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When “Noises Off” opens Thursday, their job will be to make sure the production goes off without a hitch in nearly every aspect, from the costumes and props to the lighting and makeup.
“It’s about creating a production,” said 17-year-old Joslyn Settle, a senior.
The class, part of Timberline’s Career and Technical Education program, gives students a chance to use skills that can apply to work in the real world, according to theater teacher Brenda Amburgy.
“The hands-on experience is priceless,” she said. “We got rid of our woodshop years ago, so this is it.”
In preparation for the play, students are building and dressing a 13-foot-high, 32-foot-wide, two-story set. It’s built on wheels so it can rotate for different scenes.
Amburgy said it’s the most complicated set she’s had students work on in her 28-year history at Timberline. But the complex design is necessary for the classic farce that’s about a troupe of bumbling actors and their experiences on and off stage.
“It’s a play within a play,” Amburgy said. “You have two plays going on.”
The teacher enlisted several community volunteers to help mentor the students for the production, including a hair design and makeup specialist, an experienced woodworker, and an acting coach.
“I bring in the professionals,” Amburgy said with a chuckle. “I can’t do this myself.”
On a recent afternoon, 15-year-old Angie Christman, a sophomore, sorted costumes and helped organize a sewing kit that will be used for wardrobe emergencies. She said she took the course to learn about stage makeup.
“I’m excited to do a lot of the special effects,” she said.
Meantime, 16-year-old Ashlyn Bacon, a junior, helped paint wood trim for the set.
She said she has acted and danced in numerous performances, but there’s something magical about working on a production crew.
“I can actually look at it and say, ‘Hey, I helped out with that,’” Bacon said.
Lisa Pemberton: 360-754-5433
lpemberton@theolympian.com
theolympian.com/edblog
