For Naduni Chandrasena, joining theatre had been something she’d wanted to do for a while, but it wasn’t until her friend, Kylie Vo, stage manager, encouraged her to give it a try that she decided to enter the world of theatre. 

“[Vo] really helped me take that step, and I’m so glad I did,” Chandrasena said. 

As a crew member, Chandrasena’s job is to help build sets, lend a hand whenever she’s needed and do her best to support the set lead and team. Chandrasena makes sure everything looks and functions the way it should, bringing the world of “Alice by Heart” come alive. 

What the audience sees in the final performance is the polished result of hours of unseen effort from the crew. The dedication the sets team puts into the production is remarkable, from ensuring cots can handle the actors dancing on them to making sure that the circle flat stays perfectly balanced. The sets team constantly repairs items to guarantee everything is up to date and maintains its build for rehearsals and the show. 

“I don’t think the audience realizes just how much effort goes into making even the smallest details look good and function safely,” Chandrasena said. “There’s a lot of unseen work behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly.”