SING! 2026 Features

Cast

By Anna Schaible

Every year, the cast of SING! takes center stage, dazzling the crowds with their acting and singing talents. However, no cast would be the same without their directors: their leaders who, beyond just assigning roles, keep the crew organized, communicate with other crews, and make the entire show what it is. The wide berth of responsibilities handled by this crew makes directing an especially important role. 

Senior Cast Director Lily Huizingh felt confident in her ability to take on the role. She said in an email interview, “I’ve wanted to direct a theater production for a while, and after directing several film projects, I decided I had enough experience to try it out.” Huizingh has been a part of SING! since her freshman year, partaking in both the chorus and the cast. Outside of SING!, she also takes part in Stuyvesant Theater Community (STC) productions and the Treble Choir. This multi-faceted participation helped to prepare Huizingh for taking on such an expansive set of tasks.

Similarly, Junior Cast Director Marcus Markova spends a lot of time in theater, being a key member of STC’s Slate and taking part in every STC production since freshman year. While he agreed his past theater experience was helpful, Markova also echoed sentiments regarding the difficulty of meeting balance in the role, explaining in an email interview, “I’m the type of person to balance both the strict ‘meet the deadlines’ mindset [and] the need to have optimism.” He also stressed the importance of the crew in SING! as a whole, stating, “To me, the cast is one of the most important departments of the show because they ARE the show. Without them, the show can’t be done. I choose to direct cast due to how exciting the process is with preparing them for the show.” 

Sophomore and SophFrosh Cast Director Sasha Gogolin finds beauty in the role’s expansiveness, believing it brings a sense of fluidity. She said in an email interview, “It’s so creative. Everyone has so much personality and talent to bring to their roles, and it has been such a pleasure to work with them on bringing their own unique abilities into their characters. There’s a lot of creative power we hold over the show—in other productions, there are already more confined views of characters and how the plot should function, but SING! is really entirely original.” 

Freshman and SophFrosh Cast Director Leyan Cai furthered the idea of tiring scheduling, saying in an email interview, “Coordination between crews is a bit tough, but we get through it together.” Cai loves how SING! has introduced her to being part of theatrical productions, but she agrees it’s a challenging role to take on. “On days where we don’t have rehearsals, I choreograph at home and talk to Slate, tech, and other crews. We plan things out for scenes and reach out to cast members for important reminders,” she explained. “I think outsiders have a general understanding of what cast directors do, but I personally never imagined there would be so much communication going around.”

Indeed, these directors are the reason for the spectacular final performances by each cast every SING! season. Without them, chances are the entire school phenomenon would fall apart. Their dedication and persistence through difficult moments are the reason the audience keeps coming back year after year. 

Stage

By Anna Schaible

Shining behind the spotlight, the stage crews in SING! are responsible for keeping the show running smoothly by providing cues for all other groups. While an outside impression of the crew may be one of ease and unimportance, stage is the glue that holds not only each show, but the entire weekend together. 

Junior Stage Director Amani Kaushal became director after previously taking part in similar roles. Kaushal noted in an email interview, “I was assistant director of stage my freshman year and director of stage my sophomore year. I got involved because I joined stage crew for STC in the fall and wanted to continue that during SING!” She also explained how being part of the stage crew allows her to play a major role in the show without acting. Stage doesn’t have the same time commitments as other crews because of this, which is an enjoyable factor for members. “We don’t have too many meetings since most of our work is the day of the show,” Kaushal said.

 This gives the crew more time to help out with other aspects of the show and communicate with other directors. Notably, Kaushal has her members help with the Art department at least once a week, and organizes meetings when Junior SING! has access to the theater to practice the coordination they need to perfect by show time. 

Sophomore and SophFrosh Stage Director Claire Man, however, pointed out a key difficulty with the fewer after-school commitment times: it creates a very small timeframe to actually accomplish everything that needs to be done. She said in an email, “It can also be especially challenging for new members since you can’t really gain experience in stage crew without actually experiencing the show days for rehearsals…there actually haven’t been that many jobs for stage crew to do yet.” Man also explained that this may deteriorate an outsider’s understanding of her crew, even if they do play a major role come show day. “Yes, we aren’t building eight-foot-tall platforms, but I believe we still have a crucial part in successful shows. Every small aspect of each show actually has a lot of coordination behind it,” she said. 

Senior Stage Director Ariana Lin agreed that stage is crucial to the overall production and that she loves being the final piece that brings the show together. She said, “Stage is a crew that doesn’t get much of a spotlight on them, but it’s a crew that’s crucial to holding together the performances on the days of.” 

Overall, all the directors are looking forward to making new fond memories this upcoming SING! season. Whether it’s the final dance to a Junior SING! spirit song, cuing the band pit, or a multi-crew dinner party, memories of past SING! efforts are fodder for a new wave of grand performances. Indeed, regardless of the score outcomes, the valiant effort to keep everyone else together is a victory. 

Costumes

By Isla Broadbent

Loud and bright colors, wildly patterned fabrics, glitter, beads, the whir of a sewing machine—these are the ever-present sounds and sights of the costumes department, a time-consuming yet crucial part of SING!, exemplifying the unified dedication that goes into the annual productions. 

Highlighting the time commitment required as a costumes director, Senior Costumes Director Sophia Lin said in an email interview, “I don’t sleep until 5:00 a.m often to finish, and sometimes 6:00 a.m so we don’t fall behind.” Lin also stated that beyond physical assembly of costumes, the role as a director for the costumes department requires coordination: “We have to discuss with a lot of other crews about things like how does this costume reflect this character, how will the lighting not wash out this color, [and] how will the makeup match this costume.” 

Similarly, for the SophFrosh SING! costumes crew, the time commitments can be just as demanding. Sophomore Costumes Director Epshita Arien stated in an email interview that “doing costumes for SING! is a lot more work than it sounds like—we design the costumes for every single person that enters that stage, from the dance crews to the lead cast.”

