It's a busy time for students preparing for the fall production of “The Crucible,” which opens Nov. 19.

While audience members often leave student performances thinking, “My, oh my, those actors acted quite well,” few patrons truly know how much time and effort go into the production itself, theater students said.

The process of choosing a cast alone is intense. Director and theater teacher Ms. Pannell picks the cast based on both talent and seniority.

While many students nervously try out in high hopes that they will get a lead part, or even a simple walk-on role, relatively few names end up being posted on the long-awaited list eventually taped to the theater room door.

There is little time between the celebration of seeing one's name on the cast list and the first read-through. Rehearsals begin soon, leaving little time for actors to do much else outside of their two-hour commitments after school for four days a week.

“I was really excited when I found out we were doing ‘The Crucible,'” said Daryne Romero, a sophomore and student assistant director. “It's a nice change and is very different from last year's musical hit, ‘The Beauty and the Beast.' The play has so much potential and it really shows in rehearsals.”

As hard as the directors and cast of about 20 students are working, they are not the only group of people shedding their blood, sweat and tears to ensure this fall's production is a success. The folks behind the scenes — known as “techies” — work just as hard to make sure that the set looks authentic and everything runs as smoothly as possible.

“Being a techie is very different from being an actor,” said Charlesice Hawkins, a senior and Tech-Master of 2009. “The actors have the whole play to shine and do their thing, and if they mess up, sometimes they can fix it. Techies have about 30 seconds during the show to do their job, and to do it right. It's one shot, and then the actors go on again.”

Though the techies do not have rehearsal every day of the week like actors, their schedule packs in as much work in a different time frame. During the four Saturdays before the play, the techies gather in the theater for six-hour sessions to plan, build and produce.

“‘The Crucible' has a fairly simple set, all considering,” said Kathy Karstens, stage productions and techie instructor. “This is very good news because a lot can be done with it, but at the same time, it's nice because we have a lot of new techies this year, so they can learn. It's a long process, and the last three weeks consist of actors and techies working together at rehearsals, but I truly love working with these kids.”

Tech run-throughs, which come at the end of the rehearsal process, are the craziest periods for actors and techies alike. While the techies have to time lighting, sounds and curtain cues, actors must learn to be patient and work with those around them. It's no longer just them on stage, but props and members of the crew as well.

The cast and crew are working nonstop to make sure “The Crucible” is all it can be.