Fairfax High School theater students can learn the technology that real theater companies use by practicing on a professional grade Expression 3 lighting board.
The lighting board is not the only advantage that technical theater students (techs) at FHS have. 26 degree Source 4 ellipsoidals, which are often used by professional theater companies, light the FHS stage during most performances. Techs at FHS get a head start because they are already comfortable using this technology before they even graduate from high school.
The stage at FHS can also help students adapt to professional theaters. The theater seats about 1150 people. The stage is so large that many dance companies and religious groups rent the theater. This gives student techs the opportunity to work for Fairfax County Public Schools by running the lighting and sound for such occasions.
FHS is also the home of the Theatre Academy classes. The Advanced Tech class at FHS is open to students throughout FCPS. The students are bused to FHS to get more advanced instruction on technical theater.
Many students who take advantage of the ability to work with advanced equipment go on to get jobs in professional theater companies. Artistic Concepts Group, a theatrical design production company, currently employs three recent alumni from FHS.
The technical theater students at FHS have many opportunities to work with professional equipment.