This overall work for the costumes department, stated by both Arien and freshman Eleanor Low, is a key part of the SING! shows, however. “[The costumes] are a huge part of the visuals and are the first thing you take in about a character before they start speaking,” Arien said. 

Low echoed a similar sentiment and reflected further: “Costumes play a huge role in telling a story and offering hints about a character’s life and the mood of the plot,” Low said. Arien and Low seemed to agree that the costumes department is necessary to the overall storytelling that is achieved through visuals.

Despite the long nights and large amount of costumes that need to be sewn in the month of preparation, the costumes departments find time to have fun and unite together under their shared workload. “Everyone in the costumes department is connected by their love [and] curiosity for fashion design, and through that we are able to form these strong friendships,” Low explained.

Additionally, many members always return to costumes because of the welcoming atmosphere. “I got multiple statements from members in the past that a main part of why they’re rejoining is because they like the community here. I think it helps that the costume crew is also known for bringing in snacks,” Lin said.

Overall, the directors are looking forward to the end results, when their costumes get to be worn on stage by all members of the cast. Whether it’s through long nights or memorable bonding experiences, the SING! costumes department is without a doubt a true testament to not only the dedication required by those working behind the scenes, but also the fun of working and sharing snacks with others that share similar interests to you.

Hip-Hop

By Wenni Lu

Make way for one of the most adrenaline-inducing SING! crews, bringing the world of pop stars, the streets of Mardi Gras, and the romance of Paris to life: hip-hop.

Despite SING!’s many stresses such as long rehearsals and difficult work hours, hip-hop was still able to find unity and fun in their group. “[The members] know the line between when we need to be serious and when we can laugh it off. I think that balance makes the process a lot easier to streamline,” Senior Hip-Hop Director Rebecca He stated. Members often bond by dancing together and learning from each other. By having a welcoming and inclusive environment, directing and learning become a lot easier, especially among members with different levels of experience.

Hip-hop is full of stereotypes tied to masculinity and violence. Many may associate “hip-hop” with negative stereotypes and assume that hip-hop is exclusive to males. However, these assumptions are not true in SING!’s hip-hop crews. “I think people should be more open-minded when [they] watch hip-hop performances,” He asserted. 

This year, SophFrosh hip-hop has had to coordinate with Slate to be background dancers, which has proven to be a difficult task. “Slate does not want us to do super eye-catching movements because they want more attention to be on the cast, so I had to re-choreograph all the standout moves,” sophomore and SophFrosh Hip-Hop Director Lily Zhuo said.

The seniors have faced a similar issue. Communication is key amongst the various crews of SING! in order to prevent misunderstandings and keep the show running smoothly—the senior hip-hop directors were against the band playing “electronically” and “slickly” during their number, but Slate requested that their characters fit the mood of the scene. After directing in previous years, the seniors have realized what they should truly prioritize. “We really focused too heavily on our intervention on the storyline. And this year, we’re trying to focus on our choreography more,” He added.

Throughout these conflicts, the hip-hop directors hoped that the audience would gain the essence of hip-hop in SING!. “I just hope they think we do a good job and that they see us as a cohesive group that made an impact on the show,” Zhuo said. Despite blending in with the background as background dancers, SophFrosh hip-hop still serves an important role in carrying their storyline.

In addition to the plot, every member of hip-hop should be appreciated as well. “And, we have hopes for the future. I don’t personally have doubts in terms of any individual’s ability,” Senior Hip-Hop Director Wade Gao added. The hip-hop directors have trust in their members to carry the show to its highest potential.

Song

By Iman Nawaz

A performance at its heart is meant to be a sum of all its parts, which is where the magic of SING! lies: the backdrops, the actors, the scripts, the costumes, and the songs come together to create a harmonic piece of art worthy of recognition. Despite misconceptions, the songs used to elevate SING! are neither haphazardly thrown together nor randomly retrieved from the internet, but rather take meticulous hours of effort and planning to curate. 

“Songwriters are tasked with the job of rewriting the lyrics to existing popular songs that we use for SING!. We have to consider how the lyrics contribute to the plot and ensure anything mentioned in song lyrics does not violate the continuity of the story,” elaborated Junior Songwriter Richard He in an email interview. “When writing lyrics, an important consideration is to align the stressed syllables of the original and rewritten lyrics, otherwise the lyrics sound off.” 

The Song department personalizes each piece to match the vibe and plot of SING! performances. The sounds, rhythms, and rewritten lyrics circulating in the background are just as necessary for the progression of the story as the performers onstage. “If SING! used the original lyrics of songs, then they may not always apply directly to the story and feel awkward as a result [...] lyrics [have to be] both specific and natural in the context of the story,” added SophFrosh Songwriter Max Markus in an email interview. 

Beyond advancing the plot, songs establish mood and captivate the audience. “If the songs are compelling, the audience will be invested in the story. If the songs are written badly, the audience will lose interest,” stated He. 

Above all, the careful crafting of songs is a foundation of SING!’s storytelling. By aligning lyrics with the plot, mood, and rhythm, the Song department ensures that each performance feels cohesive and engaging, transforming individual elements into a unified production that resonates with both performers and audience alike.

Flow

By Florence Wu

Dazzling the audience with their spectacular display of lights and fast-paced movements, Flow transforms the pitch-black stage into a narrative of color. In a darkened auditorium, glow sticks slice through the air, creating extraordinary spirals and bursts of light. The performers, dressed in all black, boast floating rings, twirling staffs, and flashing fans that tell a narrative in perfect synchronization.

