Guest Contributor, Cornelius Barber

Lauren Naff, a senior design and production major, is ready to help Emory & Henry’s upcoming musical “Spring Awakening” come to life. Naff is working as the stage manager on the production.
This will be Naff’s second stage managing position while being at Emory & Henry. Her job consists of many tasks that ensure the rehearsal process and show run smoothly.
“I’m coordinating their schedules, their rehearsals, what we are doing in rehearsals. I lead weekly production meetings with all the designers on board to make sure everything is on track to produce the show come the end of October,” she said.
Naff is focused on helping to put together something beautiful on stage.
“Working on a process where people are getting to create, everyone brings something to the table, and everyone takes ownership to what they bring to the table, so much that it all fits like a beautiful puzzle,” Naff said.
She excitedly spoke on the process that is taking place to help get the current musical ready for performance.
“We have choreographers coming in from our partnership with the Barter. We have an intimacy choreographer coming in to do private rehearsals with the actors that need to be in those types of scenes, and we’re learning how to speak the language and make sure everyone’s boundaries are respected,” she said.
Additionally, Naff says she enjoys her time in the theatre and being goofy with her fellow crew and the actors.
“We get to giggle and laugh about these awkward things. One of the songs is called ‘My Junk,’ so when we need to clean up this scene, we ask ‘What scene?’, and we have to say, ‘My Junk!” Naff shared. “So it’s moments like that where we are like this is where we are and we get to say these things.”
Naff is grateful for the learning experience she’s had while a student at E&H’s theatre department.
“Through our classes, we’re taught to look at things with a design aspect. When I read a book or watch a movie I’m thinking of their lighting or their design aspect because of all the classes we take,” she explained

Naff and the E&H theatre department will perform “Spring Awakening,” their first musical of the year, on Oct. 24.