Guilford is host to many talented actors. However, behind every actor there are multiple technicians keeping a show together. They are both talented groups with individuals that want to continue theatre in college and as a career. These people include senior actors and technicians like Evandia Penix, Seve Morse, Kevin Cline, Clara Arco, Jasper Chapman-Jones, and Celestino Dominguez.

“It makes me excited to see students interested in tech theatre,” said Mrs. Mikayla Miracle, Tech Theatre teacher. “I help the students by giving them projects I did in college and giving them a small taste of what to expect in the college and professional theatre level.”

These tech students go through a process of interviewing with colleges, showing them their portfolio. A portfolio for theatre consists of many things including scripts, any paperwork they’ve created, and pictures from the actual productions that they were involved in. They may also include any work they have done outside of school such as working for a professional theatre company. This helps to show colleges what the students are interested in and what their areas of strength are. Students are eligible to be rewarded scholarships. Many schools offer scholarships based  on skills in lighting, stage management, or general technician work. Working in a high school theatre setting often helps these students to gain experience especially at Guilford, which is praised as having one of the best high school theatre programs in Rockford.

“We do a lot of good work that makes us look like professionals rather than an amateur high school theatre,” said Celestino Dominguez, senior, and sound designer for GHS theatre.

Inversely, there is the acting side to theatre where students go through a similar experience to tech students. Actors often audition similar to how they would audition in a professional setting. They come prepared with a memorized monologue, song and a picture of their face known as a headshot. They then tell the college representatives about themselves and proceed to audition with their materials. A list of colleges is later emailed to both technicians and actors showing them which schools were interested in these students.

“One thing I will miss is definitely the family we formed in that theatre after we are all gone,” said Seve Morse, senior, and actor.