R-Jeneration: Student discovers offstage rewards

The curtain closes, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief. The sound worked, the lights turned on at the proper time, the actors knew their cues -- but only because Meadows senior Alex Rehberger is calling all the shots from backstage.

Rehberger, who began stage managing in her junior year of high school, is in charge of nearly every technical aspect of shows performed at her school, from rehearsals to performances.

"If I forget to do something, the show doesn't move on," she says.

Rehberger, who had taken technical theater classes since freshman year, was thrown into the world of stage management when there was no one to manage the spring musical at The Meadows in 2010. Because of her design work in these classes, theater instructor E'Dawn Severance asked if she would take on the responsibility.

"She seemed organized enough to handle stage management," Severance says. "I expected her to do well. But she has surpassed it."

As manager, Rehberger goes to school an hour and 15 minutes early to attend a morning production class. She keeps track of every detail in a show, including attendance of cast members at rehearsals; cues for lighting, sound and actors; and what props and costumes are needed for whom.

While she admits she felt unprepared at the time, Rehberger says that she found her first experience as a stage manager to be positive.

"It was really interesting to see how it comes together from auditions, to opening curtain, until it closes. Plus, I love working with actors because they're all crazy and hilarious," Rehberger says.

Now having managed five productions at The Meadows, Rehberger knows how to balance the responsibilities of putting a show together. She says the biggest challenge, but also the most fun, is working with the actors in the show because it forces her to improve her communication skills.

"Even when you're upset you have to put on a happy face, and keep everyone calm and assured. You just have to remind yourself that in the end it all works out," Rehberger says.

Beginning last year, Rehberger has participated in several technical theater competitions. She has qualified for the International Thespian Festival and for two years in a row, has received top honors in stage management at the Nevada regional and state levels. At these competitions, Rehberger discusses her work on a specific show with a panel of judges and showcases a book she is required to create, which contains information about every aspect of that show.

In the fall, Rehberger plans to attend the University of Southern California's stage management program, where she was awarded a full tuition scholarship. She hopes to continue to work on shows in the future since they all come with their own challenges and learning experiences, but for Rehberger, the most important part of being a stage manager is giving herself a goal to work toward and collaborating with other creative minds.

"Stage management is really rewarding because you are taking a concept and making it reality," she says. "There are so many different artistic viewpoints that can go into a show and being able to put all of those together between the designers and director really comes down to the stage manager, making sure everything works out and keeping everybody happy."