A senior stage technician is graduating from OCU with a wide array of experience.
Sydney Bryan, design and production senior, hails from Grand Prairie, Texas. Bryan has been involved in the performing arts for most of her life, but she found her passion for tech more recently.
“I started acting when I was five, if you want to go back that far, but it was my sophomore year of high school that I got into the tech side of theater,” Bryan said. “I started staying after school and helping build the sets. Then I became a stage manager, and that was when I fell in love with the backstage side of tech.”
Since discovering stage management in high school, Bryan has worked with multiple professional companies.
“I’ve been assistant stage manager and stage manager for the Oklahoma City Ballet for their production of “The Nutcracker.” For two years, we toured to Colorado, so that was really fun,” Bryan said.
Bryan also worked as a carpenter for Music Theatre Wichita from 2018-2019 and was hired as the assistant stage manager for their season in 2020, which was canceled due to COVID-19.
In addition to stage management, Bryan works in many different areas of technical theater.
“I’ve been a carpenter in the shop for three and a half years, and I’ve been assistant technical director and technical director for a bunch of shows here as well,” Bryan said.
Bryan has participated in many shows at OCU. she was stage manager for “The Laramie Project” and “Silent Sky,” assistant stage manager for “Crazy for You,” “Three Sisters” and “Sister Act,” technical director for “Spamalot” and “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and assistant technical director for “The Wolves.” She also participated in the OCU speech and debate team.
Bryan said after graduation, she plans on getting more professional work.
“My plan pre-COVID is definitely ruined now,” she said. “I’m not trying to do grad school or anything, just hopefully getting a job of some sort.”
Bryan said working in a male-dominated field can be difficult.
“I’ve been really fortunate to work with some upstanding men who are conscious of the fact that I am in a male-dominated industry. I’ve really lucked out so far, but I have definitely encountered some other people who are not quite as upstanding,” she said. “I’m sure it will get more interesting as I leave the educational environment.”
Kat Shehan, design and production junior, said she admires Bryan’s dedication to the arts.
“Her work ethic is crazy,” Shehan said. “She is constantly doing something, and she’s a double emphasis which is already a huge workload.”
Shehan said Bryan does a great job at what she loves.
“You’re doing great, don’t let the man get you down,” she said.
Bryan said other female technicians should continue to fight and be proud.
“Don’t back down. Find your voice and stand up for yourself first and foremost,” Bryan said. “Don’t let someone tell you that you can’t just because you’re a woman.”
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