By Shenaire Chandler
The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush’s theater is packed for the Short and Sweet Theatre Festival. As the actors move on stage, Cynthia Duong listens closely for the line, “Hit it!”

This is her one and only shot to get the light cue perfect, since she struggled with the timing during dress rehearsal. If Duong doesn’t get it right, she said, the whole show will suffer. Finally, she hears the magic words and presses the button on the light board. 

The lights go black, and the audience gasps. Soon after, rainbow light illuminates the stage, making the actors sparkle. Duong sighs with relief and smiles as “oohs” and “aahs” from the audience echo in her ear. 

Duong, a senior at Benjamin Rush, has one of the biggest jobs at the public performing arts school: the one and only stage manager. Duong, who has held the position for almost a year, oversees a team of 55 student volunteers, who handle set design, costumes, sound, lighting, and fundraising for 15 shows each year.

“My job is to delegate tasks and run the sound and light board for the whole student body,” said Duong. “I’m the go-to person for any sponsor and advisor for every show in our school.”

Duong preps mics, creates light and sound cues, manages logistics, and teaches students in the stage crew club.

Every year, students line up for the chance to be granted her position. Last year, “the previous stage manager just came up to me and told me that I would be the stage manager,” said Duong, who eventually learned that Benjamin Rush’s theater teacher recommended her. Duong was then trained throughout her junior year. 

“Being stage manager means to be a leader — not in just the theater aspect but in the school” overall, Duong said. 

A typical day in Duong’s shoes is more hectic than some of her peers might think. On top of three Advanced Placement classes, internships with theater and English class, as well as her class president duties, Duong spends a lot of her time in school preparing in advance for each show’s opening night.

“I try to prioritize the work that is due right away as well as work specifically for shows, like lights and sound, during class … so that when I go home, all I have to worry about are the classes I take,” said Duong. “It’s a very big responsibility on top of managing all these workloads.” 

She and the stage crew are on the job for every show at Benjamin Rush. Duong spends about 10 hours per week prioritizing stage crew tasks, which include working directly with teachers and training new volunteers during the school day. “It gets overwhelming at times, especially with school exams around the corner that I’m studying for,” she said.

When each show arises, Duong’s life turns upside down. It’s her and the stage crew’s responsibility when issues surface. “Whatever problem happens backstage, we’re on it,” she said. 

With just a headset, Duong must communicate with every crew member working spotlights, transitions, sound, mics, and more — all while running light cues by herself. 

Just three months ago, Duong saved a theater showcase moments before the second act began.

“The mics the actors had weren’t working. So with only a few seconds to spare, I ordered the deck crew mid-show to give them handheld mics. It was really terrifying,” Duong said. In the end, the show was a success. 

Duong said being simultaneously quick-thinking and patient are essential for stage crew members.

“We don’t know what we’ll actually do until the day of dress rehearsal. …We’re able to accomplish so much in so little time,” Duong said. “You must have patience because you’re working with such a big group of people. …I learned a lot about being patient with everybody, because not everyone has the same experiences.”

Duong also said being a strong communicator is vital. “You can’t really be quiet and you can’t be timid. …You can’t let people step on you,” she explained. 

There are even times where Duong must work on shows she doesn’t particularly enjoy. Duong said that, for her, nerve-racking performances always involve dance students. 

“I think it’s just the environment. I sometimes feel discouraged. It’s student oriented, there is no adult coordinator. Communication is hard, and things are being done at the last minute,” Duong said. One time, a dance teacher forgot to provide music files, so she had to run a show with a Spotify playlist.

Despite the challenges, Duong said she enjoys being Benjamin Rush’s stage manager.

“At the end of the day, what I do makes a big impact on the shows and [their] storytelling,” she said. “Just seeing how happy people are at the end of a show makes me happy about my job.”