Cruising to Success: Roxanne Rosas, '05 Theater, Works Behind the Scenes for Princess Cruise Lines

When we think of theatrical productions, we usually imagine ourselves in the audience of an upscale theatre watching the magic of a well-written play unfold before us. We rarely consider what goes on behind the scenes and that is because, in a well-organized production, the technical aspects of producing a ghost in Shakespeare's Hamlet or a rain storm in Lear seem to be effortless and natural. This is actually not the case, and it is well-trained theatre technicians such as Cal Poly Pomona alumna Roxanne Rosas who make it all happen. After all, without make-up artists, sound technicians, and light designers, our theatre experiences would be bland indeed.

Rosas got her first taste of life behind the curtain when she was in high school. After helping with lighting and scenery projects for her junior year theater program, she decided to pursue theater in college. At Cal Poly Pomona, Rosas excelled in theater production to the extent that she was honored as the Theater department's Outstanding Graduate during Commencement 2005.

"I chose Cal Poly Pomona because it offers hands-on training," she says, noting that her senior production gave her an opportunity to design a show and get a feel for the professional theater world. "The staff and faculty have all been professional artists at some time in their lives and their experience really helped create a true sense of what theater requires in the real world."

With guidance from her professors, Rosas gained employment with Princess Cruise Lines as a production technician. As part of the crew of Cunard's Queen Mary 2, she sails around the world, traveling along the coast of South America and to major cities in Europe and the Caribbean. Rosas' main job is to assist with production for shows held in the Royal Court Theater, but she also helps with entertainment in the 15 other venues throughout the ship. With her fellow backstage technicians, she sets up lighting, sound, and equipment for lectures, shows and performances all over the ship.

"My normal day begins at 9 a.m. and ends at around midnight, when passengers are at their busiest," says Rosas.

It might seem odd to sail around the world and work in theatre production simultaneously, but Rosas has a larger goal for her career. The intensive, consuming experience she is accumulating aboard the Queen Mary 2 is teaching her what it takes to manage a large production. Being a member of a small team ensures Rosas will learn all aspects of her profession the Cal Poly Pomona way—by actually performing the tasks herself. She is not only learning what it takes to organize and produce large scale projects in a short amount of time, but she is also gathering the tools necessary to be a leader and designer in her industry.

According to Rosas, theater, art and literature are important to society.

"Entertainment is a key to happiness, and theater is a great way for artists to comment on society and humanity," she says. "I'd love to become part of a company that will influence the world and promote arts as a daily part of every person's self-expression."