The Stage Lighting and Sound Team (SLST) is one of the most active clubs available at the Royal Grammar School. The team is made up of around 20 students, from Year 9 and above, and is led by 3 members of staff who deal with supervising events, organising activities and purchasing new equipment.
The members of staff also organise visits to see West End shows and trade events around the country. The day-to-day running of the team is carried out by 2 ‘team prefects’ from Year 13, each specialising in either Lighting or Sound. The prefects ensure the safety and well-being of all team members, as well as being the first point of contact for any member who wishes to discuss anything about the team or general school life.
The main objective of the SLST is to provide technical assistance for all functions in and around the school, as well as outside lettings when requested. This includes providing lighting and sound for assemblies every day in the Queen’s Hall, sound for special 6th form assemblies in the canteen area and projection equipment for certain meetings. The team also provides the lighting and sound for every musical concert, recital, play or drama production in the school. Whether this is in the Queen’s Hall, the Drama Studio or the Quadrangle. Students from every year-group are given the opportunity to operate either lighting or sound for these events, without the need to specialise until Year 11.
The ‘main house’ rig in the Queen’s Hall is one of the largest and best-equipped state school technical rigs in the country. This is partly due to the superb funding from the Parents’ Association which allows the team to purchase new technology and fixtures as well as keep a large stock of spare lamps for all of the in-house lanterns. However, the team is also involved in designing, manufacturing and implementing our own equipment. The latest project undertaken by the team was a fully-integrated ‘standby, acknowledge, go’ Cue Light system with 8 stations positioned around the Queen’s Hall.
The main focus of the team is obviously to provide technical support and assistance for all events on the school site, but teamwork and friendship are also large priorities. Boys from all year groups are encouraged to take part in as many events as possible to become acquainted with the technical systems and also get to know the other boys on the team. To build on the friendship bonds made within the team, the technical Gallery is open every break and lunch time to give students a place to eat their lunch whilst chatting to their friends on the team. This also gives boys in the lower year groups a chance to get to know the prefects in charge of the team.
"Fun and enjoyment are the two words which spring to mind when I look back at my time in the SLST. I don’t think there was ever a dull moment at lunch time on Gallery and I’ve left the team with a group of friends that I will never forget. It has also given me a vast amount of experience; not only on the technical side, but also working as part of a team, and, eventually being given the opportunity to lead the team. I can honestly recommend joining the SLST to anyone who has an interest in technical theatre, is willing to learn a huge amount and wants to have a lot of fun along the way."
- Former Team Prefect