Students Katie Dawson and Nicole Morelli trace lighting in the Van Duzer. The 18 page document prepared by HSU Theatre, Film & Dance is officially called "Technical Specifications" but is known as the Tech Rider. It is also posted online. It includes information including maps of the campus and surrounding area, the Theatre Arts Building and the theatre spaces to be used (Gist, Native American Forum) as well as details of the Van Duzer that visiting producions will need to know: size and depth of the stage and wing space, and all the backstage details. Like the fly system ("Lineset #41 (the 5th Electric) is 53’-10” long and 2” in diameter; Line set #42 is 53’-4” long and 2” in diameter; Both are motorized”) and the details of the light and sound systems, with the capabilities available to festival productions. For example, “The lighting rep plot will consist of 14 areas with 6 basic lighting systems per area: 2 McCandless front systems, 2 down-light systems, and a high-side system on both SR and SL.” Got it?

HSU theatre professor Bernadette Cheyne, involved in running the acting auditions this year, was chair of what was then the Theatre Arts department during the last festival at HSU. “It’s an extraordinary opportunity for students to share their work with others from seven states, to have their work evaluated, to see what others are doing and go to amazing workshops,” she said.

“Besides," she added, "it’s fun.”