Everything’s set. The actors are in their places, and stage crew is placed backstage. Suddenly, the lights brighten, the mics turn on, and the show begins!

Ethan Barna is a sophomore at Hershey High School, and he’s heavily involved in the theatrical productions. Many people see him as a very quiet, calm, introverted guy. However, there’s much more than meets the eye.

Barna is involved in choir and YAG, but his passion lies with theatrical tech.

He has been a part of tech crew since the Fall Play his freshman year. Tech crew handles all the sound effects, lights, and microphones, and Barna was specifically assigned to the mics for this year’s Spring Play.

Barna was first immersed into the realm of theatre during his seventh grade year when he played the cowardly lion in the Hershey Middle School production of Dorothy Meets Alice or The Wizard of Wonderland. Barna also acted in his eighth grade play; however, it was during the 2017 Fall Play that he decided acting was not for him.

He had taken Theatre Arts and was supposed to participate in some capacity with a production during the class semester. Barna didn’t audition because he got a little overwhelmed, but he ended up doing tech crew.

Josie Gawrys sought out Barna, and told him to be a part of tech. This was when Barna discovered his love of tech.

He enjoys being in the sound booth at the back of the theatre as he gets to enjoy a view of the production that no one else gets to experience. From the sound booth, Barna gets to watch the show develop from nothing into everything; he sees every new addition that the actors and crews bring to the stage each rehearsal.

“I have an outside view to see the production come together,” Barna said.

Because he got to be Tinkerbell and use a laser pointer, Barna’s favorite production to work on so far was Peter Pan the Musical in 2018.

Brandon Kreiser, a senior, was Barna’s mentor for this school year. Kreiser said that one of Barna’s best characteristics is his “willingness to take on any task.”

During Kreiser’s mentorship, he felt that Barna helped him to grow as a teacher, and he found that Barna was a quick learner, even if Barna did doubt himself every now and again.

His love of lighting and sound is so great that he wants to do it as a career. Right now, Barna is trying to help out with tech at Derry Presbyterian Church, but he doesn’t know which college he wants to go to yet. However, Barna knows that he wants to major in live theatre or film production.

After he graduates high school, Barna is planning on taking a gap year to go to Canada to work with his uncle who’s a TV producer. He actually got to visit the TV set a little while ago, and he’s really excited to return and get to experience the outside world of lighting and sound.

Additionally, because Barna enjoys singing, he is a part of the all boys choir Boyz Noyze. He sings as a baritone, so he’ll sing either the tenor or bass parts depending on what the song calls for. Barna has been in choir since halfway through fifth grade.

Barna is also involved in the press branch of Youth and Government (YAG). He said, “All my friends were doing it, and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.” He joined press because it was the branch that didn’t have to debate.

His biggest hobby is playing video games, and his favorite video game is Rainbow Six Seige. Also, his favorite subject in school is world history. European history particularly interests him.

But past his activities, Barna is a very honest individual. His girlfriend Maya Jaskulski said, “He is a very fun, loving guy. He is very caring and loyal to all of his friends and their ideas, and he doesn’t judge others.”