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Camille Chi (’29) dances during the “bend and snap” scene. Chi said her favorite part of this year’s musical was watching it come together, even if it seemed a little messy at times. “I think it’s always fun to step into the shoes of another character,” Chi said. “Also, I [enjoy] being a part of the community [and] coming together to create this whole thing because theater is almost never a one man show, so it’s great to be able to meet new people and work together.”
Photo credit: Julia Ong
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KJ McPherson (’26), as Paulette, calls to chat with Elle Woods. For senior McPherson, this musical was a big milestone. “This was my main, big first last of the school year,” McPherson said. “How can I grapple with the contrasting facts that I have both engaged deeply and found great meaning and community in Archer theater, as well as acknowledge that I can leave behind [and] have left an impact and framework to help the next generation of students thrive in this environment?”
Photo credit: Julia Ong
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Posing for the audience after singing “Gay or European,” Samara Gottlieb (’28) and Lucy Kaplan (’26) receive applause from the audience. According to Kaplan, the theater program has been such a significant part of her Archer experience. “I love the friends that I make. Theater is such a wonderful community here,” Kaplan said. “We have so many fun traditions and activities, and getting to create something with a bunch of really fun, kind, talented people is such a fun experience.”
Photo credit: Julia Ong
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A snapshot taken on the “Legally Blond” set captures character Paulette’s studio. According to Meadbh Brown (’26) who played a choir girl, this year, the musical became a place for community. “I did it because it’s fun, and it was my last chance to do a high school musical ,” Brown said. “I could not go through the rest of my life knowing I’d never done a high school musical.”
Photo credit: Julia Ong
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Selah Johnson (’26), who played Elle Woods, showcases her “bend and snap,” an iconic dance move from the musical. Having participated in every musical and play since sixth grade, Kaplan sees this production as especially meaningful in her final year. “I [used to feel] very out of place because so many of the theater kids were juniors and seniors, and I was this tiny little sixth grader,” Kaplan said. “I felt like I didn’t really belong … They knew what they were doing, and I didn’t. I felt confused and a little frightened. And now, it feels strange to be the senior, but I feel much more confident in my place.”
Photo credit: Julia Ong
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Holding a print copy of her proposal, Johnson presents her winning argument. Brown said she was very grateful to have experienced this production, crediting a lot to the director and the cast. “They made it so special and so supportive, and did not make me feel out of place at all,” Brown said. “It was just so supportive. Everyone was like, ‘I know you haven’t done this before. This is how we do it.'”
Photo credit: Julia Ong
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Josie White (‘26), playing Emmett Forrest, points a finger at a guilty culprit during the trial scene. Beyond the costumes and musical numbers, White said she has found a sense of belonging in Archer’s theater program. “My favorite part of the theater in general is that I just feel like I have a family there. I feel like all of the seniors have all watched each other grow, and we’ve seen all of our older students be in the position that we are today,” White said. “It feels surreal knowing that they all felt the same, and it feels really good getting to mentor the younger kids too.”
Photo credit: Julia Ong
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Johnson sings on the phone for her solo song, “So Much Better.” Kaplan said she feels a shared sense of belonging in the theater community. “I know I belong in the theater community, even if I’m not the best dancer, even if I’m not the best singer, it’s a place where we can all come together and have a good time. It’s not competitive, which I really enjoy,” Kaplan said. “I know that I can both rely on the people around me and help the people around me and be helped by them. And I think that’s a really wonderful thing to go to rehearsal at the end of the day and know that you belong there.”
Photo credit: Julia Ong
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of an Archer musical? Behind the colorful set and lights, a team dressed in black works together to facilitate transitions between scenes, prop changes, microphone adjustments and sound effects from backstage.
Juniors Lena Sakhnini and Frankie Scott were both members of the tech crew for Archer’s upper school musical, “Legally Blonde,” November 13-15. which took place Alongside Scott and Sakhnini, Gaia Bhavsar (’27) served as assistant director, and Beatrice Washburn (’27) collaborated with Sakhnini as co-stage managers. Sakhnini and Scott have been part of the tech crew since ninth grade.
The Oracle sat down with Sakhnini and Scott to discuss their experiences in musical tech, behind-the-scenes problem-solving and plans for future musicals.
What originally made you want to join the tech crew for “Legally Blonde?”
Frankie Scott [FS]: I did tech freshman year and sophomore year for the musical, and I do the play every year, and I don’t like to sing, but I want to be involved with theater.
Lena Sakhnini [LS]: A lot of my friends do the show, and I don’t like being in them, but I like working on them and being with my friends. I thought it was a good way to get a leadership role and also be with my friends.
What was the biggest challenge you faced during the production, and how did you persevere?
[FS]: On the last day … one person left in the middle of the show … without telling anyone or any adult. We were all super confused and had to navigate it in minutes — literally in minutes. We had to figure it out because the show had to go on and Selah [Johnson] was on stage. It was a challenge because none of us knew that person’s set directions. But we overcame it by jumping into action and saying, ‘All right, I’ll take over what you’re doing while you [go over here]. I’ve got you.’ Stepping in for one another is really important. And it’s really helpful to have a community that you can fall back on and is super supportive.
[LS]: [It was a] lot of just navigating the timing because it’s a big commitment. So just being able to manage my other extracurriculars and my work. … Overall, though, I was able to manage it.
What’s one thing you wish more people understood about the work the tech crew does?
[FS]: We are actually a big part of the production. I think you don’t realize it until you watch the show, maybe twice, that half of the work that goes on is us doing props, furniture and taking them off in the middle of a song, and even making barking noises backstage. It takes a lot of extra work. The lighting, the sound cues, the reason everyone has a microphone, the costumes [are] all made possible because of the crew.
[LS]: It’s a lot more work than people realize. I think it’s really the tech that makes the show run so smoothly. And I think just people don’t really understand how much work it is. For all the shows, the tech moves all the scenery and does quick changes, so I think, without that, the show wouldn’t have been moving as smoothly.
How did you coordinate with the cast and tech to keep everything running smoothly?
[FS]: A group chat. Just having communication methods to get in touch with everyone is super important. We’re constantly texting on it, saying, ‘Where is everyone? Will everyone be on time?’ And then someone will say, ‘Hey, I’m going to be five minutes late.’ And that’s just crucial so we can coordinate everything.
[LS]: It’s just a lot of emails, obviously, but it’s also a lot of talking face-to-face and being organized and confident in that communication. It’s all about reaching out to people and stuff like that.
What’s something you learned from this production that you’ll take into future shows?
[FS]: I think this past show was really stressful near the end, and it was over so quickly. And, as I’m getting older, there are less and less shows for me [to do]. I really wish I would have taken a step back and taken a breath and just been in the moment because … it is supposed to be fun. It’s really the most wonderful time of the year for me.
[LS]: I learned a lot [about] leadership and feeling comfortable, being assertive and being confident in making sure everything gets done the way it needs to.
If a student is thinking about joining the tech crew next year, what advice would you give them?
[FS]: Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it. We never have enough people, but there’s always something to do — there’s always something to keep you busy, it’s super fun, you get to work and take a break. Plus, we’re going to need you because all of the seniors are leaving, so sign up.
