Progress 2022

Page 44

Hidden heroes

Behind the curtain of a Riverland Theatre production By Savannah Howe

Austin High School student Rylan Clark secures part of a platform frame together at Riverland Community College. Clark helps backstage as part of the school’s posetsecondary enrollment options program,

Photos by Savannah Howe/ newsroom@austindailyherald.com

42 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2022

If only theatrical productions were as simple as lights, camera and action. Playgoers being dazzled with carefully-rehearsed performances, beautifully-built sets and stunning tricks of light and sound doesn’t happen overnight. It is largely owed to hours of design, construction and technical work. Behind every actor is a sound technician hoping beyond all hopes that the microphone doesn’t fail, and behind every kickline is a stagehand scurrying a used set off the stage. “The work that the students do is very important,” said Riverland Theatre technical director John Deyo. “I could not do all this by myself.” Much of building a set involves high-intensity, heavy-lifting work, and thankless work at that; the Riverland Theatre stagehands dedicate hours of their time to preparing for a production despite having classes, jobs and other responsibilities. They are just as essential to a theatrical operation as the performers; the only difference is the lack of applause and flower bouquets when it’s time to close the curtain. So just who are the unsung heroes in the John Deyo stage shadows? Riverland Technical Ian Gearhart is a Riverland Community ColDirector lege student pursuing a degree in agricultural science. He has been working for Riverland Theatre and the Summerset Theatre for six years, doing much of the hammering, painting, sawing and heavy lifting that goes into getting sets and stages performance-ready. “My sister, Lindsey Williams, is director of the [Riverland] theatre department,” Gearhart said. “It’s been her lifelong passion, and when I moved here, I needed something to do. I sort of fell into it. I love the community, and when I go to work every day, we’re always doing something different, whether it’s construction, or painting, or making props. It’s never the same thing for too long, so it’s exciting and doesn’t get boring.” A day in the life of a stagehand depends on what stages of

“Each student brings something unique to the table. Some are very artistic, some are musical.”


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RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE

2min
pages 90-91

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

11min
pages 86-89

NEW LE ROY RETIREMENT FACILITY ADMINISTRATOR LOOKS TO FOSTER A SENSE OF TOGETHERNESS

4min
pages 92-95

ALAMO ANNIE’S HOMESTYLE AT HOME

6min
pages 82-83

LITTLE RACE TRACK ON THE PRAIRIE

2min
pages 84-85

IT’S ALL COMING TOGETHER

3min
pages 78-81

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

7min
pages 66-69

RIVERLAND MULTICULTURAL CLUB EMPOWERING AUSTIN’S INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

2min
pages 72-73

JOIN THE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS WITH

5min
pages 74-77

TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

3min
pages 70-71

LEARNING TO LEAD THE WAY

4min
pages 64-65

RUN IT FROM THE TOP

6min
pages 56-59

NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN

3min
pages 60-61

BACK IN THE PUBLIC EYE

3min
pages 48-49

REINVENTING LANSING CORNERS

7min
pages 26-35

BEAUTIFUL INNOVATION

8min
pages 8-13

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK

6min
pages 14-17

HIDDEN HEROES

5min
pages 44-47

UNITING THE PROFESSIONALS OF AUSTIN

6min
pages 22-25

PAST & FUTURE

7min
pages 40-43

WIND ON THE PRAIRIE

4min
pages 18-21

‘THESE ANIMALS ARE COUNTING ON YOU’

5min
pages 36-39
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