Ryann St. Julien (they/he) is a theatre technician currently based in Boston, Massachusetts, and recently moved from Portland, Oregon. They received a B.A. in theater from Lewis and Clark College, where their credits include props master and carpenter for The Secretaries, (Lewis and Clark College); and Medea (Lewis and Clark College). They have worked in and around the Portland area on productions such as Awe/Struck (Profile Theater), What I Learned in Paris (Portland Playhouse), A Christmas Carol (Portland Playhouse), Quixote Nuevo (Portland Center Stage), Passing Strange (Portland Playhouse), Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Portland Playhouse), and Chris Grace: As Scarlett Johansson (Portland Center Stage). They have worked in many aspects of technical theatre, including: props artisan, carpenter, run/deck crew, electrician, and sound board operator.

“Alas, poor Yorick!” wouldn’t come to life without Hamlet holding a skull in his hand. Props themselves can be characters in a show if given the right life.

My role as a theatre technician supports the merging of two different worlds: one created by actors, and the other by designers. I bring visions to life that offer an original and engaging experience to the cast and audience.

I immerse myself in the world of a show through intensive research. My goal is to enable actors to make their best choices by engaging with authentic physical spaces. This helps them inhabit the interior lives of their characters. 

I want to know how actors feel about everything they interact with. Are the poisons arranged just so in the kitchen cabinet? Is the bar cart in the living room stocked with the character’s favorite liquors? Does the severed arm look like it was cut with a chainsaw?

As a stagehand, I get a different perspective of the show and can adapt the way set pieces and props move around for the smoothest transitions.

Creating props and set dressing is like putting skin on the bones of a production. It makes everything feel whole.

Working in many of the technical sides of a production allows the feeling of community to grow from the first meeting. The more areas I can assist designers in creating their visions, the more I can connect with my fellow technicians.