Choreographing a piece involves balancing creativity with structure. Junior Flow Director Kyle Garcia described how he transforms musical elements into his own creative piece in an email interview: “I usually take a lot of liberties and freedoms. I first brainstorm by analyzing the rhythm of the song, any particular instruments that seemed to pop, any sudden changes in tempo I can match, a type of style of staffing I can use that would work best, anything new that would work well with this song… After having a rough idea of what I want to do, I just end up freestyling to the section, feeling the song with my body and just sort of going with the vibes. After that, I incorporate the ideas I had first come up with during the brainstorming section and combine them with the freestyle parts. I usually end up making eight to 10 drafts of a choreo for a single section before I find one that I really like.”

When choreographing for a group, it’s important to consider the skill levels of members. “If members of different skill levels are put in the same section, we can create different choreography for each skill level within a section and adjust formations to make the section look cohesive and interesting,” Junior Flow Director Sheng Yue Huang said in an email interview. “Each prop will usually have a beginner and more advanced section, with the beginner section learning easier moves and the more advanced section learning harder moves.” This approach creates an inclusive environment, showing how careful planning can make complex choreography more accessible to everyone.

For Senior Flow Director Sonya Cisse, the opportunity to share this passion is what makes Flow and SING! so special. “I love seeing everyone’s hard work pay off in the end, and it’s super rewarding to hear the audience cheer for you. Flow itself is also in many ways cathartic and empowering, and the club means so much to me—performing gives me the chance to share this passion with the audience,” Cisse stated in an email interview. The stage transforms from a space for practice into one full of energy and euphoria, where every performer’s enthusiasm is felt throughout the entire theater.

For sophomore and SophFrosh Flow Director Iris Yang, the most rewarding part of performing isn’t applause, but the feeling afterward when endless hours of dedication finally pay off. “My favorite part about performing on stage is the feeling I get after I perform. It feels so gratifying when everything comes together and I understand that everything was worth all the time and effort that was put into it,” Yang stated in an email interview. 

The spirit of Flow is exemplified through the passion of its members—it’s a mix of creativity, community, camaraderie, and diversity that makes its crew so unique and every moment so memorable. While the lights and choreography captivate the audience, it is the people behind them who give Flow its true meaning. “The art of Flow is still super cool and rewarding, but I have never met a group of people as wild and fun and interesting (and somehow still introverted) as the people I meet in Flow,” Junior Flow Director Felicity Yu stated. Together, that shared energy and connection are what transform Flow from simply a performance into an unforgettable experience.

Lights and Sound

By Tiffany Wang

From the outside, Lights & Sound (L&S) seems like the quietest crew in SING!—tucked away in a booth all the way at the back of the Murray Kahn Theater, barely visible to the audience. But behind every perfectly timed blackout, every microphone cue, and every mood-setting spotlight is a tight-knit group of friends running one of the show’s most technically demanding operations. 

For SophFrosh L&S director Mia He, SING! is both a creative outlet and a challenge. “Theater has been a big part of my life since I was very young,” she said. He described SING! as a chance to express that love, “while also being able to lean into my competitive side.” 

Junior L&S Director Jonathan Hu found his way to the crew through a similar passion toward the technical side of theater. “After my first show, I realized I loved being behind the scenes—running the show without having to be on stage,” he wrote in an email interview. For Hu, the appeal was never about visibility. “I wanted to have an impact without being on stage. What we do—lights, sound effects, timing—can completely change how the audience feels,” Hu shared.

That impact comes with its own challenges and obstacles, with many directors pointing to one of L&S’s most persistent structural challenges: limited time in the booth. Because the crew cannot run cues in isolation—they need cast onstage, sets in place, and full rehearsals underway before they can meaningfully practice—much of their programming happens at home, on personal laptops, often late into the evening. Senior Lights Director Jasmine Liang noted the particular frustration of being dependent on other crew’s schedules: They can prepare as much as possible on their own, but they cannot truly rehearse until everyone else is ready. Senior Lights Director Nelson He added on, explaining another layer of complexity unique to L&S—understanding not just what is possible with the technology available, but also what’s not possible, and being able to articulate that clearly to producers and directors who might not share that same technical fluency. That specialized knowledge, he reflected, is something only the people in the booth can fully grasp—and passing it down is part of what gives the crew its continuity. The bond formed in that booth, show after show, is what keeps people there.

Media and Memory

By Tiffany Wang

Every SING! season, hundreds of moments flash by in real time—a cast member nailing a scene, a director laughing with their crew after a long day, and so much more. The job of Media and Memory (M&M) is to make sure none of that disappears. Working quietly across all three productions, M&M’s photographers, videographers, and social media directors continue to work tirelessly to preserve every memory from these precious few weeks. 

SophFrosh Social Media Director Dylan Galati wrote in an email interview about how the role grew out of a habit he once considered a waste of time. “I doom-scrolled for hours in middle school, and now I’m putting it to good use—helping with marketing,” he said. After managing social media for STC’s production of Treasure Island, Galati found himself genuinely excited about the work. He further explained how creating these reels and posts not only documents SING!’s progress but also contributes meaningfully by attracting audiences to watch the show. 

Working alongside Galati, SophFrosh M&M Director Anders Zernike approaches the crew’s mission with a filmmaker’s mindset. “I’m a firm believer in production quality and telling a story,” Zernike said. “You have all these people coming together to build one production and one great story—and I am honored to be able to tell that story.” For Zernike, the pressure of documenting something live and unrepeatable is ever-present. “You can’t mess up,” he said. “There’s no room for error. You need to have it down by show night.” 

Junior M&M Director Juan Ochoa Bravo has been with his crew since his very first SING! as a freshman. “I genuinely loved my time as a member,” he wrote in an email interview, “but I thought our crew had so much more potential.” This confidence is what drove him to apply for director, first as a sophomore and again this year. To manage creative freedom across a full team, Ochoa Bravo splits members into smaller, focused groups: one for photos, one for videos, and one for content creation. “We give our members their particular set of tasks, any guidelines or suggestions, and then let them complete the assignment however they wish,” he explained. The quality that holds everything together, he believes, is creative freedom itself. “It absolutely makes this crew seem less like a burden and more like a fun hobby,” he explained.

