Nyla Whyte is a freshman communication major with a focus in digital media from Pembroke Pines, FL.
When I was 15 years old, my father sent my mother and I on a trip to New York City. It was my first time leaving Florida, so it was a pretty big deal for me. Our itinerary was filled with all of the major tourist sites: the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and the Metropolitan. My mom and I planned the trip on our own, but the one thing my dad was adamant about was watching a play on Broadway. He left me in charge of choosing the play and I chose “Wicked.”
If you don’t know, “Wicked” is a musical that follows the story of “The Wizard of Oz” from the perspective of the witches. As I sat during the show’s intermission, my eyes began wandering. No longer wrapped up in the story, I started to notice the hidden behind-the-scenes elements of the show. The orchestra and conductor just underneath the main stage, the sound and lighting directors sitting in the rafters. Even the obvious components, like the background dancers moving props and set pieces to transform the set from scene to scene stole my attention away from the story on occasion. The set was beautiful and the show was utterly captivating. Everything about the play was thought out. The music, the costumes, even the lighting was intricately detailed.
I was entranced. I had never seen anything like it before. Seeing how the crew and the performers were all able to move together seamlessly and put on a show successfully even with so many moving parts was inspiring to me. As dramatic as it sounds, watching this musical changed me. It was like a craving had washed over me. Suddenly, I was itching to be a part of a project like that.
Seeing this musical drew me to the field of production. Before then, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life or where I wanted to go with my future career, butwhile watching that show, I saw a world of opportunities before me. I saw all the different aspects of the show that had been so carefully tailored down to the smallest of details and I knew that there was a person behind each one of those details. Behind every musical cue, every practical effect and every prop, there was a job and that job could be mine.
I realized that I’ve always had a habit of finishing a movie or a show and then watching the behind-the-scenes clips from the filming process and I’ve always liked working with a team and the feeling that comes with finishing a project that took time and effort to prepare. That’s when I knew that working on a set could be a legitimate career choice for me. Today, I’m working my way towards a degree that will allow me to pursue that career and I don’t think I’d be on this track if I hadn’t watched that play.
