In second grade, Ally Newman, ’24, and their mom went to see Disney On Ice and was mesmerized. But not by the skaters. Ally’s attention was intensely focused on the people
they could see moving about in the shadows.
“I asked my mom who they were,” Ally said. “She had theatre tech friends in college and was able to explain the role of the tech crew. I immediately wanted to be one of them.”
In 2019, when Ally began attending BT, the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically limited options for participating in theatre. So Ally began looking for opportunities outside of
school. Age restrictions limited where Ally could work, but eventually they found PACE (Pottawattamie Arts Culture Entertainment) who partnered with Chanticleer Community
Theatre and Ally joined the tech crew for their performance of The Music Man.
In many ways, Ally is a typical senior. They have homework that they work on in between classes and late at night, they participate in BT theatre and on the Science Olympiad team, and they spend hours imagining what next year will hold and how it will serve as a building block to their future.
In other ways, they are very unique. For the past two years, Ally has been an apprentice at Omaha Community Playhouse, often starting their day with classes at BT, heading to the playhouse in the afternoon, where they often work until 10:00 pm. They have also been taking classes at Metro Community College and, by August 2024, will have completed their associate’s degree in applied science for theater tech.
Ally found avenues outside of school to pursue technical theatre, while BT administrators found unique ways to offer programming that would support their passion. Even when enrollment was low, BT offered Technical Theatre so they could explore this interest on campus. That foundation, plus accessing additional programs beyond school, empowered Ally to excel in areas they love.
“BT helped me realize this is a viable career path and has helped me leverage my experience in advocating for new opportunities,” Ally explained.
Ally was the first student to run the soundboard for an entire show at BT and has explored other aspects of working behind the scenes such as props through BT’s programming.
“BT has exposed me to many different paths my tech career could take and has been supportive in helping me realize my goals.”
In addition to supporting Ally in class, BT has worked hard to support their passion off campus as well. For example, Dean of Students Meg Harms worked with Ally and their family to ensure their BT classes were in the mornings, so that they could be at Omaha Community Playhouse in the afternoons for their apprenticeship.
When asked what advice they would give other students looking to follow the same path, Ally offered, “Don’t let people convince you into the spotlight. It’s okay to be backstage. The show can’t run without you.”
Ally's Vision Board
What was your favorite show to work on at BT?
Disney’s Descendents (fall 2022) - It was the first musical for which I ran the soundboard.
What was your favorite non‑BT production to work on?
A Christmas Carol at Omaha Community Playhouse. I worked with adults who have day jobs and still love theatre and continue to do it in their spare time. I also met people who signed on for some extra money and found along the way that they love doing theatre.
What is your dream show to work on someday?
Any Broadway show ON Broadway.
What is your favorite show you’ve seen?
Love Never Dies - it was the first show that made me want to pursue theatre tech as a career.