For Senior M&M Director Jerry Qiu, Media and Memory didn’t feel meaningful until his junior year—his first SING!. “Now, it is an event that I love because I get to meet new people and make new friends,” he wrote in an email interview. This year, he hopes to tell a genuine story through the final documentary, one that captures moments that are either unique or make someone laugh.

Senior and Qiu’s Co-Director Vanna Lei, who first experienced M&M as a freshman member and now serves as the Co-President of StuyCast, captured the crew’s philosophy, simply explaining that “all moments are worth remembering—but it’s really what looks good on camera and a picture you would look back upon and the story unfolds itself. A moment that brings back smiles and ‘I remember this.’”

Bolly

By Tiffany Wang

In the middle of a SING! performance—amid set changes, spotlights, and choreographed chaos—Bolly carves out something unique: a celebration of South Asian dance that is both traditional and entirely its own. Across all three productions this year, Bolly successfully brings Bollywood to Stuyvesant, blending cultural roots with modern energy in performances built entirely from scratch.

For sophomore and SophFrosh Bolly Director Sandipta Barai, the connection between this year’s SophFrosh SING! theme and their crew’s performance felt natural from the start. “Our song ‘What Jhumka’ is a modern Bollywood song,” Barai wrote in an email interview. “And the dance steps are also modern Bollywood steps—so it goes with the theme.” That alignment between theme and tradition gave the crew a clear creative anchor. Beyond the choreography itself, though, Barai described SING! as “the most creative competition,” one she loves precisely because “everything for SING! is done from scratch.”

Junior Bolly Director Jyotsna Agaram joined the crew for reasons that extended beyond dance. “My main motivation for being a Bolly director was to be part of Stuy’s South Asian community and meet more people,” she wrote in an email interview. From there, she discovered a genuine love for the style itself. “I got to learn this new style of dance, and I knew that I wanted to choreograph and expand my horizons.” For this year’s Junior SING! performance, Agaram and her co-directors set a clear intention: “We wanted to make the dance and song as upbeat and energetic as possible while also ensuring the dance stays traditional.” If the audience walks away remembering one thing, she hopes it’s not a specific move or formation—but rather a feeling. “I hope it’s the energy and the happiness that the dancers have.”

For Senior Bolly Director Sneha Puspa, this year feels especially personal. “This is my last SING!, so I’m definitely going big,” she wrote in an email interview. “I really want to try things I wasn’t able to last year.” Puspa has been a part of Bolly since her freshman year, initially drawn in by her love of dance and the kind of community the crew fosters. “I love the way it creates a tight-knit group,” she wrote, “but I also felt that there were elements I could improve through my choreography”—which is what ultimately inspired her to lead the dance crew. What has made that creative process possible, Puspa emphasized, is the crew itself. “My crew is so amazing and they always uplift each other,” she wrote. “Even when I give breaks, members still practice and help each other. They also give me great support and feedback, which is really useful when choreographing.” 

Beyond scheduling issues and the pressure of formations, what all directors across grade levels keep returning to is joy. Puspa, in her final year, summed it up simply: “I hope we are able to express the joy we get when performing—and it’s apparent to the audience that yes, we’re competing, but we’re having the best time doing it.”

Modern

By Tiffany Wang

When a group of dancers sweeps across the stage with soft lighting and graceful arms, you’ll know it’s Modern. This year, though, the crew is mixing elegance with daring tricks—and doing it with a surprisingly small team. SophFrosh Modern Director Angelica Pan wrote in an email interview that working with a smaller crew has been less of a challenge and more like a creative advantage. “A smaller crew has definitely allowed us to accommodate the strengths and weaknesses of each dancer, such as incorporating difficult tricks that they are able to do, or scaling down the difficulty for it to still look impressive but clean and safe,” she wrote. 

Junior Modern is even smaller—just two dancers. Director Ia Sofocleous is performing a duet with her co-director Angela this year, and what might sound like a constraint has turned into one of the season’s more freeing creative arrangements. “We finished choreographing much earlier than last year and now we’re left with a lot of time to clean the dance and practice tricky steps,” Sofocleous said in an email interview, noting that the smaller team allowed them to increase the difficulty of moves overall. What makes the partnership work goes beyond familiarity. “Angela's dance background is in rhythmic gymnastics while mine is in ballet, and this contrast makes for a nice blend of styles when we choreograph,” she explained. The two hold themselves to a simple but effective standard: they only add a section if both of them genuinely love it. Sofocleous also addressed the stereotype that Modern defaults to sadness. “Modern is often used for the sad and emotional scenes,” she said, “but with our role this year, we are going in a much different direction.” This year’s performance is “fun and even a little goofy at times,” she explained—something she hopes puts the audience in a good mood.
Senior Modern Director Eisei Kori brought a similar energy to his final SING! season, though with the added weight of it being the last time. “[My co-director and I] have been involved in the Modern community since freshman year,” he said in an email interview, “and as graduating seniors we wanted the opportunity to dance with our grade for the last time.” That seniority comes with higher expectations. “By now we are expected to know how SING! functions and what works and what doesn’t,” Kori reflected. One early challenge was building choreography around dancers with varying experience levels. “Many people joined without experience and we struggled in the beginning with teaching and creating choreo,” he said—a difficulty that required patience and flexibility from both directors. Like Sofocleous, Kori credited the strength of his co-directing partnership to a willingness to stay open. “While our styles of dancing are very distinct, we try to work together to blend our styles together cohesively,” he said. When it comes to what the audience takes away, Kori’s hope is vivid and specific: “we hope that the audience remembers our lifts as well as just how fast-paced our dance is overall.”

