Joshua Deters (12) has done just about everything in theatre. As a crew member, he started out in sound but also did publicity and acting. He is ending his time in theater the way he started: in sound.
Deters goes back and forth between tech and acting. He cannot sing, however. Deters started doing theater his sophomore year, and was inspired by his big sister Julia Deters.
“I think it’s just one of those theater things where anyone can join, but if you really put effort into it, you can see the fruits of your labor,” Deters said. “I just saw it had a positive effect on my sister and I decided to try it out. But luckily, I found a community that makes me feel at home.”
Deters has learned a lot about technology while in theatre. He is currently working on the sounds in the upcoming musical Hadestown.
“Sound can be rewarding but stressful as if anything goes wrong, it can put a damper on the whole show,” Deters said.
A lot of it is just testing the mics a couple of times to make sure they actually work before the show. Sometimes, actors aren’t expecting to have to project if they have a mic, so making sure the mic is actually working is incredibly important.
“I think sound is a rewarding crew to be on because a lot of the work happens on the day of the show, so I think it’s just really neat to be a part of the live production of the show,” Deters said. “It can often be hectic, but it’s really nice to be a part of.”
Deters thinks that being on crew in general gives a good work ethic. He believes that going to as many rehearsals and doing your best helps with theatre as a whole.
“You work together with other people and you collaborate to make the best show you can because you’re working with all the crew and cast and all the different elements of the crew come together to make this amazing show. And honestly, theatre has changed my life for the better,” Deters said.
Deters expresses his love for theatre and believes that everyone should try it.
Sash Myers (12) is good friends with Deters and thinks that Deters is a great person and friend.
“Josh is a pretty good guy. When I first met him, I’ll be honest, I thought he was a weird kid. But once we started talking, I realized how chill he actually is,” Myers said.
Myers claims that Deters is very smart in class, and sometimes helps him with his work.
“He’s really good in our English class, and he’s really good at literature. I feel like he could become a best selling author sometime,” Myers said. “You can’t trust everyone, but you can trust Josh with everything, including your bank information.”
