By Samuel Smith, Opinions Editor
The humble running crew. Draped in black to blend into the darkness between scenes, the running crew builds the world seen in a play stage piece by stage piece. The role is a crucial one in maintaining the allure of a play, and is done without quarrel or qualm by those with the resolve to accept its duties.
To sum up the job, a popular phrase exists in the world of theater: “If you can see me, something has gone terribly wrong.”
Such a role requires somebody with a passion for the art of theater, and somebody willing to work as hard as they possibly can behind the scenes to make the show’s experience a memorable one for the audience. Such a role requires somebody like junior Johnathan Rawls.
“I went to a small school, so I was never really exposed to anything theater-related until I got into high school,” Rawls said. “It was really ‘Clue’ that opened my eyes to how fun it looked and all my friends in the theater.”
Even with such a lack of exposure in his early years, Rawls’ junior year of high school has led to a burgeoning theatrical résumé, albeit one that he had wished to start sooner.
Originally planning to work behind the scenes of the musical “Chicago” in his ninth-grade year, a combination of previous tennis commitments and the sudden arrival of COVID-19 into students’ everyday lives pushed Rawls’ running crew debut into his 11th-grade year for “All Together Now!”
“Overall, I had a lot of fun with ‘All Together Now!’ and I met a bunch of good people,” Rawls said. “It was nerve-wracking mainly because there was one specific set piece that depended 100% on me, so I had to make sure I got it right.”
Nerve-wracking duties aside, “All Together Now!” was a huge success, marking an exciting return by the theater department of FFHS after COVID-19.
“I didn’t feel confident on stage, but I still wanted to be a part of the show,” Rawls said. “Of the available options behind the stage, running crew seemed like the best fit.”
After having such an enjoyable experience in running crew, Rawls decided to sign up for the International Thespian Society, which he will be inducted into before the end of the year, as well as the upcoming StageKraft production “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).”
In the new play, which will hit the stage later this week, Rawls is taking a triple-casted role as The Nurse, Macbeth and Horatio.
“I’m just excited to be out there on stage and hopefully get some laughs,” Rawls said. “As most people in theater can tell you, it’s always nerve-wracking being on stage, but the fulfillment of playing your role will always outweigh the cons.”
Rawls feels that his time in theater has been more impactful on his life than any of his other passions. The friendships he has made while working on the play, as well as the jobs he has performed while setting up the shows, have made him a well-liked and crucial member of the theater community.
Beginning as a humble stage runner, Rawls has risen through the ranks both in terms of his position in theater, as well as in his self-efficacy as a performer, making him a theatrical artist worthy of a spotlight.
“Theater has made me a more confident person,” Rawls said. “I’ve met a lot of friends in the theater department that I’ll never forget,and I’m just truly grateful for the community.”
Junior Samuel Smith can be reached at 23smithsa22@daretolearn.org.
