In late September, the set for Chantilly High School's "Guys and Dolls" was a pile of wood sitting in the scene shop. Within a month, that pile of wood was transformed into various towers and platforms at the hands of the students (with the supervision of drama teacher, Ed Monk) to become the set for the show. The "techies", as most call them, have worked long, hard hours after school to construct the stylistic scenery for this early 1900's show.
So what are we trying to accomplish when we work to build the set? Shannon Khatcheressian, the director of "Guys and Dolls" said, "'Guys and Dolls' is not only a complex show musically, but there are many scene changes within it. Mr. Monk and I collaborated and decided to go with a simple set which will allow us to make quick and easy scene changes and also tell the story without too much emphasis on the scenery." There are many towers and such that are used for various purposes, such as a skyscraper being turned on its side to become a part of the Nightclub stage. "It's such an extensive set and a lot of work, but it's a great experience for students to learn about what goes on behind the scenes," said Becca Mongold, one of the students who has helped build the set.
Many students work long and hard with the set to ensure the safety of the actors and the happiness of the director. Emily Miihlhouse, a Tech 1 student who works on the set after school, said, "It's fantastic because there are so many people who are willing to work to put on a great performance." In their spare time before rehearsals some of the actors come in to help work. "A lot of hard work and dedication goes into a show and the set is a large part of it. The actors and techies together really make it happen," said Faqir Qarghah, who plays Skye Masterson, an expert crapshooter.