When thinking about the theater, most people think of the actors or even the tech crew. But what about the set? One of the new BHS clubs that has emerged this year is the Set Building Club. In the past, Mr. Rempel, BHS’s art teacher, headed up set design and had some student volunteers. Last year he decided to step down after many years and Mr. Rieder took over. When Mr. Rieder took over, he decided to make it an official club.
The club’s first project was building the set for the fall play, And Then There Were None, and a lot of preparation went into the final design. Although he was very new to anything involving theater, Mr. Rieder has a past in construction and is very proficient at his craft. Mr. Rieder said, “I can build, but it’s the theater end of it that’s all brand new to me.” Rieder stated that he had no idea what it would be like going in. At first, he was unsure how many people would show up for the club’s meetings, but he was thrilled to see the big turnout. Many people with no ties to theater made appearances to help out.
Mr. Rieder started by looking up inspirational pictures of professional and amateur sets. He designed a set based on what they could do, what he saw, and what they were able to swing money-wise. Mr. Rieder said he had no idea how it would go initially and planned to see what happened. When they began building the set, they were fortunately not forced to start from scratch due to leftover wooden pallets from previous projects that they dragged out from backstage. As the club worked, things started falling together, and the process ended up going smoothly, even from the beginning. The only worry Mr. Rieder had was painting and hiding the seams with tape, but it turned out great with the help of some knowledgeable students. Although a lot of work goes into every set, the members of the set-building club enjoy their time working together. Freshman Meerab Fatima said, “I really like it. The painting was my favorite part.”
The club’s next project is the set for the musical Frozen, and if you’re interested in joining, Mr. Rieder believes set building will start up again around early February. Interested in helping out? Talk to Mr. Rieder! The club is always looking for new members!
