What Paul Goodwin eventually wants to do is direct.
For now though, the Communication freshman is getting experience behind the scenes. The San Francisco native is one of two backstage managers for this year’s Waa-Mu Show, “Waiting in the Wings.”
Goodwin logs long hours during “tech week” for the student-produced show, which has performances from April 29 to May 8.
“It’s a huge time commitment,” said Goodwin, as he tested one of the control buttons backstage. “I haven’t done homework for a month now, but it’s totally worth it.”
Tech week — when the crew and stage managers run through the show without the cast, working out technical glitches — prepares the backstage crew for a smooth-running show.
“You have your moments of grumpiness, but then you look at what you’re doing and say ‘wow,'” Goodwin said.
Alexandra Garcia, a Communication freshman, was assigned to Goodwin’s crew last Friday.
“This week has been exhausting,” she said. “Paul has been putting in more hours than we have.”
Every night before rehearsal at 6 p.m., Goodwin goes to Cahn Auditorium, where the performance will take place, to meet with his crew of four. There he “pre-sets” for the show to make sure props are in the right positions. He also teaches his stage crew the updated cues for the night.
There are 60 set cues that the crew must hit in the show.
“I have to account for everything that happens,” said Goodwin, “Because everything goes really quickly, I want to make sure that everything is perfect.”
On a normal day, the technical and dress rehearsal goes from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., and both the cast and the crew run through the show.
Goodwin attends a couple meetings following rehearsal. The first is a meeting with the entire backstage crew, including the production team, choreographers, technical crew and wardrobe, to evaluate the night and discuss improvements.
“Everyone has their own agenda, and there is always a compromise of artistic ability, practicality and money,” he said
The second meeting includes only stage managers.
“We have to achieve something specific,” Goodwin said. “It’s not our job to be creative. It’s our job to supply the creators with the tools to achieve their dreams of creativity.”
This year Waa-Mu has incorporated the stage crew into the show.
“Because the theme of the play is putting on a play, the stage managers and crew are visible from the crowd,” said Goodwin. “I think it’s really neat because you see a whole set change take place.”
Goodwin said there are good relations between the stage crew and the actors.
“I get e-mails from the cast everyone once in a while thanking us for our help,” said Goodwin. “The cast is really appreciative.”
Weinberg sophomore Sylvia Baraniewski, who works in wardrobe, agreed that the cast and crew get along well.
“The actors have been really gracious and appreciative of our help,” she said.
Goodwin said that he values the experience he has gained working with his backstage crew, the cast and everyone else who has participated in making Waa-Mu a successful play.
“They always say a good director has been an actor, stage manager and a member of the production team, because they know what they can ask of the people they work with,” said Goodwin. “After this I hope I can make my leap into the director’s chair.”
Reach Christie Ileto at [email protected].
