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Niki Acton '16 is master electrician for "The Secret in the Wings"

Rep Term Students Hard At Work

Pictured above, Joel Schleicher '19 reviews a model for the set of  The Secret in the Wings, Niki Acton rehearses a scene from the same play.

Niki Acton '16, a senior majoring in creative writing and theatre, came into Rep Term with several directing credits at Knox as well as national recognition for her playwriting. She has two big production assignments—assistant director for Neverwhere and master electrician for The Secret in the Wings. She also has a character role in The Secret in the Wings.

"The way that the term is structured, my technical work on lighting didn't start until the sixth week," said Acton. "Up until that point, I was working with the actors every afternoon."

Acton believes that Rep Term's academic focus is especially valuable for students interested in further work in theatre.

"Our designs for sets, lighting, and costumes are more interesting because the artistic choices are always based on text analysis," she said. "How do we manifest that character in what the actor will wear? It's another way of looking at the text."

In the midst of what Acton describes as a "whirlwind," Rep Term also reinforces the truth that theatre is a team effort.

"It's not about your work as an individual. It's a lot more about being a part of a company," she added. "I really feel that I've been a part of something bigger than myself."