The annual school musical “Big Fish” takes the stage Oct. 27th. The show could not take place without hard work and dedication from Plano West theater’s tech crew and, of course, the departments’ actors and actresses. On and offstage the cast and crew spent hours preparing for a show of a lifetime. 

Without the lights, camera, and action, a musical could not take place. Building sets, learning how to manage the lights, and making sure the audience can hear the performers are only a few of the many tasks the tech crew is responsible for. 

Plano West Theatre’s tech director Cassidy McQuiston is in charge of preparing the crew and ensuring “Big Fish” runs smoothly. Most of the work is done by students, with McQuiston giving advice and helping out when needed.

“Unlike other activities on campus, we aren’t able to practice or rehearse in class. Our students work almost every single day after school to build the sets, build and find costumes, create props, learn choreography, work scenes, learn the music, and pour so much more into this process. We are incredibly thankful for the work ethic, grit and dedication our students have to each other, the program and to enriching their own educational experience through our department,” McQuiston said. 

Luckily, many of the students in the department are involved in different theatre companies outside of school, or have a lot of experience in show business. The mixture of experience with the influence of previous cast members, allows the new students to learn new skills, and provides an opportunity for everyone to work together. 

“One of my favorite things about being a director here is seeing those with the experience step into leadership roles, both assigned and unassigned, to support their company. They find ways to teach and challenge each other (and, honestly, me) to be better every day and it’s such an awesome thing to see develop over the course of a production and year,” McQuiston said. 

Ty Lam, senior, who will play Will Bloom in the musical, explained that having a larger cast and spending time fine-turning certain aspects will pay off come showtime.

“I am feeling great about this show! There has been quite a bit of adversity that we as a cast have had to deal with and that just makes us work even harder to produce such a great show,” Lam said. 

This musical is built around storytelling. Every element and character is curated to perfection, with hopes that the show will leave a mark on each and every person who has a chance to watch the story unfold. 

“The show tells such a beautiful story about family and love and self-discovery. It would be an honor to have y’all come support us on October 27th + 28th at 7:00 pm and October 30th at 2:00 pm (in the Plano West auditorium)!” Lam said.

Tickets for “Big Fish” can be purchased at https://www.pisd.edu/domain/14369