Workshop Highlights: Fred Othmer shares techniques about Technical Theatre

Our Performing Arts Academy students had the opportunity to attend a Technical Theatre Workshop taught by Fred Othmer at none other than the University of Southern California. Mr. Othmer is a highly accomplished and well-respected theatre professional with over thirty years of experience in the industry. He generously shared his expertise with our students, teaching them about many different elements of technical theatre, such as lighting design, sound engineering, and much more. The workshop was an invaluable learning experience for our students, and they all came away with a greater understanding of the technical aspects of theatre production.

In addition to learning from Mr. Othmer, our students also had the chance to see elements of technical theatre in play as we observed different rehearsals and performances throughout the USC Campus. For instance, we had the privilege of observing a dress rehearsal for the USC Chamber Orchestra; during this our students saw the use of line-sets and an acoustical shell. Furthermore, our students observed dance rehearsals, a recording class, and a bass guitar masterclass - all of which had many technical elements involved.

This was such an eye opening experience for our students as they saw the many ways that practice and art of Technical Theatre touches all other disciplines of the performing arts world. In addition to this incredible experience our students toured USC which provided a platform to dream of what possible post-secondary education could look like in the performing arts industry.

If you, or someone you know, are interested in finding out more about the West Covina High School Performing Arts Academy and the opportunities it can provide to high school aged students, feel free to visit our website at WCHSpaa.org or you can email us at WCHSpaa@wcusd.org.