it was not working.”
For those wishing to see this comical play, tickets are now available online at rchs-drama.com. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for students. Show dates range from Thursday, Oct. 23 to Sat. Oct. 25, starting with the London cast and closing with the Transylvania cast. Out of the four shows being performed at RCHS, only one is being performed as a matinee at 2 p.m., while the others all take place at 7 p.m.
