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Carolina Camera, hobbyist and stage manager

Writer's picture: medievaltimesmedievaltimes
By Jordan Scott

Carolina Camera surrounded by crew and cast celebrating a successful production of "Bye Bye Birdie"
Carolina Camera surrounded by crew and cast celebrating a successful production of "Bye Bye Birdie"

From an outside perspective, Carolina Camera seems like just another student at Rialto High School, but she plays a pivotal role in one of the school’s most prominent organizations.


Camarena is a grade 11 junior and stage manager for the Rialto High School Broadway Knights in charge of the production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” This is one of many possible student responsibilities at Rialto, but her responsibilities differ in that she is tasked with jobs like assisting the director, Ms. Wolf, with writing down the blocking for the show. This involves making sure all the actors know where they need to be and when.


In addition to this, Camera is responsible for keeping track of both cast and crew while helping whenever possible. She ensures clear communication to make sure the show goes as smoothly as possible throughout the entire timeline leading up to and during the show. This takes several months and hours of rehearsal, during which she has to know the ins and outs of every scene to ensure a proper, effective rehearsal.


Camera states, “The hardest thing about being a stage manager is having to learn how to just roll with things. I am a person who likes to have control of what’s happening, but with theater, things will always go differently.”


Her job demands organization, flexibility, and, most importantly, patience for many things that could go wrong in a large production.


She says the most difficult production she’s done is “Bye Bye Birdie,” a musical performed last year. It was her first time managing a large-scale production, and she described the whole thing as a “very trying journey.”


An effort that doesn’t go underappreciated by many members of both the cast and crew, as described by sophomore Sonny Rodarte, Camera is “a very safe and inviting person. She’s great to work with—very helpful and nice about things.”


But Camera doesn’t say her job is without its pros. At the end of production, Camera’s favorite part is seeing everything come together and seeing “how so much hard work can make a story come to life.”


Camera has a deep history with the theater department, this being her third year in it, but her love for theater didn’t originate at Rialto High School. She’s always had a love and passion for productions ever since childhood, stemming from her parents raising her on movies like “Grease” and often taking her to productions and TV tapings.


These early experiences with theater have been an important part of who she is today.

However, Camera’s time is managed not just with theater in mind. She has also undertaken the additional responsibilities of her first AP class, Pre-Calculus, which comes with its own difficulties.


She says that so far, she’s been able to find the time to study and prepare for tests while still fulfilling her duties as stage manager.


Camera also occupies her free time with many hobbies outside of the theater to unwind and help pass the time, including sewing, singing, and baking. She tries to live life to the fullest, enjoying each hobby she does, and is happy exploring new possibilities whenever she gets the chance to learn something new.


It’s a difficult balance for her to manage between theater and life outside of it, but she keeps up with her classes by prioritizing important tasks whenever possible, whether that be during school or in the time she has after rehearsals and show days.


Camera says that if not for theater, she would likely be doing ballet folklórico. But regardless, she is content where she is and hopes to see the theater continue to improve.



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