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By Jesse Snider

I’m sure that many of you reading this have gone to see a Lincoln High play, whether that was with a class or on your own. And Lincoln Highs Theatre depart­ment is full of talented members who put on brilliant shows, so I have no doubt in my mind that you enjoyed it. but what most show spectators don’t know, or care to appreciate, is the work that goes into every show.

For starters, it’s a 6-week process. Re­hearsals range from 3 hours to 5 hours during the first 5 weeks, every weekday (depending on your part in the performance) and in the last week, which is com­monly known as “hell week,” we stay and run through the show for 6 or 7 hours. We put on 4 performances: 1 for the school, and 3 regular perfor­mances. After the last per­formance we tear down our set, clean the theatre, and go home. Auditions for the next show are about a week later.

That was a brief overview. Which doesn’t really tell the whole story. The magic is what happens during those 6 weeks, and all the progress that needs to be made in order to be ready for performance in a timely manner. I inter­viewed 4 students and the Director of this year’s fall play, “Pride and Prejudice” about the rehearsal process, and how they identify with it.

Director Molly Thomas described the rehearsal pro­cess. “It’s fun, but stressful.” She starts with getting the show blocked (which means, where everyone stands, walks, sits, and is at when they are on stage) and then she wants the scripts out of the actors’ hands (meaning that she wants all actors to memorize their lines) that way we can work on more specific details of the show, characterization (becoming your character) and final touches on blocking, then we take hell week and perfect what we spent just 5 weeks to build.

I asked Andrew Miller- Schell (who plays Darcy) what his favorite part of Lincoln High Theatre was. “The community. The people are awesome,” he said. The reason we put on the best shows in town, is because our Theatre works like a family, everyone gets included, and everyone gets to feel special.

I also talked to Tom Witzki (Mr. Bennet) whose favorite part of the show is the block­ing. “Because seeing people mess up is hilarious, and then they tell a joke and make it even funnier,” he said. That represents Lincoln High The­atre well. We have the perfect combination of profession­alism and fun, that way we meet deadlines, and don’t get bored with the process.

I asked Actress Katha­rine Stangl (Lady Catharine De Bourgh) if it was hard to keep up with home­work and studying when you are working to put a show to­gether. She said that when you do theatre you often times have to sacrifice your other free time to work on homework, whether that be lunch, or when you aren’t on stage during rehearsal, or really any other time. I then asked if it was worth it, and she said, “Yes, it is definitely worth it.”

Finally, when I talked to Avinash Nooka (who specifies his work with the technical aspect, set building) I asked him what his favorite part was about putting a show together. He said, “My favorite part of putting a show together is the diversity. We have all kinds of people involved in both tech, and acting. We have people from all over the place.” The most important piece that makes Lincoln High Theatre and putting a show together so great, is how different everyone is. We have so many perspectives, and different kinds of talents, we have someplace for everyone, and every talent.

Whether that’s performing, doing lights, sound, building, being in run crew, or even working with the directors to manage the show. If you go and see a show (which you should) just think about all of the talent we have, and all of the tremendous work that was put into the performance.

“Pride and Prejudice” runs Oct 3-5 in the Ted Sorensen Theatre.