Long before the lights go up and the audience finds their seats for a theater production, a team of directors is already at work backstage. Theater teachers Sariea Haney, Kirsten King, and Denton Davies collaborate to guide students through every aspect of theater production—from performance and design to coordination and execution.

Haney, who teaches courses including costume and makeup and musical theater, plays a key role in shaping both classroom instruction and extracurricular productions. Outside of class, she helps direct multiple shows each year, organizing rehearsals and supporting student actors throughout the creative process.

“My favorite production I have directed this year was probably the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Haney said. “It is really hard to choose and feels like I am picking between my children.”

King, who teaches Theater I and Advanced Theater, works closely with Haney on both instruction and production. She builds real-world experience into her curriculum by involving students in live performances.

Recently, King, Davies, and Haney’s advanced theater class staged “Death by Dessert,” the first dinner theater event in Prosper ISD history. The production combined a sit-down meal with a live performance, offering students a new way to engage with audiences.

“I balance classes and productions by being very organized,” King said. “I also plan entire units at a time so I know what I am doing every day for the next few weeks.”

While Haney and King focus on performance and direction, Davies manages the technical and design side of each show. As technical director, he works with students on lighting, set construction, and sound, helping them gain practical skills and confidence backstage.

“The thing I enjoy about doing theater is the fact that we get to create a full world on stage,” Davies said. “We get to live in that world as actors, technicians, and crafts people and when we are done, the audience can live in that world with us.”

Rachel Wilson, a junior and the department’s social media chair, has worked with the directors on numerous productions over the past three years. She’s helped coordinate student involvement and promote shows across campus.

“The thing I appreciate the most about our directors is that they are always there for me,” Wilson said. “I like that I am able to talk to them about anything and they always listen.”