Art

By Tiffany Wang

Before a single actor even steps foot onstage, before the lights dim or the band plays its first note, the world of SING! already exists—painted by hand, panel by panel, across canvases that tower over the students who made them. Behind every finished backdrop, every carefully crafted color palette, and every detail that brings a bare stage to life is a huge, chaotic, tight-knit team working tirelessly behind the scenes to craft the world of their grade’s production.

For SophFrosh Art Directors Yubin Li and Claire Yang, the path to art crew started with a simple love of making things. Li wrote in an email interview that their biggest challenge so far has been the main canvas, which the crew decided to freehand this year. “There were some geometries that were hard to perfect,” he wrote. For Li, SING! isn’t just another STC production: “SING! is an important part of culture at Stuy that brings different creative minds together,” he wrote, adding that it was his first real introduction to theater design. “I probably wouldn’t have discovered how much I like theater design if I hadn’t joined.”

Yang, who had wanted to direct because of her love for the STC community and the welcoming environment she experienced as a freshman, described some obstacles that the crew faced so far. She explains in an email interview that designing the canvas background took the most trial and error. “Trying to figure out what to draw for the background of a stage when we’re already on a stage,” left Yang lost in ideas, she explained. For Yang, SING! is the production that she looks forward to the most each year, not only because of how large scale it is, but also for the chance to grow closer with her fellow crew members.

For Junior Art Director Si Xuan Lin, the sense of love and community is what keeps people coming back. In an email interview, Lin explained that she has worked on art crew since her very first STC show as a freshman. Seeing the finished sets on opening night, she said, “is enough to make up for the paint spills, brush washing, and long afterschool meetings.” As for obstacles, Lin pointed to the task of designing the crew shirts as one of the biggest challenges this year. “Coming up with a design that would encompass the entire show, its plot, and its theme is already pretty hard,” she wrote, describing many rounds of sketching, receiving feedback, and revisions before landing on a final version.

When asked about nightmare scenarios that could happen to their crew, all directors immediately pointed to paint spills. Lin described it as an annual inevitability. “It has happened every year, and at this point we are just preparing for it,” she wrote. Losing paint on a budget and a deadline is the kind of setback that’s hard to fully recover from.

As for stereotypes, all three directors had something to say. Lin pushed back on the idea that art crew members are somehow immune to the fumes they work with—or conversely, that they enjoy them. “Working with that much paint has conditioned us to be used to odd looking paint, weird smells, and straight up mold in the cans,” she wrote.

In the end, art crew’s work may fade into the background once the curtain rises, but without it, there would be no world for the story to live in. From freehanding massive canvases to reworking shirt designs and pushing through inevitable paint spills, the crew transforms blank space into something immersive and alive. Through the chaos, revisions, and late afternoons spent washing brushes, what stands out most is not just the art itself, but the community behind it—a group of students who turn creativity and teamwork into the foundation of SING!.

Props

By William Chen

From microphones to bloody marys to pains au chocolat, Props is the crew that literally places the world of SING! into the actors’ hands. Every object on stage has been designed, assembled, and painted by hardworking Props crews. What the audience sees as a small beignet is often the result of elaborate planning, trial and error, and teamwork. 

For Senior Props Director Ada Gordon, SING! season is deeply personal. “SING! season is easily one of my favorite months of the year. Although it can be quite stressful and takes a lot of time, once we get to the day of the show, I always feel that it was worth every 7:30 rehearsal, every frantic moment running to put things away, every late-night call and last-minute spreadsheet,” Gordon shared in an email interview. For Gordon, seeing the finished production is what makes SING! as rewarding as it is. “Getting to see every little section of the show come together, from the acting to the music to the lights to the sets, is nothing short of incredible, and the pride I feel in the work that my friends and I did is unlike anything else,” Gordon added. 

On the other hand, Senior Props Director Jayden Kuang described SING! season as a season of accountability. “SING! is definitely about commitment. Personally, SING! is a rare time of year where I really hold it to myself to show up; for my crew, for the general morale, for support and definitely for myself too,” Kuang said in an email interview.

Kuang joined Props crew as a member but stepped up in his senior year to challenge himself to direct. “I was in props for SING! sophomore and junior year, and both seasons of SING! were really enjoyable for me. I didn’t direct those years and that is not something I regret but this year, I really applied for fun and to challenge myself,” stated Kuang.

Similarity, Gordon first joined as a member but began directing Props in her sophomore year. “I’ve led props for the last few years, so it felt like the natural continuation for me to direct again,” she said. Even with a minor role in the cast, she still wanted to continue supporting Props. “I also wanted to play a role in props, in order to help this crew that I do genuinely care so much about. It’s really fun to be able to help bring the stage to life, and as someone who loves arts and crafts, this is the perfect way to do so!”

Still, Props has faced many challenges. “It’s been pretty hard to get people to join Props,” Gordon acknowledged. “Because [Props] is such a hands-on crew, we really need as many people as we can get, which is why this has been such an issue for us.” Time has also proved to be a major constraint for Props. “The time constraints were real, and they had a big effect on our work. With more time, we could’ve made a lot more props to fill the space, as well as putting more detail into the props we did make. As it happened, we definitely had to cut corners on a few things, and we had to just accept that a few things wouldn’t be perfect.”

Even small technical setbacks require quick thinking. “We tried making pastries for our show out of air-dry clay,” Kuang shared. “We realized that the clay cracks after drying and we could not use the rest of the clay that we got. We ended up having to swap out the clay for tin foil and paper instead, which isn’t as big of a setback as we thought it was, but now we have to figure out what to do with multiple unopened containers of clay.” The crew adapted, ensuring that Props remained successful and efficient.

Through the ups and downs, one quality stands above the rest. “We heavily rely on our members being present,” Kuang remarked. For Props, commitment is everything. Behind every yummy-looking pastry is a crew showing up, solving problems, and bringing the world of SING! to life.

Band

By Isha Rashid

William Chen is a Features Editor for The Spectator.

Brendan Tan is a News Editor for The Spectator.

