Harriton Theater Company has many different departments that all work together to put on each show. All student-led, each department focuses on an aspect of theater to master and aid in each production. Students are encouraged to try out multiple departments to discover their passions and receive a well-rounded theatrical education. Read more about HTC’s departments below!
Cast
After an audition process, Cast spends the weeks before a show in after-school rehearsals. Additional tech rehearsals are held on the weekends prior to the performance. Actors are not bound to audition for all three productions. For our Fall Play and Spring Musical, the cast is directed by an adult director. Learn more about our adult sponsors here.
Student Directing
Head: Elizabeth Berberian
Student directors work directly with the adult director of HTC. This department helps cast the shows, take part in the directing process and giving notes to actors, and act alongside the director.
Stage Management
Heads: Elizabeth Berberian and Pheobe Ruderman
HTC’s Stage Managers organize rehearsals and rehearsal materials, and make sure departments are on the same page throughout the rehearsal process. During shows, they are backstage calling cues and ensuring that the production runs smoothly.
Tech
Heads: Macallen Myers and Lucas Arend
HTC’s Tech Department designs, builds, and operates the technical elements of productions, including lighting, sound, and special effects. During shows, they run the equipment and manage cues to create the world of the play and bring the director’s vision to life.
Stage Crew
Heads: Lillian Baker and Jasper Kirchner
Stage Crew transforms Harriton’s auditorium or Black Box into a new world for every show. The department works swiftly to design and build a professional-looking set in just a few months.
Props
Head: Sasha Maslen
The Props department creates and designs the objects that the actors use on stage. They also make props that decorate the stage and add atmosphere to the set.
Publicity
Heads: Ella Boonn and Avali Tanglao-Aguas
HTC’s Publicity department focuses on advertising our productions to the local community. Publicity spreads the word by designing posters, creating displays in the Harriton lobby, making promotional videos, managing social media accounts, updating the website, and more. Additionally, Publicity creates the Playbill for the show, takes headshots, and facilitates ticket sales.
Costumes
Heads: Kylie Pollack and Demi Maslow
The Costumes department designs and creates the costumes worn in the show. They select, modify, and repurpose clothing to curate outfits for each character. When the show comes around, they also help with quick changes backstage.
Hair & Makeup
Heads: Kylie Pollack and Demi Maslow
The Hair & Makeup department gets our actors ready for the stage. They ensure that the performers’ looks match the shows and characters by creating unique hairstyles and makeup looks for each actor, whether they need a natural look or something more dramatic.
Choreography
Heads: Sadie Bohrer
The Choreography heads spend their time creating and teaching students the dances for our musicals. They make sure that the dances look great each show by giving notes throughout the rehearsal process.
Pit Orchestra
Head: Ethan Hsu
Harriton’s Pit Orchestra accompanies the actors with music in different types of productions. Though the Pit mainly performs for the spring musicals, they sometimes provide background music or sound effects for the plays to make the experience more immersive. The Pit Orchestra is made up of brass, woodwind, percussion, and string instruments and has played all types of genres within musicals in the past. The department head works with our music director Jeff Smith to lead the ensemble.
Cappies
Lead Critic: Sadie Bohrer
Cappies is a program that promotes high school theater and journalism. It has regional chapters across the country, and the Harriton Cappies team, composed of six critics, is a part of the Greater Philadelphia Cappies. The Cappies critics attend and review other high schools’ theatrical productions. Reviews are submitted to the organization and become eligible for publication on the Cappies website. At the end of the year, the program hosts a Gala, where the best actors, departments, and shows are nominated and awarded by the critics (see HTC’s reviews and awards here).