Introducing the New Sport on Campus: Musical Theater

This semester, Harvard’s actors, directors, musicians, and everyone in between will spend thousands of hours preparing their shows for the campus community. The three musicals in the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club lineup for the fall 2026 season include “Into the Woods,” directed by Riley Jackson ’27; “Ride the Cyclone,” directed by Leonard Walletzký ’29 and Jolana Kampfová ’28; and “Dear Evan Hansen,” directed by Ava Della Pietra ’27. From the outside, viewers will only see perfected vocals, stunning sets, and immersive props. But what really goes into production? What hides behind the curtains?

Acting is one of the first things we think of when we think of theater—it is what we see on stage, after all. However, live performances rest on a crucial, unseen component: rehearsals.

Different shows necessitate distinct preparation. The first few weeks are focused on the basics: table reads, partner work, and choreography. As opening night approaches, shows enter “residency weeks,” or rehearsals in the official performance space. Residency weeks include tech week, a period of intense review that leads up to show week. During this period, the production team can choose to spend more time on character development or go straight into blocking. Specific roles like stage managers handle scheduling, while the cast memorizes lines and brings the script to life. And finally, after an arduous yet collaborative few months, the curtain rises.

An Actor’s Process

Nailing a character’s personality and development is arguably one of the most important aspects of a show; without a strong cast, the script falls apart. Harvard’s actors are no strangers to this tenet of their craft—but it is easier said than done.

Although he is a first-year, Jack McCarthy ’30 received the titular role in “Dear Evan Hansen.” Though rewarding, this principal part is incredibly demanding, especially in a musical like this. “Evan is a very difficult role because he’s sort of an anti-hero, kind of unlikable, and then he’s also extremely awkward and socially anxious. So developing fidgets or just, I guess, building the character [is my favorite part] because he is a character who’s so different than me, and also needs to be so specific and intentional,” McCarthy told the “Harvard Independent.”

And Evan comes to life not only through his lines but also through his ballads. “[Evan] doesn’t really leave the stage at all and sings a lot, very high, so it is definitely hard,” McCarthy added. “It is very tenor vox, and I am more of a baritone that can sing those notes sometimes, so it’ll definitely take a lot of training.”

Consistent practice and careful attention to Evan’s character development were thus critical. “I want to get the whole show memorized earlier rather than later, so that’s not a stressor and they are so ingrained that they just, sort of, come out without me having to think about them,” McCarthy said. “I also do a lot of things to keep my voice healthy, so hydration is really important. I steam with hot steam and do some other stuff too. So that’s all stuff I am really into. I am super interested in vocal health.”

Once tech week starts, the rehearsal pace ramps up. Lines must be memorized, voices prepared, and every aspect of one’s role perfected.

“So far we’ve done mostly character workshops with the directors and music rehearsals to really get down the notes,” Anabel Ruthledge ’30, who plays Little Red Riding Hood in “Into the Woods,” said to the “Harvard Independent.” “Character workshop is so important because you are kind of breaking down what she wants in the show, but also before the show, you are coming up with your own backstory, like why does she act the way she does.”

The People Behind the Scenes

Though away from the spotlight, a show’s operations and tech team are arguably just as essential as the principal cast. Theater demands collaboration and conversation, as far more people are on a team than one sees on stage. Each embraces a defined set of responsibilities, from lighting and sound to set design or makeup, to ensure a smooth show run (and that their actors’ extensive preparation is not in vain).

Think of the stage manager as the puppeteer behind the entire production. Stage managers clarify group availability to create one central rehearsal schedule, don a headset on show day, and take hundreds of aspirin before the final curtain call.

“Stage managing is notoriously probably the hardest role in the production,” Walletzký, co-director of “Ride the Cyclone,” told the “Harvard Independent.” “You have to keep track of everybody’s schedules … and the second part is you have to run the show. Like you are the one backstage, responsible for calling all cues for saying when everything goes on.”

The director shares much of the behind-the-scenes burden with the stage manager—and receives much of the credit. The director’s name is front and center on promotional posters and playbills. “As a director, I think you touch almost kind of like every single part of the production,” Walletzký said.

In musicals in particular, the director brings the paper script to vibrant life through a delicate balance of dialogue and vocals. And their role starts long before actors or a full technical team is formed.

“Since summer, we’ve started building a turntable, which is the main part of our production,” Walletzký said.

“For musicals, there are so many moving parts, so you want to get started as soon as possible. I think there is no time to waste,” Kampfová added. “You’re basically driving this train that is simultaneously a plane and a helicopter, and you want to get to its destination, but also at the same time have to build the tracks. There’s just a lot of moving parts, and it’s your job to make sure that they all fit together in a way that makes sense.”

Despite this effort, Walletzký and Kampfová would not change the process; ultimately, they enjoy the hard work.

“You always get to talk to everybody and distill their amazing ideas, and finally, together through these conversations, you end up at a product,” Walletzký added.

Theater is a team sport; even the most talented person cannot do it alone.

Alongside the stage manager and director is the producer. “I definitely think my favorite part of tech producing is watching all the different designers come together with their ideas. Every meeting we kind of do a recap of where everybody’s at, what their ideas are, what their progress is,” said Natalie Mosakowski ’29, the technical producer of “Ride the Cyclone” and the assistant lighting designer for “Into the Woods.”

Show Time!

This long, difficult process culminates in the show days.

“Into the Woods” will run from Oct. 28 to 31, “Dear Evan Hansen” from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, and “Ride the Cyclone” from Nov. 5 to 8.

If you’re wondering how to make time for theater amid coffee chats and Lamont, keep this in mind. Supporting live arts is central to life and society, especially as film competes with theater. Theater encourages connection and empathy in this increasingly digital world. Moreover, theater offers something film cannot: every performance is different. Actors improvise, mess up, trip over a prop, and still bring their script to life. It is a testament to perseverance and love for one’s craft.

So come, laugh at the funny productions or cry during the tragic ones, and most importantly, come to support the actors and the crew!

Walletzký offers a concluding sentiment: “That this world that you create and that hopefully the audience will then enjoy and see for what it is.”

Anna Gunko ’30 (agunko@college.harvard.edu) is comping the “Harvard Independent” and a theater kid.