Whether it’s sound effects, transition music, covering songs for dance crews, or playing background music to accompany the cast’s melodious singing, Band is the crew that ties the whole performance together, serving as the backbone of SING!.

For Junior Band Director William Chen, Band isn’t just a crew that plays music, but also a space for members to connect with each other and build lasting friendships. “SING! for me is a time where I can have fun with my friends, make new friends, and honestly just be in an environment that I enjoy,” Chen shared in an email interview.

Building coordination is crucial for Band, as every instrument plays a role when contributing to the music. “A band is collective, and we all need each other to succeed,” Chen stated. As a crew that is dependent on each other to produce the best outcome possible, it’s important that members have strong communication during the show.

For Senior Band Director Samuel Sunko, Band is like a second home: “Band is my crew, in more ways than one. I’ve had the privilege of working with the wonderful musicians in Senior Band for over three years and counting.” In Sunko’s experience, Senior Band is a crew that’s been working together since their freshman year—the chemistry among the team is essential when it comes to performing.

“The band’s spirit and unending high energy are most important—people are genuinely committed to band and motivated to do their part for senior SING!,” shared Sunko. Since they play all the music for the show, Band is a high commitment crew that requires dedication—all the time and effort seniors put into rehearsing makes it worth it in the end.

As a student-led organization, SING! is a collaborative effort that students spend countless hours on; as a result, people don’t always have the same vision. “One part that’s always somewhat frustrating is agreeing on song choice and execution with other crews. Every director has a different idea of what songs should be used, and it takes some work to work out compromises that suit everyone. This is a normal part of putting on such a big show, though, and only indicates how much everyone cares about making sure we put on the best show we can,” said Sunko.

For Junior Band Director Brendan Tan, Band is a way for him to connect with others who share his love for music. “My favorite part of a band is getting to meet other people who also like music because there’s a lot of people who play different genres, but when we’re in the band, we’re all in the same boat.” Talented musicians from all musical backgrounds come together to perform on SING!, making it a special and unique opportunity for many. “SING! Band to me is where I discovered that I really like music. Before being in SING! Band, I wouldn’t have called myself a musician. I was just someone whose parents had them play piano, but now, I have a passion for music,” said Tan. For him, SING! is a place where he discovered himself, and can share his love for music with others.

For sophomore and SophFrosh Music Supervisor Frederik Bultje, SING! is a place where he could connect with his friends through the shared interest of music. As a director of not only sophomores but freshmen as well, it’s crucial for him to encourage engagement, especially in a crew where members are unfamiliar with each other. “Something I’ve been focused on is that you want every single person in Band to feel like they’re welcome there and have friends. So you want to talk to them every day, and make sure they’re having a good time,” said Bultje.

Additionally, since it’s his first time directing Band, Bultje has realized the commitment directors have to have towards SING! head on: “You never really realize how much the directors are actually having to do. Behind the scenes, they organize rehearsals every day, arrange the songs… it’s actually a lot harder than [it seems.]”

Slate

By Nudrath Sowkat

Calista Harrington is an Opinions Editor for The Spectator.

Every year, SING! members create a beautiful production that covers an array of topics and themes, reaching the hearts of the Stuyvesant community. However, what’s often overlooked is the immense amount of logistical work that goes into making SING! a success, as well as the backbone that allows such amazing productions to be produced. In order to make SING! a success every year, Slate, composed of the coordinator and a few selected producers, puts in an immense amount of effort both logistically and administratively.

Slate has a wide variety of tasks to complete to ensure a successful production. “The purpose of slate is to create the plot, appoint directors, script writers and song writers, write the playbill, organize and coordinate all of the other crews, make sure rehearsals are productive, and generally oversee the creation of the show. On a day-to-day basis, we generally start by checking on each crew’s progress, and work on whichever task needs to be done (ie making the playbill, helping paint the canvas, working out plot holes, coordinating between crews, keeping everyone on schedule, etc.),” SophFrosh Coordinator Claire Stansberry shared in an email interview. Slate is in charge of the entire production, allowing them the opportunity to explore all the other divisions. It’s also important to know that without the fundamentals that Slate provides, there would be many hardships in the production process.

In order to entail a smooth working process and transition, goals have been set and implemented. Sophomore and SophFrosh Producer Calista Harrington expresses these goals in an email interview: “A big goal of ours this year is making the show really engaging and fun for the audience, so we’re experimenting with different ways of incorporating unique elements into the show.” The element of surprise and enjoyment have always been significant factors in making the show a success, and Slate ensures that these goals of production are met to make the production as successful as possible.

The directors and producers each have a myriad of responsibilities that impact the functionality of the production in a holistic manner. Harrington shares the many different tasks that need to be done: “Our roles are kind of all over the place. We always try to be doing something—so whether it’s helping art paint the canvas or working on the playbill together, we’re never sitting still. My role specifically as the budget producer includes portioning out the budget in the beginning of the season for each crew and then keeping track of SING!’s expenses as the production goes on.”

From aesthetics to budgeting, each category of tasks is accomplished in a timely manner, which benefits the production as a whole. Senior Producer Leah Riegel expresses her share of tasks in an email interview: “As an administrative/creative producer, my responsibilities range from tracking our budget and approving purchases to working on the script to leading crews in group dance numbers. Basically, I’m everywhere. I love the other producers and think our talents compliment each other well.” Having a multitude of different skills allows for the producers to aid their peers in other crews as well, showing how it requires a collective effort to create a successful show.”

Sophomore and SophFrosh Producer Alma Dream Esguerra expresses the importance of these connections and relationships in an email interview: “SophFrosh SLATE this year has bonded really well and we all consider ourselves friends, especially since I knew most of the producers and the coordinator before doing SING together.”

