Arts Student of the Week: Jack Triplett

According to Niwot High School senior Jack Triplett, working in theater always comes with crazy stories.

"One especially memorable saga," Triplett revealed, "was during the construction of 'Beauty and the Beast.' A group of techies and I had been tasked with creating the amazing wood-chopping machine that Belle's father drives around stage in the first act." The plan was simple: attach a foam axe to a simple cog on the back of a motorized mobility scooter and make it look old-timey. "But every possible thing that could go wrong, did."

"First, the chair we were supposed to use wasn't available. Then, when we finally got a replacement, the battery for it was shot, and we had no idea if it could even be used for the production until a new one was shipped. Every aspect of the build continued to have problems like this until, by some miracle, we managed to get it finished before opening night. By this time, everyone on the team, including myself, had a love-hate relationship with our creation. Even when we finally got to see it on stage during the show, the actor playing Belle's father nearly drove it off the stage and into the orchestra-filled pit. Thankfully he avoided the edge just enough and none of the log props slid into the pit after him, but overall, it was a ridiculous end to an unfortunate series of events."

Triplett joined the theater program their freshman year, and they have thoroughly enjoyed their time there ever since. "A lot of crazy things have happened since then, but the Niwot Theater community has always been there for me," they said. Triplett is considering technical theater as their future career, and would not have gotten there without the amazing tech theater class and program at NHS.

According to technical theater teacher Jason Watkins who selected the senior as Arts Student of the Week, Triplett is a leading senior in Technical Theater. "Jack has been a member for four years," Watkins said. "Jack is working on their Capstone Project this year. Jack has talent in set construction, spotlight ops and is now bridging out to designing and programming lights for shows. Jack is considering a career in the entertainment arts."

Triplett has worked on the construction for every set at NHS since fall of their freshman year, and has grown in their understanding of building and using tools to successfully bring a concept to the stage. "Jason likes to test those skills by giving a group of us a task without instructions and seeing what we come up with," Triplett said. "I have run and helped design the spotlights for many shows, including 'The Nutcracker,' put on annually by Centennial State Ballet." Triplett's plan for this year is to, with aid from Watkins, design and manage all lighting aspects of each show from spotlights to blackouts.

Others associated with the theater program have been influential on Triplett's theater career. "Evan DeBusk, head of the sound department, was an amazing influence on me during his time at Niwot," Triplett said. "Before he graduated last year, Evan was always around to help out and talk about movies. Another more recent influence has been Marik Magginetti. He is an amazing guy, and has become somewhat of a theater dad in the crew. I constantly admire his leadership capabilities and fearlessness."

Triplett's typical response to those who ask about technical theater is to explain that the techs help design and build the set, and then put on all the school's productions, along with turning on the lights for any other events that happen in the theater. "We manage microphones and slideshows for meetings and concerts, and do all the stage management required for gigs to go smoothly," they explained.

Triplett's favorite show was "Beauty and the Beast." He explained, "Helping to create award-winning set design AND selling out for the first time in the school's history was such an amazing experience that I will never forget."

"I'm very grateful for all the communities I have been a part of during my time at Niwot," Triplett said. "Although it is very academic-centered, with the IB program drawing in so many students, the arts are definitely not ignored. In addition to theater, I am also in one of Niwot's choirs, and that class is often the highlight of my day. Everyone works together, and we have events outside of school, such as our annual potluck, to spend extra time together."

At home, Triplett can usually be found watching a variety of movies with their mother and two cats. Triplett also loves to join friends on adventures around town. "We get together as much as we can. I also travel on road trips with my family most summers. We love driving out to the coast and visiting the redwoods." Triplett loves music, and attends as many concerts as possible. They love doing anything creative, but especially origami, for its methodical process and beautiful results.

Triplett plans to continue working in technical theater after graduation. "I plan to get a degree in theater design and technology," they said, "join IATSE (the technician union), and work my way around the United States. I also plan to keep going on trips all over, and to get my own cat as soon as possible."