Wednesday, September 17, 2025:
Today the set arrived and was placed onto the stage in the Bienes Center Theater. The actors and crew members are anxiously anticipating the opportunity to see their set for the play and begin rehearsing on stage with their props, costumes, and show hair and makeup. As an actor, director, technical theater student, and crew, it is thrilling to see the director’s vision of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth come to life. Right now the STA Players are focused on memorizing their lines, as well as learning choreography and blocking for the play.
Monday September 22, 2025:
The opening night for Macbeth at St. Thomas Aquinas is rapidly approaching and the STA Players, technical theater students, and other roles behind the scenes start rehearsals in the theater today. All of the students and staff involved in the play have to stay after school to run the show. After every day of rehearsals, everyone gathers and listens to notes from the director Ms. Garrard, so that all of the mistakes can be fixed, or new changes are added.
Wednesday, October 1, 2025:
Today is dress rehearsal, which means this is the final rehearsal to make any mistakes because tomorrow is the “real deal.” Actors and crew members are feeling stressed while trying to apply corrections, but are also excited to perform with an audience soon.
Thursday, October 2, 2025:
Today was opening night of Macbeth and it was the parent show. Although the show looked as if there were no mistakes; many were made. Fortunately, only the artists are aware of the flaws. The actors have a way of using improvisation to cover up any errors, which works wonders. Some technical challenges experienced throughout the production included problems with special effects, microphones issues, and many actors kept forgetting to project their voice; even with a mic on. Also, there were mistakes made with the silks, fog machines, and the projections.
Sunday, October 5, 2025:
Student judges called “Cappies” are coming to critique the play and the production can be nominated for different categories. STA Players and Technical Theater students could possibly win awards today, so the show needs to be perfect. This means that all of the people running the show and behind the scenes have to try their best to make a no error show, which is not easy. The students are working hard to complete the Cappies boards, which showcase everything that the teams did. For example, these teams made boards: audio, lighting, costumes, makeup, and more. Cappies students view and discuss the boards in the dance studio before they come in to watch and critique the Macbeth show.
Monday, October 6, 2025:
Today STA Players and technical theater students gathered to clean up from the productions and put everything back in place. Mr. Snell’s Technical Theater class took down decorations from the set, removed the show lighting from the grid, cleaned all of the microphones that the actors used, and more. This post production cleanup helps to prepare the Bienes Center Theater for the next events to come.
Coming up, STA students should look forward to the Haunted House on October 29, 2025.
