Burlington High School Stage Crew

A student group at Burlington High School that is committed to 1) providing a professional technical crew for Burlington High School's Fogelberg Performing Arts Center, 2) cleaning and organizing the stage, its accompanying spaces, and its technical systems, and 3) ensuring knowledgeable students can assist teachers, faculty, and out of school groups in the use of the center's full capabilities.




Sunday, May 23, 2010

A Post from Outgoing Stage Manager Kevin Parker

If there is a single legacy I want to leave at BHS as I graduate, it is Stage Crew. Stage Crew has come such a long way since I joined it freshman year. From a ragtag bunch of untrained students moving set pieces around for the musical, to a highly trained group of near-professionals who work for all sorts of events in the high school, Stage Crew has really jumped leaps and bounds, especially this past year. It is truly astounding how the students in Stage Crew are so enthusiastic and excited about the work we do. I have put a lot of effort into making Stage Crew a club that will continue to grow and perform even more functions at BHS, while remaining a professional, enthusiastic group of students. But now I'm graduating. I can't be the one to make Stage Crew last through the years. That is on the shoulders of next year's stage manager, and the stage manager after that, and the stage manager after that, and so on. However, I have confidence that next year's Stage Manager Victoria Carrabino will inspire the Stage Crew to work hard and dedicate themselves, and will train a new Stage Manager who will do just as well. I want to thank Tori for all her hard work this yearas my Assistant Stage Manager making Stage Crew what it is today , and thank her in advance for continuing my legacy at BHS next year. I also want to thank Chris LaRocque for his work in the club, and Mr. Middleton for his support of the group and for proposing Stage Crew become an official school club.

I am pleased to announce next year's Stage Crew Core Crew:

Stage Manager: Victoria Carrabino
Booth Chief: Christopher LaRocque
Assistant Stage Manager: Samuel Coté

Lighting Specialist: Jonathan DiRusso
Sound Specialist: Christopher LaRocque

The postions of Rigging Specialist and Construction Specialist are currently vacant.

Thank you to all Stage Crew members. You are what will keep this club alive.

Kevin Parker

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Looking to become an Official Club

Stage Crew, with the help of Mr. Middleton, Coordinator of Music for Burlington Public Schools, is proposing to become an official school club at Burlington High School. The Stage Crew Leadership Team has created a Constitution to define the goals of Stage Crew as a club and provide the Administration with a better understanding of what Stage Crew does. Hopefully, official club status will help Stage Crew to continue to grow and become a stronger group that still continues pursuing professionalism in stagecraft and technical theatre.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

MassBay Music Festival

On Friday April 30th, the first ever MassBay Music Festival was hosted by Burlington High School. MassBay Music Festivals is a company associated with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps that runs an educational festival for bands and choirs from the Massachusetts region. At such festivals as this one, bands and choirs compete against each other and are instructed by judges about ways to improve their performance. Unique to MassBay, each participant of the festival also attends a "Master Class," which is an educational time taught by a professional musician. Click on this link to learn more about MassBay festivals.

To assist in planning an event such as this, members of Stage Crew met with Ms. Kimberly Bolduc, the program's coordinator, the day before the festival. Kevin Parker as Stage Manager and Tori Carrabino as his Assistant Stage Manager talked logistics, space requirements, and performance set-ups with Ms. Bolduc, while Chris LaRocque met with the program's sound technician.

On Friday, it was showtime. Kevin had prepared the stage and practice rooms, with a group of Stage Crew members, early in the morning on Friday. As students arrived from Saugus High School and Rockport High School to participate in the festival, Kevin, Tori, and the Stage Crew members who were on the Project Team for the day coordinated with the High School's music directors and Ms. Bolduc to ensure a smooth opening to the day. Throughout the festival, the Stage Crew once again proved its professionalism and willingness to work, moving chairs, risers, music stands, and all sorts of percussion equipment around the Music Wing. Working with MassBay Event Staff, the Stage Crew maintained a positive and educational environment for the students attending the festival.

Ms. Bolduc and other Event Staff commended the entire crew's work and their level of professionalism. The crew was thanked in the Awards Ceremony at the end of the festival.

This event was a great educational experience for all crew involved; it was a novel type of event for all of them to crew. Generally, the stage crew only works for theatre and dramatic productions. The festival showed them another venue where logistical support and technical personnel are absolutely essential to the effectiveness of an event.

Thanks to Team Leaders Nick Abruzzese and Nick Stewart for stepping up to leadership positions to help the day run smoothly.