behind-the-scenes Steve Martin, director of technical services, helped produce shows in the George S. Benson Auditorium. Steve Martin, director of technical services, worked behind the scenes at Harding for over 30 years. Martin specialized in directing the technical aspects of productions in the George S. Benson Auditorium. Martin committed many hours to chapel and theatrical productions. During the 2019 Homecoming musical, "Matilda," Martin directed the technical effects backstage and spent the night hours working to prepare the projector for the musical. "I had to figure out how to change it and spent all night changing it because it was show week, and I had to make sure all the video and screens worked for them to rehearse with it," Martin said. Working overnight hours was common for Martin in his first years of preparation for daily chapel. "When I first started, I used to come in after rehearsals to get dark hours, and so what I would do was nap until rehearsals were over with, come in, go home, nap again, then get back up and come in to work," Martin said. "What I finally figured out was, that was separated sleep, so it wasn't as valuable. I started just coming into work stupid early." Martin and student workers were in charge of ensuring programs ran smoothly and prepared for events such as theatrical productions, Spring Sing and chapel. Sophomore theatre major Allison Janelle Witherow-Pruitt, a student worker for Harding theatrical productions, said anything that happened on the Benson stage was something they worked on. "I don't think people know who the person is behind it and how much work they do," Witherow-Pruitt said. "It's a lot; [students] don't realize how much goes into getting a plot, making a plot for a show or even just chapel." For shows like "Matilda," lighting placement, projectors and electrical work were aspects Martin and the student workers dealt with. Senior theatre design and production major Abby Austin, a student worker for Harding theatrical productions, said there were multiple parts of a show that needed to come together for each to work cohesively. "It's like a spider web," Austin said. "There are a bunch of different points, and pulling the show together is just yanking the string so it all comes together." story by Grace Baker 202
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