The Tech Crew & The Rite of Passage

As part of the 40th Anniversary Heritage Photos series, Matthew shared his experience working on the tech crew for The Nutcracker at the Julia Morgan Theater.

As for my time on the stage tech crew, I’d say that it was like being a part of a large extended family. Arcane knowledge was passed down from generation to generation, Dan to Fred, Fred to me/Rick/Robert, me to Randy/River/Marty. Somehow every year we pulled boxes out of the JMT loft and Deb’s garage and managed to get things sorted out and rigged.

Who knew that bunny hopping across Marley made it lay flat (apparently Fred & Robert). Why was getting the lines to lift and lower the house so damned complicated year after year? Who knew that the best seat in the house was behind a black drape on a milk crate waiting to pull the tree? And the ultimate stage tech? Setting the pins just right so the snow would release with one pull!

The only thing I don’t miss was going up in the JMTs rickety lift, thankfully future generations will be spared that rite of passage.