Play Production

What is Play Production?

Play Production is an after school class at Mililani High School. In the program, students learn about the many aspects and jobs that work together to produce an amazing show. Students also build skills and relationships that will stay with them for life. Under supervision of the instructors, students are provided with an experience that both educates them and lets them have a fun time while doing it.

The Branches of Play Production

Set (Build) Crew:

Instructor: Geneva Pablico and Marshall Cressey

When telling a story, a very essential portion of it is the setting. Students in set crew learn all about methods of creating sets to immerse the audience into the shows that they are watching. Utilizing power tools, paint brushes, saws, and lots of wood, the students of set crew create the background of every production.

Certain students may also become a part of “set design” in which they work with the instructors to think a design that both is possible and fits the mood of the story.

Set (Props) Crew:

Instructor: Geneva Pablico and Marshall Cressey

Props crew is responsible for the creation of the many props used in the plays/musicals. Although they do not have an instructor at this time, they are hard working and dedicated, providing the actors with physical objects to use on stage rather than imaginary ones. They use the same tools as set crew, but on a smaller scale to create objects that are needed for productions.

Costume Crew:

Instructor: Jennifer Fukino

The members of costume crew are responsible for the beautiful costumes that you see on stage. The costumes that the actors wear are entirely thought up and made a reality by students of the crew with the support of Ms. Jennifer Fukino.

Students of the crew learn how to sew, help the cast and crew with costume changes, and ensure the costumes that they create stay in one piece. They are a very important part of the production process, as costumes reflect the time period, mood, and style of the play/musical.

Tech Crew:

Instructor: Chelsea Campbell, Kings Kalohelani, Daniel Yoo

Tech Crew are essential to the experience of the audience members. The tasks that they do help to see the actors and hear the actors, as well as subtly immerse the audience in the production.

Students who work in the lighting portion of tech set the mood and focus points of the show. Through spotlights and light plots, the light students allow the audience to see the actors in the dark theaters and focus their attention on different points of the show.

As for the sound portion of tech, students utilize soundboards and microphones to allow the audience to hear the show. The main goal of the sound students is to make sure the audience can clearly hear the actors, music, and sound effects of the production. This is achieved through mic checks, battery runners, and a person actively checking the status of microphones.