A look into the process of how the RHS New Players prepare for their Halloween show
By Sara Kim and Sebastian Quijano
The cast of Emily Brontë, Teenage Necromancer hard at work during rehearsals. (Photographed by Sebastian Quijano)
The RHS New Players have been working hard on their production of Emily Brontë, Teenage Necromancer. If you don’t know the play, here’s a quick summary: Emily Brontë and her sisters investigate their haunted school because strange things are happening, such as weird voices and ghosts. Emily has the power of necromancy, which lets her talk to and summon ghosts. While her sisters don’t have powers, they still have their wits and support towards Emily. Together, they work as a team to figure out what is causing the haunting and how to stop it. Emily Brontë was actually a real writer in the 19th century, famous for writing Wuthering Heights. The play emphasizes teamwork and persistence.
It has been about two weeks since the first meeting. Following our recent interview, the stage crew has retrieved several wooden planks from the basement, along with more detailed stage elements, including long, brick-textured pillars. These will build up the background elements. The stage crew manager, Mr. Don Zoldis, has been coordinating this development in preparation for the screenings starting October 23 through the 26th. We interviewed two stage crew members with whom we are very familiar (they wish to remain anonymous).
Sara: Are there specific jobs for specific people?
[New Player 1]: Yes, like costumes, lights, set, etc.
Now we move on to some questions we asked [New Player 2].
Sara: What have you guys been doing so far?
[New Player 2]: We are taking the sets [right now], so like, taking flats (wood boards) and bringing them onto the stage. Lights will start soon, I’m really excited for that. Sound does the sound [obviously,] and then we’re gonna start building the set next Tuesday
[New Player 1]: That also includes making scenes like bedrooms and other scenes like that as well, as well as adding details to the flats, which are like texture and patterns. The process of making the props and scenery for a play is, without a doubt, very hard to do.
With opening night around the corner, the RHS New Players are making strong progress. From building sets to adding final details, the stage crew’s hard work is bringing Emily Brontë, Teenage Necromancer, to life. We can’t wait to see it all come together, October 23–26.