For many years, Daniel Czypinski has been the technical director of the Carlsbad Cultural Arts Center, working close with both the technical theater students and Mrs. Hall. Czypinski had to put in more than the budgeted 40 hours a week to maintain the theater and fulfill his responsibilities, working very hard to ensure the theater and shows run smoothly.

Unfortunately, the district had to cut budgets and Czypinski decided to leave his position in  order to find a better job and get payed for the extra effort he puts in. This left Mrs. Hall and the technical students of the CAC  to operate the lights and sounds themselves.

“Mrs. Hall is more in charge of the actors,” senior Zandra Mikhael said. “She has an idea of how to do the lights, but it’s Dan who helps program the lights and effects. Now, she has to take charge in running both classes, while we are left to figure out how to do the technical production without an instructor. We know how to do it, but it’s just more difficult without our teacher and our friend.”

Even without a technical leader, the first show of the year, “Metamorphoses,” staged by the Advanced Theater class, was a huge success. Containing an array of Greek mythologies with With Greek mythology storylines ranging from love to death, “Metamorphoses” was well-executed; the actors captured how Greek gods treat humans for their wicked behaviors while the power of love changes and makes people grow.

The production of the show was also very creative. The set was made from several raised platforms surrounded by pillars and in the center was a pool. By using lights and plastic, the production crew made the pool reflect as if it were filled with water.

Sound effects also played an important role in the show; there was soft music that related to each character to accent emotions and help the audience get into the mood of the play. This was all created by just the dedication of the production crew without their instructor.

“It definitely took more time than it should have,” Zandra Mikael said. “Without Dan, programing the show, such as simple lighting, takes more time without his expertise.”

For this year’s Advanced Theater production, the old line “the show must go on” was never more true, but the tech crew definitely had a huge hurdle to overcome.

“We are just trying to make art, and we do not want to be punished by the politics of the district,” senior Aidan Bach said. “Mrs. Hall used to have Dan as a student, so it really is a big loss. He was a great guy and we have all lost a good friend in the CAC.”