Before rehearsal for “The SpongeBob Musical” begins, sophomore Logen Behar ensures all the mics are at full charge and in place, calls for a mic check and then signals that everything is ready to go from the sound booth.
As part of his role in Stagecraft, Behar works as a sound technician for the Drama department, getting paid $10.50 per hour. Depending on his responsibilities, he can be found either backstage or up in the sound booth of the Performing Arts Center. His position involves controlling sound effects and making sure all mics are functional and in place.
“[With this position], you get to learn new fields of work,” Behar said. “I don’t enjoy acting or drama that much, but I enjoy learning all the technical parts of theater, and it’s nice to see all the actors put on good performances.”
He finds joy in working with and mastering his knowledge of equipment such as the audio mixer, mics and a MacBook used to download and play sound effects on speakers. For “Peter and the Starcatcher,” he worked on controlling the sounds of doors opening and farts.
“[My favorite piece of equipment is] the mixer,” Behar said. “[With the mixer], I get to control the volume levels and create presets, which are configurations for the speaker and microphone routings. I haven’t had much time with it, but it’s fun and there’s a lot to learn about it, such as sound equalization.”
For his contributions, he is required to show up on time and stay the entire duration of each musical rehearsal and performance. He works four to five hours on rehearsals and six to seven hours on show days. He finds it challenging to balance the long hours with schoolwork but maintains a positive attitude.
“He is always excited and happy whenever he’s doing it and doesn’t seem like he doesn’t want to be there,” Behar’s friend and light technician, sophomore Brayden Cheek, said. “It’s something I can see him wanting to try and do as he gets older as a profession.”
The position opened up after the previous sound technician graduated, giving Behar a chance to apply and try something new. As the position does not require previous experience, he was trained through observing and working closely with the sound designer, AJ Culpepper, a 2015 Walnut High alumnus.
“I felt like I could give it a try and be the new [sound technician], and I ended up really enjoying it,” Behar said. “It was a pretty smooth process and I didn’t have trouble picking up anything and I wasn’t behind.”
So far, he has been involved in two musicals, “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “The SpongeBob Musical.” Each success shapes his skills while also bringing him a sense of fulfillment from his efforts.
“This position opened a window for technical theater,” Behar said. “At the end of [each] musical, [I feel my hard work pay off] seeing how much of a success it was and reflecting upon how much I contributed.”
