On Thursday, March 12, UAB Physician Associate Studies program got a special behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Dear Evan Hansen.” A collaboration between UAB Theatre and Red Mountain Theatre Company, the musical features a high school student who has recently broken his arm, struggling with anxiety as he invents a friendship with a deceased classmate.
As production began, the props department had one question: Where in the world are we going to find multiple casts for our actor? The answer was across campus, in the Physician Associate Studies program.
Each cohort participates in an annual cast-making skills lab. In the lab, professors teach their students how to apply a short arm cast by placing soft padding on a patient's arm, followed by molding fiberglass casting material that builds the cast’s structure. They learn about proper building techniques that stabilize the underlying fracture(s), minimize skin irritation and make the patient more comfortable.
“It was a very fun opportunity for two of our students, and the costume department and production team were very grateful for our help,” said David Wood, a PA faculty member who accompanied students Alysia Anderson and Holly Jennings backstage.
For Holly Jennings, health care is an art, “Just as they do in the theater, many years of practice and many hands go into a performance. We are all a part of a team where we contribute to the performance of patient care.”
Together, the trio used tools learned in the PA program to create several casts and models for the title character. Working with the actor, props, and costume department, the team was able to create a sustainable prop to last the entirety of the “Dear Evan Hansen” run.
“This was a fun and unique experience for me,” said Alysia Anderson, “I enjoy casting because there is so much freedom and creativity in the ways you can properly apply a cast. The unique aspect of this experience was trying to properly apply the cast while also allowing it to be comfortable and functional for the month-long production.”
See the prop for yourself! “Dear Evan Hansen” premieres April 3 and runs through April 19. Preview dates for the musical are April 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. Purchase tickets.
