Lurking in the depths of the NHS scene shop looms a X foot beast. A giant wooden rabbit.

    This rabbit is an essential prop for the upcoming production of Spamalot. The technical difficulty of Spamalot is much higher than the past productions of NHS. The props, sets and costumes that are needed require more work than any show put on by NHS before.

    “This is the most complicated show we’ve ever done as far as technically and even choreographically [and] musically,” director Debbie Wittstein said.

    Almost all of of the stage equipment and props are stored in the scene shop, which is constantly gaining more pieces.

     “Every time I come in [the scene shop,] there’s something new,” Wittstein said.

    Multiple factors contribute to the difficulty of this production, such as the size and quantity of props. Senior Jake Jordan has worked on set design in the past for both Godspell and Lost in Yonkers.

    “This is a lot bigger. There’s a lot more stuff to it. There are more complicated parts and bigger parts,” Jordan said.

    Sophomore Kristin Wentz is new to Theatre Production class, but participated in the middle school equivalent of it, Stage Crew.

    “In middle school you had to do everything,” Wentz said. “You have to do painting, props and getting involved with everything. [In high school] you get to work with a better set, better actors and a better production in general.”

    Assistant producer Greg Richards teaches Theatre Production. The block one class is responsible for building the sets and props for Spamalot.

     “Stage production has been working for eight weeks at least,” Richards said.

     Props being built for Spamalot must be able to have certain functions and come onto stage in specific ways.

     “This is pushing the limit,” Richards said, gesturing around the cramped scene shop. “We’ve had to build a lot more for this. Like trees, clouds, tables, boats. Props that fly in from above, props that come in from the side. Just a lot more specialty props.”

    Spamalot was selected for this years production because of its difficulty.

    “We thought it would be a good challenge,” Richards said.

    Spamalot was also selected because of the talent that is already present at NHS.

    “It’s a play that’s well suited to the voices that we know we have,” Richards said. “[When we choose a play,] it has to match musically what the orchestra can do, it has to match vocally what our vocalists can do, it has to match what we’re able to make in the scene shop.”

    For the past eight weeks, Theatre Production students have been designing and building props in preparation for Spamalot. The class hopes that audiences enjoy the props that they have worked so hard on.