Arts Student of the Week: Sara Taylor

Sara Taylor's explanation when people ask her about her work in technical theater is that she is "one of the backstage people, who does sets and lights and that sort of stuff."

She is surprised how often she is asked to explain why she chooses to spend more than 200 additional hours at school a year, and although she is involved in theater, why she is not an actor. "The better, and more accurate answer, is that I work different jobs with a crew of people that create a space for actors to act in."

Those jobs include lighting, sound, set design, running crew backstage, video, props, and costumes, and a variety of management positions that all come together to set the stage for a show or other performance to come to life.

"Sara has become a bright star behind the scenes in our theater," said Jason Watkins, Niwot High School Technical Theater Director, who selected her as Arts Student of the Week. "Sara is taking independent study to learn set design and construction on her own," he added.

"Something Jason always reminds us is that if the audience can forget we're there, we're doing our job correctly," Taylor said. "Cast and crew cannot exist without each other, and there's no such thing as a one-man production." She gets to make people look good and stretch her own skills and creativity without having all the attention pointed directly at her.

Taylor's experience as a technical theater student at NHS has been both unique and rewarding. Being in a class that requires significant work outside of school hours creates an interesting dynamic with her teacher, Watkins, and other students.

"There's a sense of family there that I don't have with other classes," Taylor said, "and it's allowed me to get to know people beyond how I would normally, and become good friends with people I wouldn't otherwise. Working through the process of design, construction, and getting to the end product makes me feel accomplished and useful, and almost always proud of the outcome."

In 2023 Taylor had one play, "Noises Off!," under her belt and was starting to feel more confident in her small corner of the theater world. Then she began working on "Beauty and The Beast," her favorite show on which she has worked. "There were definitely ups and downs, but the level of what both the cast and crew achieved for the show was incredible," Taylor said.

The musical was the first sold out show in the high school's history. It went on to win a Denver Center for the Performing Arts Bobby G Award, which is a Colorado theater award for high school musical productions. NHS won for set design, and after that, Taylor grew more confident in her role as a spotlight operator, but she also felt challenged to grow. "It was also one of the first times I felt like I was really useful and contributing to the crew," she said.

Taylor added, "Watkins has definitely been a huge factor in my decision to continue with theater and look into it as a career. He is encouraging, funny, and a great teacher whose passion for the tech field shines through in his instruction."

"The entire tech crew at Niwot has also influenced my career. Being in an environment where I can teach and be taught is something I love," Taylor said. In addition, Taylor's aunt, who was a professional set designer and techie during Disney's golden age, has become a more recent influence. "She's a great example of being able to make her passion into a career, and I look forward to hearing more of her stories and following in her footsteps."

"The amazing thing about Niwot is that there are so many different options and opportunities, whether you're into sports or music or art or theater or anything else you can think of," she said. "And if you go into NHS like me, not knowing where you fit or really having many concrete interests, it's a great place to be able to try things and be involved with different levels of commitment. Niwot helps prepare you for your future while also focusing on making sure you can like what you're doing in the moment."

Taylor said that "even in the stressful moments there are great things too." She explained a tradition started by one of the crew members in 2023. The students meet "to talk about our 'thorns and roses' of the day during tech week dinners," she said. "Sadly, the girl who started the tradition transferred schools, but we intend to keep it alive. It lets people be loud and de-stress a little, and it has become something everyone can look forward to."

The Niwot Elementary School Talent Show is one of Taylor's favorite events. "Niwot theater technicians work anything that is hosted in the theater, from choir concerts to public performances to plays and musicals," Taylor said, "and I always want to work the annual NES Talent Show because of how fun and entertaining (and impressive) the kids are. Every gig is a bonding activity with the crew, especially the rougher ones."

Taylor has been tasked with the design of the set for the upcoming production of' "Murder on the Orient Express" in November. Her main job, besides learning a great deal about the entire design process, is to take the initial concept from the technical director and director, and add all the details that make it come alive.

"I want to really dig into the period of the play and curate props and other aspects of the production to create a space that fits both the script and the actors, as well as the specifics of our theater," Taylor said. "I'm also going to take a higher leadership role in the construction of the set, which means that I'm going to oversee different groups and help them if they start to struggle with the concept or technicality of what they're trying to accomplish."

In addition to theater tech work, Taylor likes to read and enjoys a variety of art-related activities. Her primary artistic endeavor right now is making things out of pop tabs. She has created belts, wallet chains, a top, and jewelry, and her current project is trying to make a skirt. "I like that it promotes sustainability and that it's a more physical form of art," she said. "I'm not very good at drawing or sculpting or knitting, but stringing pop tabs into something is easy and in my case, creates a product that I made that I can wear and no one else has."

Taylor plans to engage in as much technical theater work as she can before she goes to college. "Sara is considering a career in the entertainment arts," Watkins said. "She has been a member of tech for over three years and is one of the senior leaders in technical theater." Currently, she would like to major in Technical Theater and Design at the University of Northern Colorado and eventually get a job in the industry. "I also want someone to share my life with," she confessed, "a couple pets, and a cozy place that's my own."