Over the years, the CPHS theatre program has put on countless shows. Every year, actors and tech students work hard to make their visions come to life, and this year, there’s a new face in the theatre tech department. Mr. Tucker is the new head of tech, and while only being here at CPHS for a few weeks, he already has much expected of him. With six shows, and tech required for all of them, Tucker has his plate full.

“It has been a whirlwind definitely,” Tucker said. “But knowing how theatre companies and theatre programs work in high schools, I wasn’t really surprised, it has just been a lot of fun.”

Although he hasn’t been in our tech department for long, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know his way around. While it’s his first year at this school, he’s been doing theatre for 16 years, and tech for 14.

“I’ve been in theatre since I graduated college, in 2003.” Tucker said. “I’ve been doing technical theatre ever since I had my own company. Probably 2005, I’ve been teaching for, this is now my 5th year, my first year here at CPHS.”

Tucker is not only experienced, but according to Theatre Director Alisa Mirabella, he is a great person and she enjoys working with him.

“He’s just really friendly,” Mirabella said. “He’s come with a great attitude, he really wants to do, in his words, ‘right by all the students,’ and he’s just really knowledgeable so I’m really excited. I am enjoying working with him a lot, we seem to get along really well, and I like the fact that I don’t have to go tech anymore.”

There are many different aspects of tech, including set design and construction, lighting, costuming, and sound. When asked what Tucker’s favorite part of tech, his was quick to answer.

“Being able to take a vision and make it real,” Tucker said. “It’s about being able to take something that’s just in somebody’s mind and saying ‘hey, I really wanna be able to see this’, and making is physical, and really support what the actors are doing.”

For the 2019-20 school year, the theatre department has very ambitious visions. Putting on six shows, with 3 musicals, a haunted house and two plays, Tucker has a big season ahead of him. With all of these shows every aspect of tech is vital to producing a good show.

“It comes down to set design and construction,” Tucker said. “Knowing what the show should really look like, and then we have lighting so everything looks good, and all the mood and theme gets shown through that, we have a really hard costume build and a really one of a kind costume staff as well, and then there’s the sound design as well when we’re dealing with the musical, it’s not just the songs, but it’s also the underscoring as well which can be pretty complicated.”

While Tucker is experienced and knows his craft, it can be a big adjustment when teaching at a new school. While it can be hectic, Tucker has adapted well, and is having fun working in our theatre department.

“It has been a whirlwind definitely,” Tucker said. “But knowing how theatre companies and theatre programs work in high schools, I wasn’t really surprised, it has just been a lot of fun.”