by The final product of a set painting workshop hosted by the United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT), isn’t what you might expect.
Their main goal is to paint fake wood to look as realistic as possible. That’s just part of the job of a scenic designer.
USITT students are interested in everything that happens behind the scenes during performances — meaning lighting, costume design, set building, and of course, painting.
Even for non-majors, it’s a way for students interested in performance tech to stay involved, said Vida Randall, a sophomore in the group.
“There’s definitely a world out there where I might just do some theatre tech, instead of doing anything related to my major,” Randall said. “It’s nice to keep this avenue open.”
Even those interested in other fields tried out painting a “heart” of a wood grain, which scenic painters use a plastic rocker to create. The methods students learn in theatre tech are transferrable to other areas in their lives, said events coordinator Evelyn Kelly.
“I’ve learned how to build columns,” Kelly said. “I wouldn’t be doing that in my everyday life, but it’s still just learning to create something.”
The club welcomes anyone looking to get involved with tech in any capacity, like in concerts and other live performances. It’s a chance for tech people to connect their interests, president Marsh Kelly said.
“So many theatre spaces are performance-focused,” Kelly said. “It’s really just widened my scope of understanding what theatre is and how many people it takes to create.”
