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It’s hard to explain the intimate crucible of a full-blown theater production: the stress of rehearsal, the terror and determination that permeates a company of actors and crew locked in the struggle of mounting a theater production.

And there’s a reason drama nerds use the verb “mount” when speaking of theater—much of the time everyone involved is feeling alternately ravished and screwed by the whole accursed process. But when the curtain goes up on opening night and all those hours of rehearsal and passion and fear catalyze into good, strong theater, the long-term effects are magical. The relationships forged on the boards and backstage are life-long.

As our local theater community launches its fall season, here are profiles of four people who make great (and sometimes not-so-great) theater happen—three men and one woman who work tirelessly behind the scenes and also light up the stage.