GREENFIELD — Savannah Lake is invisible. She won’t be in a fancy costume; you won’t see her dancing; you won’t hear her singing. But she is an integral a part of this weekend’s performances of “Lucky, Lucky Hudson” — and she knows it.
“We’re the hidden heroes of the show,” she said proudly.
Audience members may not see Savannah, but they will definitely see her work. Savannah, 12, from Greenfield Central Junior High, is part of the behind-the-scenes crew for “Lucky, Lucky Hudson,” the annual summer musical put on by the Hancock County Children’s Theatre.
When the show opens at 7 p.m. Friday (and again on Saturday) in the auditorium at Greenfield-Central High School, 810 N. Broadway, the audience will see a month’s worth of creative effort from more than 60 fourth- through eighth-grade kids performing — and an additional 30 providing the all-important backstage support for the actors on stage.
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As dance rehearsals take place in the auditorium and singers warm up in the choir room, the scene shop is the domain of the tech crew — a team of youthful artists under the guidance of Greenfield-Central art teacher Jeff Weiland and ably assisted by James Jahrsdoerfer, an art teacher from Knightstown High School.
Near the center of the scene shop, Dillon Smith and Darren Baker confer over a floor safe they have constructed from what was once a wooden box. A combination lock dial and a large gold handle have been added to the silver-painted crate to give it the look of an actual safe one might find in a bank.
“There’s a scene with a bank robbery in it,” Darren explained. “People have to steal papers from inside the safe.” He tests his handiwork and it creaks open as a safe should.
The art team attends to the details. For example, the poster and shirt design for the show was a combined effort.
Mimi Tran, 11, from Maxwell Middle School, contributed a hand-drawn typewriter to the shirt design, while 12-year-old Bella Dhaenens’ drawing of a private eye graces the poster.
“I was one of the only ones who could draw people,” Bella said.
She had to redo the drawing several times, she admitted, because she drew his hair too long the first time.
“You get a lot of criticism,” Bella admitted, “but you need criticism to be better.”
The support crew generally spends the first half of the four-week rehearsal process building and painting the set, and then turn their attention to the technical aspects. Members of the art team are assigned to run the lights, manage microphones, cue sound effects, open and close the curtain and place and remove set pieces from the stage.
The tech crew knows its value, and its members reflect that confidence.
“The theater kids do matter, but not as much as the art kids because we put the whole play on,” said Bella Dhaenens, 12, from Brandywine Elementary.
“We’re the foundation of the play,” said Joseph Caceres, 10, from Maxwell Middle School.
But the kids know it’s a team effort.
“It’s kind of like building blocks,” Savannah said. “If we take one out, it will all fall down.
Full disclosure — at the end of the show when the cast members come out for the curtain call, the behind-the-scenes kids — no longer invisible — will also file out to stand in front of the stage for a well-deserved bow of their own.
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What: The Hancock County Children’s Theatre Workshop presents Tim Kelly’s “Lucky, Lucky Hudson”
When: Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.
Where: Greenfield-Central High School, 810 N. Broadway
Tickets: Available for $7 by emailing info@hancockcountychildrenstheater.org
or calling 317-462-6222
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