The audience rarely sees them, but that is when stage crew members are doing their job right. Kennedy High School’s Show Choir programs rely heavily on volunteer students to help make shows possible. Kennedy was awarded Best Tech Crew two years in a row, this year at the Prairie show choir competition and last year at the Show Choir Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee. Graduating tech members deserving special recognition for their dedication and showmanship are Sonja Woerner, Delaney Mann and Izabella Kies.
Woerner has been the head tech for Kennedy’s varsity show choir, “Happiness, Inc.”, for the past two years and a varsity member for the last three, serving two years in the JV show choirs “Protégé” and “Chanteurs” as well. Woerner coordinates the jobs for members on the crew and the routes for techs going to and from the stage. When it comes to organizing set-up for performers, combo band and costumes, the job can get hectic.
“It’s super rewarding,” Woerner said. “I’ve learned a lot of leadership skills from being with this crew and I get to have fun with all my friends. It really feels like a team, and it has been awesome to organize all the bonding activities that we have done this year.”
Show choir tech members have planned many group activities in order to make a fun environment and foster their friendships. Some of the team-building events have included pumpkin carving, pool parties and dying each others’ hair purple for their last competition.
“The overall feeling of being a part of something that brings smiles to everyone’s faces is what has kept me in this activity for the past 4 years,” senior Izabella Kies said. “I truly enjoy show choir tech and the opportunities it has given me through the years.”
Kies is a first-year member of the “Happiness, Inc.” stage crew, but is a three-year member of show choir tech, working with the stage crew of “Protégé” for her first two years. She helps with costumes, sets, props and is also a stage right lead. Kies works hard to set up competition stages and manage the fast pace of time limits and stage cues. However, she notes she is specifically thankful for the friends she’s made along the way.
The last senior to recognize is Delaney Mann, she is a two-year member and this is her first year with “Happiness, Inc.” Mann was stationed in the audience, controlling the volume of the instruments and soloists’ microphones from an iPad. Her job is to constantly adjust the levels of the music, making sure nothing is overpowering.
“I love the work we do, even if it can be stressful at times,” Mann said. “It’s really rewarding to work through any problems we may have before or during the show and have everything turn out right. But nothing is as rewarding as winning grand champions or best tech.”
