The sound of power tools fills the scene shop. A group of students carries a big wooden structure towards the stage. Rich Burke begins to explain the day’s work. All this, and so much more, is what happens to create Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the latest City High show.

 “I had known when I was younger [that] I very much wanted to be a part of theater,” Arin Lippe ‘27, one of the construction crew leads for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, said. “After seeing the production of Big Fish I knew for sure I wanted to join,”

In her freshman year, Arin Lippe joined the construction crew and loved it. As a sophomore, she applied for the position of crew lead and was accepted.

“One of my close friends would ask me to become crew lead and was very partisan in getting me to sign up,” Lippe said. “I really wanted to try and see if I could make it.”

The crew has already begun the construction of the Diary of A Wimpy Kid sets, including a house, a van, and a scoreboard.

“[The Diary of a Wimpy Kid] set has been pretty easy compared to all of the others over the last 10 years,” Rich Burke, the construction director since 2017, said. “But there are fewer students who are experienced in set construction this year, and many more newcomers.” 

Some of the newcomers, however, do have some experience with power tools and building materials. Others have picked it up quickly.

“I do have some experience with tools,” Sydney Thibodeau ‘28 said “[construction crew] has been a wonderful opportunity to learn, build, handle tools, and to work together with others.”

Currently, some set pieces are being painted by the paint crew as the construction crew gets a little break. Construction is expected to restart next week.

“I am very excited just to see how the whole scenery comes out and the efforts of everyone,” Lippe said. “Watching people’s faces light up and be blown away by the shows we do in City is just a wonderful thing and makes me want to keep putting in the efforts I do.”