From managing scene transitions to perfecting lighting/microphone cues, the work of Jamy Jacques ’25, the production head stage manager, and Harrison Kutalek ’26, who works in the lighting booth, is essential for bringing every show by the Theatre Department together.
On March 14 and 15, the Upper School Theatre Department presented “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” bringing Shakespeare’s iconic comedy to life. While the audience enjoyed the actors’ performance, just as much of the play’s magic came from the tech crew backstage, led by Kutalek and Jacques, both of whom played key roles in ensuring the production ran smoothly.
Jacques first joined the tech crew his freshman year after looking for an extracurricular activity outside of school.
“I wasn’t interested in any sports, so the option to join MFS theatre was right there,” said Jacques. However, there was one problem for Jacques with joining MFS theatre — he didn’t like to be on stage, so the idea of joining the tech crew was the next thing that came to mind.
He said, “After I realized I didn’t want to be on stage, but still wanted to be involved, I pivoted. I decided to join the tech crew minor taught by Ms. Kitching.” Jacques enjoyed working backstage so much that he continued working with the tech crew after school, despite not being in the minor anymore.
Jacques primarily works as a stagehand. He said that he frequently “moves props around, works with the set changes, and moves things from point A to point B, making sure things are where they are supposed to be.”
Throughout working backstage in his high school career, Jacques said, “I can’t say there’s anything I don’t like about being in tech crew … it’s a bit inconvenient time-wise because it’s a lot of late nights, but that’s time I’m willing to put into it.”
Jacques continued, “It also helps that a lot of my friends are often in the show so I don’t mind the things I have to do or the late nights because I just find it fun.”
Even though Jacques is sad that his tech crew days at MFS theatre are behind him, he is thankful for all of the memories the MFS Upper School Theatre Department has given him. If the opportunity presents itself, Jacques said he would love to continue doing tech crew in the future.
Jacques said, “If I can in college in any way, I would love to do tech crew or any form of working backstage because of how much fun I’ve had in high school.”
He added, “I love being a part of something special … you’ll never find me on stage, but I’m always happy to put others in the spotlight and make them shine.”
“I love being a part of something special … you’ll never find me on stage, but I’m always happy to put others in the spotlight and make them shine.” -Jamy Jacques ’25
Along with Jacques, Kutalek has been working in the booth for the past 6 years.
As of right now, Kutalek’s primary role has been working as the theatre department’s live sound technician.
Kutalek described his job and said, “I manage sound levels for peoples’ microphones, as well as the music/sound effects levels to include the output in the house.” Specifically, Kutalek is most known for his previous job as a lighting technician. Kutalek said that the job required him to “run the lights throughout the show as well as assist the director in building lighting scenes before the production.”
Jade McRae ’26 joined the tech crew minor this past school year, working backstage on the school’s production of “The Addams Family.” While McRae was familiar with Kutalek’s work backstage for Airband, she wasn’t aware of the extent of his role in the lighting booth.
“[Kutalek has] been doing our Airband lights since freshman year, but after working backstage, I feel like many don’t understand everything that happens behind the scenes,” said McRae. “When the mics turn on and off, that’s [Kutalek]. When a prop moves across the stage, [Jacques] is cueing that. When a spotlight shines or stage lights change, that’s [Kutalek, too].”
As a current junior with only two more major Upper School theatre productions to work on, Kutalek reflected on his time in the booth.
“Working on the tech side of theater has really opened up so many opportunities for me, like learning how to control the soundboard, doing [the] lighting cues for Airband, and talking to people I never would have interacted with if I never joined the crew,” said Kutalek.
Now that his time is almost up, Kutalek is starting to come to terms “with the fact that [he] won’t be here forever and [he has] to train someone to do what [he does] now.”
Lastly, Kutalek thanks Upper School theatre director Holli Kitching, Upper School music teacher Steve Weber, and costumer Kiyo Moriuchi, as “they all contributed in some way to [Kutalek’s] unforgettable experience in the theater program and the lighting booth.”
