It’s no secret that Fenwick has one of the biggest expressive arts programs in the area. From our theater team going down state last month, to the incredibly impressive art galleries held at the end of every semester, or even some of last year’s graduating class attending college with expressive arts scholarships or to pursue expressive arts, it’s undeniable that Fenwick is decorated when it comes to the arts. However, with all of that being said, there’s still a crucial question to ask: How is all of that made possible? Who are the people who put in the work day in and day out to ensure that the entire expressive arts program is successful? The answer, as I have discovered recently, is the BFG Crew.
In short, the crew takes care of everything that is behind the scenes, and makes up everything that is outside of the acting. “Each student-led team is essential to the run of any production,” said Mrs. Shoffer; “Every single team is necessary in order to have a successful show.” The crew is an incredibly large group of students, and they are divided into different subcategories that all have different obligations. Different kinds include construction and paint, props and costumes, lighting and sound, production, and film. During the more intense weeks, such as tech week (the week before the show), the crew can be at Fenwick late into the night, every night! When asked about balancing school life and crew obligations, sophomore Keira Martis said that “Being a crew member can be stressful at times, especially during tech week, where we’re there pretty much the entire day. It can be a lot of work which is hard to balance with homework, but you can always do work and study on the side.”
However, even though being a member of the crew sounds incredibly difficult, the reward of watching the show succeed, the lessons learned along the way, and the strong community and bond that’s formed from this adversity make all of this worth it for the BFG crew. Whether it be going to college to pursue a career in engineering because of working with construction, or simply learning some everyday skills about facing adversity, it seems that it’s impossible to leave your time at BFG crew without gaining something of value. “BFG allows me to be a problem solver, because sometimes you might not have everything to get the job done, so we just figure it out, same as I do in school,” said Junior Desta Devereux. Desta also said that being a crew member helps her to be closer to the Fenwick community, as “it allows me to have connections with the people who work behind the scenes and to be a part of a hard-working and committed community.”
Overall, being a member of the BFG crew is an incredibly unique experience, and is a fascinating mix of a sport and a club. While it does present its own challenges that require both hard work and quick thinking, it also has an amazing community of people who love what they do, and also presents a great payoff in the form of a successful play. So of course, the success of Fenwick’s theater (and the entire expressive arts program) is impossible without the amazing contributions and dedication of the crew. The best part is that they’re always looking for new members! They hold their practices from 3:30-5:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so what are you waiting for? Go join!
