What's your hobby? An ode to prop making.

(Bloggers Note: I don't often take time to blog. My school has a staff newsletter and I'm hoping to be featured in the hobby section. Let's see what happens.)

Ever since I was a young child, I never thought that I had a talent. I watched the gorgeous singers, the dancers, the artists all show off. I tried a lot of different things, but nothing ever stuck. It wasn’t until high school that I found something that I was passionate about.

I always had a hard time speaking to strangers, or getting in front of a crowd. In junior high I signed up for public speaking, but that class got cancelled. In High School I decided to try drama. I did half a semester and decided it may not be the thing for me. I decided to try it again as a junior, and got hooked. My drama teacher was the first teacher that truly believed in my ability to succeed.

After high school I started doing shows at the Empress Theatre in Magna. It felt like nothing that I ever could have imagined. It felt like a home away from home where I could be accepted with my “uniqueness.” In 2016 I stage managed a show. While doing so I crafted the props for it. After the show, the artistic director asked if I wanted to stay on as the theatre’s prop master. I had a lot of fun, and enthusiastically took the position. I’ve been their prop master ever since.

Judy and Punch Puppets from The Fantasticks)

Candlestick Phone from Crazy for You

Doing props has become a real passion of mine. I love crafting and problem solving how to create items to be believable onstage. It is fun to look at an object, see the shapes, and find other items that could be put together to create that masterpiece. I am now known among the theatre community in the valley. I have other theatre’s contacting me, asking for help to create unique props for their shows.

Triton's Trident from The Little Mermaid

Ursula's Scroll from The Little Mermaid

I’ve learned with talents and hobbies that it doesn’t matter that you are good at something or not. It matters if you have fun doing it and it gives you the desire to keep doing it.

Bust made for The Music Man

Bomb made for Peter Pan

Cuckoo Clock made for Crazy for You

Dummy originally made for Urinetown, but used in Disaster! and Catch Me If You Can

God's Hand for Spamalot. Super proud of this one. First time I had ever used chicken wire. I did the math and made the measurements off of my own hand. We are all made in God's own image, right?

Falling Chandelier made specially for being able to safely fall on top of an actress for Disaster!

Woven band map of the city made for Hunchback of Notre Dame.