Flat on his stomach high over the rows of auditorium seats Maxwell Westlake fiddles with an instrument, adjusting shutters and pointing it.

“Sloths have been known to mistake their own arms and try to grab them and then fall to their deaths,” said Max, discussing his spirit animal. “I think that really represents me.” Suspended fifty feet up this particular resemblance to a sloth might pose a significant risk to Max’s life. A fall from up there would result in death, yet Max is still very involved in Tech Crew.  He has helped build the sets and do lights for both the Hound of Baskervilles and Bye Bye Birdie.  

“Well, my favorite part of Tech Crew is the lighting board,” said Max. “I’ve fallen in love with programming that thing.” The technological romance extends to life outside of school as well. A favorite pastime of his is sitting in his dank (damp and dark) messing with computers.

“I’ve been into computers for about as long as I can remember. We had lots of old parts laying around, so I spent lots of time researching to better understand what each part did, and how everything worked in tandem,” said Max. “If I do it right, I don’t break anything.

Let’s hope he does do it right because his personal philosophy might have a lot of things breaking. “I don’t usually think ahead, and I certainly don’t plan well, but when I’m passionate about something, I really get at it,” said Max.

Max might not always exercise prudence, but he is passionate about Tech Crew and he is absolutely getting at it.