Although Slate is the backbone that ensures that everything runs smoothly, they also face hardships and complications themselves. Stansberry shares how they overcome their struggles and find the motivation to keep going. “Our main motivation is to make SING! as good as it can be. Since we’re in charge of the show, the pressure is on us and we often inspire each other to keep going, to get up when we’re tired.” Motivating and inspiring each other often act as a motivating and bonding force, allowing everyone to do better.

Harrington also shares her thoughts on keeping the team motivated and running: “​​I think the relationships we make with each other are what keep us going. SING! is so special because even though it’s theoretically a competition between grades, we all help each other out and work together to make all the productions the best they possibly can be.”

Another hardship that Slate faces is maintaining a balance in school, life, and SING!. Harrington shares how she overcomes these challenges: “It’s definitely difficult, but a lot of it is finding a way to strike a balance between schoolwork and extracurriculars, which is already something we’ve all been doing since before the production. I try to set dates I’m going to prioritize doing other things (e.g. going to debate, SU, etc.) ahead of time and keep to that schedule so everyone knows what days to expect me to be at rehearsals for.” Prioritizing and setting limitations are key ways of maintaining this balance.

All in all, it is safe to consider that without Slate, the SING! production would lack some important elements such as creativity and functionality. Slate is what brings cohesivity, bonding, and logistical reasoning to SING! allowing for these spectacular productions to be formed.

Script

By Sophia Rosero

The countless interconnected pieces that go into building SING! all come together with the script—the foundation on which the show depends. The script gives each SING! show its story, which the other crews are responsible for bringing to life, making it arguably the production’s keystone.

Because the script carries such weight, its writers face immense pressure. “Writing the script has taken a lot of time, and frankly a lot of arguing. Since everything revolves around the script, it’s understandable Slate and other directors want to get involved in it,” junior scriptwriter Zoe Lee expressed in an email interview. Creating the script required significant effort and sometimes led to conflicts with the directors of other crews, as differing ideas and opinions emerged for the trajectory of the script. Lee explained how demanding the process could be at times: “It’s a very rough process, with harsh deadlines and unrealistic expectations. For example, once the plot was changed, we had to rewrite half the scenes, and were still expected to finish it in 3 days.”

The script-writing process began in January and involved both collaborative and individual work. “We started back in early January with a couple of meetings with the scriptwriters and the Slate to come up with ideas for the plot. After we wrote plot outlines, we started writing the scenes. After we finished our first draft of the script, we had to make a lot of revisions to fix lots of inconsistencies and errors, to the point where almost none of the original draft ended up in the final script,” junior scriptwriter Richard He described in an email interview. Writing the script was no simple task, nor was it one that could be perfected on the first try. Instead, the process required close collaboration to refine minute details and ensure that they worked together cohesively.

This task became increasingly difficult as the script became more complex over time. “On the actual writing part, it started out fine in the beginning since we had a solid plan that we stuck with, but it got harder as time went on because things started getting harder to figure out or keep track of—personalities were getting tweaked, character settings were altered, and problems in our script progressively compounding was making it harder to write later scenes,” junior scriptwriter Justin Lam shared in an email interview. Reflecting on the challenges the crew faced, Lam expressed, “The biggest one would definitely be focus.” He explained that the spontaneity of people’s ideas often forced major revisions to the script, which took a considerable amount of time to complete.

Despite the inevitable struggles and conflicts due to the pressure involved with creating the script, the process is cherished by those involved. Notably, Lee mentioned brainstorming jokes to incorporate into the script. “We all end up laughing for a solid minute about our jokes and how we’re so excited to add them in,” she shared.

Moments like these make the process a meaningful and enjoyable experience. “My experience as a SING! scriptwriter last year was one of my most fun and formative experiences in high school so far, and when the time for SING! rolled back around this year, I knew I needed to participate again. I loved the opportunity to be involved with deciding the focus of the show and the direction the musical took on the theme,” sophomore and SophFrosh Script Director Nicole Lui expressed in an email interview. The script’s importance not only places the writers under great pressure, but it also provides them with the incredibly exciting opportunity to explore their creativity. This exploration of creativity is enhanced through collaboration: “I enjoyed the collaborative process because it provided us the opportunity to bounce ideas off of each other… A wider diversity of writers means a wider diversity of perspectives to influence and enhance the script,” she explained.

Chorus

By Nicholas Zhang

A single voice can carry a melody, but dozens of voices carry a narrative. Each note, each harmony, each vibration from the chorus crew builds the foundation for an exceptional performance that twitches the ears to the melody, and entrances the soul. Responsible for being the vocal musical backbone in production, adding emotional depth and strengthening the sound, the chorus crew makes SING!, SING!. 

Senior Chorus Director Rachel Uvaydov shares what SING! at Stuyvesant personally means to her: “SING! at Stuyvesant for me has always been about choir directing. It’s a place to challenge and better myself, and to make amazing memories with both old and new friends.” She added, “I’ve directed every show that included a chorus since my sophomore year SING!, so I wasn’t about to stop now during my last SING! at Stuyvesant,” Uvaydov said in an email interview. 

Of course, being a chorus director comes with particularly noteworthy challenges that an external perspective may not fully understand. “One of the first things that needs to get done is arranging the songs the chorus will sing, which requires constant collaboration with the Band and Cast Directors, as well as Slate, hours of listening to the songs on repeat, and a lot of knowledge about music theory and the voices of high schoolers,” Uvaydov explained. The difficulties show how much behind-the-scenes work is being done to bring a beautiful performance onstage, and how it is more than just singing. 

Sophomore and SophFrosh Chorus director Aashi Modi reiterated similar challenges she had in understanding the different voices she encountered: “Chorus-wise, it’s been difficult to fully understand everyone’s voice types in the allotted time frame. Usually, to fully understand and utilize someone’s voice, you need a lot more time than what we have, so time has been putting a lot of pressure on me,” Modi reflected in an email interview. Modi challenges a common generalization people have regarding choir: “Chorus is by no means easy. Hitting notes, knowing your voice, learning [choir] from someone who doesn’t have the same voice type as you, and sticking to your notes while someone else sings completely different notes right next to you is all extremely difficult. It isn’t just that you have to have a good voice.” Misconceptions revolving around the level of difficulty of participating in choir undermines its beauty and how essential they are in SING!.

