On May 8th, the eighth grade students had the opportunity to see The Outsiders musical at the Jacobs Theater on Broadway. On June 10th, they had another opportunity: to attend a special session with a former Cavo (and student of mine) in the auditorium here at EJSHS!
Thanks to Ms. Germann, who organized both the trip and the follow-up, students were introduced to Nadia Itani (Class of 2017) who is a structural engineer who was involved with much of the set design of The Outsiders.
Polished and professional, Ms. Itani shared how she and her colleagues (at McLaren Engineering Group) work consistently on Broadway, and design theme park structures, and NY Fashion Week runways – among other things She added that they often sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), so she couldn’t give away too many secrets. She did, however, explain how engineers are not scenic designers, and that they don’t get free tickets.
Itani admitted that she didn’t personally go on site for this one (The Outsiders), but that it’s pretty typical for her firm to be called in to look at a show, tear up the stage, and do the “behind the behind the scenes work”.
Think about the last time you were at a show. Structures are needed for the speakers and lights. Marquees, screens, and signs need to be secured and safe.
Interestingly, Itani said, “Ninety percent of our job is to make sure that you don’t notice what is there.” Fortunately, she said she has a wonderful team that is “ridiculously efficient”.
Itani said she’s used to working within “a triangle” – time, quality, and budget. She admitted that it’s not uncommon to be given 24 hours notice, or sometimes three or four months.
She then gave the students a lesson in theater terminology that would make the Ullmans proud. She explained stage left, stage right, upstage, downstage, and the grid. The grid is fascinating. It’s extensive overhead storage, and is often 60-80 feet above the stage. Not surprisingly, workers are required to wear hard hats and practice a series of safety precautions when working on and with the grid. (If you have a fear of heights, this may not be the career path for you.)
Itani gave an example from The Outsiders with regards to “The Grid”. Her team had to figure out the mechanics of the rain in the fight scene. Questions like, “How heavy is it [the water]?”, “What kind of structure do we need to hold that?”, and “Will water load make the stage heavier?” had to be examined. Safety is paramount, but – of course – you’re also looking for that wow factor that will have audiences enthralled.
She also reviewed the fly system, hemp houses, and counterweights, reminding the students of EJSHS’s recent production of Peter Pan. Yes, structural engineers needed to create something that would work – safely.
So, how did she make the decision to become a structural engineer (with a focus on entertainment/theater engineering)? Itani said she had briefly considered architecture, but a conversation (with my daughter who was majoring in architecture at NJIT at the time) had her thinking she may want to take a different path. Mr. Pizzolo, a former math teacher here at EJSHS, suggested she look into engineering, given her strong aptitude for math. Itani declared, “It was the most fantastic decision ever to happen.”
Judging by her smile and level of enthusiasm, she does not regret the choice she’s made.
After the talk, and a Q & A forum, several students and teachers stayed behind for a tour/tutorial of our own stage and its workings. Itani remained energetic and upbeat as she pointed out the grid, the lights, projectors, lighting booth, speakers, and overhead rigging.
When we finally parted company, I thanked her for coming and speaking about her job and passion – especially when it seems like students are told about the same professions over and over. It was good for them to have the exposure to something that may seem so new, especially from someone so warm and wonderful.
Her response? “There are niche industries out there that you may not know about.”
Well, now we’re no longer outsiders to this one.
