I want to begin by saying that the opportunity to work on the production crew for BJU is an absolute blessing. Especially during “Cyrano de Bergerac,” I worked with an amazing group of people. All that being said, it isn’t an easy job. The road to a successful production is long and full of potholes, but once stage crew knows what is expected, nothing stops us from giving our best.

When we gather before a rehearsal, our boss always says, “Every time you come in here, I want you to do two things: number one, wash feet, number two, do your job better every time.” This has become my anthem as I find myself asking for yet another extension or getting less sleep than usual. We are here to do our job, but we are also here to serve the actors, director or anyone else we encounter. Stage crew accomplishes this by doing whatever is asked of us or by protecting the actors from injury during the play.

Stage crew’s goal is to serve in the dark and be professional. However, we still have fun while we do it. If you were to look backstage, in between the seriousness of a scene change, you would find a group of friends telling jokes over the headset, mouthing the lines along with the actors, or dabbling in storytelling and poetry.

It’s true, there are some nights I wonder what I was thinking when I committed myself to a month and a half of hard work and late nights. But then, a scene change goes smoothly, or I laugh at another joke made by a co-worker, and I realize how happy I am to have this experience.

Because I work on the production crew, I have become very opinionated about this Artist Series. My response to hearing people say, “I wish I didn’t have to go to Artist Series.” used to be, “Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion.” Now, I am more inclined to think, “You’re going to sit there and you’re going to like it!”

The cause of the shift? I have seen the actors suffer through makeup, prosthetics, wigs, uncomfortable clothing and memorizing thousands of lines just to entertain and culture the student body. Likewise, stage crew has poured their blood, sweat and the occasional tear into making this production the best it can be. We all have bruises on our shins and knees and splinters in our hands. So many times, we have thanked the Lord for steel-toed boots.

Even with all the good memories I am making, I wish I could watch this production of “Cyrano de Bergerac” in all its glory. Backstage, I can only hear the emotion the actors pour into their words. I cannot see their facial expressions, body language, sword fights or the details of their costumes. I get to enjoy the play like an audio book and not the masterpiece it is when all the aspects of the theatre are blended together. If you are given the opportunity to see BJU’s once-in-a-decade production of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” count yourself lucky and enjoy the experience.