While the audience may see a seamless production, behind curtains are hidden countless hours of rehearsal, constant pressure and exhaustion, unwavering dedication with sacrifices, and challenges of unifying a crew. Acknowledging that chorus members are constantly growing fosters a non-judgemental environment, which builds a cohesive team to improve the performance quality. As rehearsals continue, Modi reflects on her growth as a chorus director, reminding herself to focus on examining growth, rather than perfection. She remarks, “I’m still growing as a director, but I’ve discovered that in order to teach it’s important to remove judgement. Singing takes a lot of confidence, especially in front of some random sophomore who happens to be your director, so I’m trying to acknowledge this more when I hear my members sing.” 

Overall, the underlying tribulations of being a director for the chorus crew nevertheless will allow a remarkable performance to prevail, with the support of the many angelic and enchanting voices. “I’m really tired, but I think this will all be worth it in the end and I’m really excited for the actual show and watching everyone, including my own crew, perform,” Modi expressed.

Makeup 

By Kristina Lantushko

Before the curtain rises, transformation is already underway backstage. The makeup crew works carefully behind the scenes, helping bring the show’s vision to life. From bold eyeshadow to stage-ready glamour, every look is carefully crafted to match the energy and story unfolding onstage. Though rarely talked about, the makeup department plays an essential role in SING!

For SophFrosh Makeup director Sara Mostafa, makeup is more than preparation, it is artistry. “When you apply pigments, when you apply these different textures like creams and glosses and mattes, you transform a face, which is essentially a canvas,” she wrote in an email interview. “You are bringing a vision to life. You are creating art.”

Mostafa explained that she did not expect to find that creative outlet at Stuyvesant. “When I first came to Stuyvesant, I thought that creativity, fun, all that was out the window. Now I needed to focus on STEM,” she wrote. However, SING! shifted that perspective. “I realized that I can enjoy STEM while also being creative and having an outlet to be artistic. I don’t need to choose between one,” she said.

Now, as a director, Mostafa hopes to create that same space for others. “ I wanted to create an environment where other people had the ability to creatively express themselves through makeup,” she wrote. Leading the crew has also required confidence and resilience. “When you have a whole team relying on you, you cannot let your self-esteem or self-doubt get to you. You need to always put your team first, because you’re nothing without your crew.” 

With this year's “Popstar” theme, the crew embraced bold, glamorous looks while adapting techniques to fit each performer's features. “The makeup is meant to fit you, not the other way around,” Mostafa wrote, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and inclusivity in execution.

Ultimately, Mostafa hopes audiences recognize makeup as more than surface level enhancements. Through her leadership in SING!, she has not only helped bring performers' characters to life, but also a welcoming space where creativity and self-expression thrive behind the scenes. In a production built on spectacle, the transformation begins long before the curtain rises. 

Tech

By Rano Safarova

When audiences watch SING!, their attention often gravitates toward the actors, dancers, and musical aspects. But behind every scene change and towering set piece is the Tech crew—quietly shaping the world that the story takes place in. Across every SING! production, Tech crews transform raw materials into the immersive environments that bring each show to life. Weeks before the curtains rise, Tech directors and members spend long hours designing, measuring, and constructing the sets that will define the stage. For Junior SING!, this work is guided by a team of directors responsible for turning ideas into physical structures that actors can interact with on stage.

For junior Tech director Archibald Eng, Tech began simply through curiosity. He first joined during the winter of his freshman year because he wanted to learn how to use power tools, but the experience quickly grew into something he cared about. “After finding myself completely immersed in the work and having so much fun building things with a community I loved, I decided that I would be in Tech for the rest of my high school career,” he said in an email interview. Now as director, Eng helps oversee both the creative and logistical sides of the crew’s work, from brainstorming designs to ensuring the structures are safe and functional. “By establishing dimension and unifying the show’s technical elements to create a consistent visual theme, Tech elevates the environmental storytelling…” Eng explained. “The set immerses the audience and contributes to the story as actively as the script itself.”

The responsibility of leading a crew, however, comes with challenges. Eng noted that one of the most difficult adjustments has been learning how to balance the intense workload with other responsibilities. “Keeping myself from burning out has definitely been harder than expected,” he said, reflecting on the long building sessions that often accompany SING! preparation. Still, the collaborative structure of the crew helps keep the process organized. Directors divide responsibilities based on their strengths—design, engineering, and construction management—while trusting one another to take the lead in their respective areas. “Our team heavily relies on trust,” Eng said. “Because we know each other’s strengths and are so accustomed to working within this pipeline, we believe in each other’s capabilities and judgments.” Eng also pointed out that Tech is sometimes misunderstood by other crews. “I would like Art and Props to know that we are not evil creatures and do not intentionally send them things to paint or paper-mache at the last minute,” he explained.

For junior Tech director William Peng, Tech also evolved into something that shaped his high school years, even though he initially knew little about the crew. “I actually didn’t know what Tech did before I applied,” he admitted in an email interview. “I only realized what they did while doing the application form.” What began as curiosity quickly turned into commitment. “I immediately fell in love with it,” Peng said. He emphasized that teamwork and community keep the crew running during the long hours of preparation. “Tech definitely has a stronger bond than any other crew; we’re like family,” he said.

In the end, while Tech often works behind the scenes, its impact is visible in every moment of SING!. The sets that appear on stage are the result of weeks of planning, teamwork, and careful construction. For Tech members, the reward is not just seeing the finished product, but knowing they helped create the world the story takes place in. Through their dedication, collaboration, and creativity, the Tech crew ensures that when the curtain rises, SING! has a stage worth performing on.