Have you ever wondered who changes the slides during Community Conversations or who presses play on videos made by different clubs during School Meetings? Or, who is responsible for the light effects jazzing up student performances? You may not see them, but they are always present to make school events run smoothly.
The show would not go on without the students and fac- ulty diligently working in the tech booth. The tech booth is run by Justyce Easter-Butcher ’24, Qin Caldwell ’24, and Ryan Kim ’23, and is led by Sound Technician and Assistant Tech- nical Director Mr. Paul Bozzi. The purpose of the tech booth is to project media and curate sound from microphones and speakers during large gatherings. Anyone new to the tech booth must undergo the initial training phase to learn how to use the soundboard and manage the technology.
In the words of Mr. Bozzi, “They’re all great kids. This is one of the best crews I’ve had.”
Easter-Butcher began working in the tech booth this academic year after approaching Mr. Bozzi about new opportunities and ways to pursue technical theater. As the supervisor of sound, Easter-Butcher ensures that the microphones are working correctly. Easter-Butcher said, “The most challenging part is the community conversations because the mics get passed around to so many different people. It taught me how to think quicker and more effi- ciently sound-mix.”
Kim began working in the tech booth during the fall of his junior year and enjoys working in the booth because he loves seeing how everything comes together. Kim’s favorite memory from his time working in the booth is the bittersweet School Meeting at the end of the last academic year and saying goodbye to the members of the Class of 2022, including students who used to work in the booth.
Kim emphasized that prior experience is not required to join the crew. Also, because the current tech booth comprises of only upperclassmen, underclassmen are strongly encouraged to get involved.
Caldwell decided to join because he wanted “to do more and enhance [himself] outside of just doing productions.” Caldwell manages the projector, runs the slideshows on the computer, and transitions between media, such as videos or posters, presented during School Meetings and Community Conversations. Working in the tech booth and other technical theater opportunities at Choate has “directed what I want to do [and is] helping me learn more and do more around the world of tech theater,” said Caldwell.
According to Caldwell, an added bonus of working in the tech booth is the comfy chairs.
To anyone interested in joining the crew: “If you enjoy working and doing the behind-the-scenes stuff,” the tech booth is for you!
