Every year, DePauw University puts on a musical, a play, and an opera. This season, after an electric rendition of Spring Awakening— a ‘90s pop-punk re-telling of Frank Wedekind’s classic “children’s tragedy” —DePauw went back to basics with The Servant of Two Masters, an Italian comedy written by Carlo Goldoni in 1746. Professor Caroline Good revamped the play with fresh changes to the script, while a talented cast— outfitted in costumes by Coralie Humbert (2027)— brought the story to life.
While the actors may have been the ones onstage, there was just as much going on behind the curtain. For this feature, I spoke with two crew members— stage manager Keeton Remmler (2027), and assistant stage manager and props master Emma Tretter (2027) — to get a better understanding of what goes into a show, and what it’s like to work backstage.
As Remmler informed me, a stage manager is in charge of the backstage crew, the itinerary or “to-do list” for rehearsals, and writing rehearsal reports. These reports document everything that happened at rehearsal and communicate any needs from the actors or crew to the director. During performances and technical rehearsals, when actors “run” the show with lights, sound, props, and costumes, stage managers help to cue lighting and sound-board operators. An assistant stage manager shares in some of the stage manager’s responsibilities, and helps to direct foot-traffic and cue actors backstage. A props master finds and manages the objects used by actors as part of the performance.
Although the general job description stays consistent, the exact demands vary by production. Remmler, who stage-managed for Dr. Janani Sridhar’s Die Fledermaus (2024), and Dennis Sloan’s Spring Awakening (2024), says it depends on who you work for: each director has their own vision for their show and needs different things to achieve that vision. Genre also plays a factor. Operas like Fledermaus and musicals like Spring Awakening have more sound and lighting cues, and require live musical accompaniment— usually a band on the stage, or an orchestra in a “pit” under the stage. What’s more, not all productions employ the same number of crew. For example, there was no assistant manager for Die Fledermaus— Remmler had to do it all himself.
Tretter said that The Servant of Two Masters presented different challenges than her last production, Ron Dye’s Vinegar Tom (2024). One of the key responsibilities of an assistant stage manager is knowing when the actors are needed onstage. In The Servant of Two Masters, the actors were constantly going on and off stage.
Backstage work is sometimes seen as a less rewarding job than acting. I asked both Remmler and Tretter what made them so passionate about their work. For them, it’s about the characters. Remmler talked specifically about the development of Arlecchino, played by Jason Benyousky (2027). Benyousky would talk to Remmler and the director about his ideas for Arlecchino, and bits he wanted to try onstage. Some of these jokes even made it into the show! For Tretter, it was Kate Williamson’s (2028) Clarice who stole the show. Tretter admitted that she found Clarice “bland” on the page, but that Williamson’s creative choices brought fun and life to the role.
I asked Remmler and Tretter about their best experiences backstage. Tretter told me about her personal favorite show, “Vinegar Tom” (2024). She said that Emmie Parson (2025), the music student who sang during the show’s many musical interludes, and the other performers created a beautiful, tear-jerking show. Tretter loved being with her friends whether they were onstage or backstage, calling this an amazing experience. Remmler recalled the first show he worked on, Romeo and Juliet at Bridgerton (2023). He says he made friends working backstage, and even found love: Remmler and Tretter met on the set of Romeo and Juliet, and have been together ever since. “[The] crew may not be seen during the performance, but they’re the stars of rehearsal,” said Remmler. Backstage positions are essential to keep productions moving and on schedule. When asked why students should consider working backstage, Remmler said “cause I’m there, and you should be too.” If you have any interest in getting involved backstage, contact Joe Novak (joenovak@depauw.edu) for upcoming shows or opportunities.