Rep Talk: Making magic on The Woman in Black

'The Woman in Black' sound technician Shaelie Kreymbourg and lighting technician William May. Photo / Dee Brough

Meet the wizards who’re making the magic happen. Wizards? Magic? Yes indeed, for Shaelie Kreymbourg and William May are the sound and lighting technicians creating the atmosphere in Repertory Theatre’s latest production, The Woman in Black.

Shaelie relocated to Whanganui from Auckland, where she worked as the audio, lighting and sound technician at SkyCity.

“In the lockdown, Auckland was like a ghost town. I went past SkyCity and the doors were chained and padlocked.” She’s pleased she chose to return to Whanganui to be with her mother.

William May, who originally hails from the Bay Area of San Francisco, has been in New Zealand for 14 years. He’s acted as our sound technician for several shows, but now he’s learning another aspect of theatre, lighting, mentored by Jim Ennis.

“It’s more complicated than it seems,” he says. ”It’s all pre-programmed, but you have to create the programme first, and there are 50 different lighting cues for this play.”

Normally, the sound and lighting technicians begin their rehearsals well after the actors, but with The Woman in Black, the techies have been at work since the first rehearsal, the lighting and sound effects being so crucial. I’ve noticed a big difference between the early rehearsals and the more recent ones, where the eerie atmosphere is very convincing.

It’s the edge-of-your-seat suspense. Don’t miss it!