What was it like working at the Center? The Center is wonderful. I worked with Signature on nine shows at their last home at the Peter Norton Space and their productions there were already amazing, wonderful and poignant. To have the support of these beautiful three theatres, with the common lobby and the administrative offices right there, is a dream come true. They succeed in building a community of theatre artists with every show. It’s exciting to be a part of it all!
On a more serious note, there are the usual documents and formalities in getting things started. Diving into the text is next: scene/character breakdowns, props lists, technical needs, etc. Once that’s done you gather information from the director and designers and share with staff for rehearsal needs. Needs could include anything from tables, chairs, and staircases to a trunk that a clown could jump in and disappear. What was it like working at the Center? Working at the Center is like working at a theatre factory! There’s space to create, relax, perform, eat, have a meeting, and even shower! The building never ceases to amaze its visitors. I really enjoy showing up for a rehearsal and seeing folks mingle who are about to see a new play, a revival, or are just there making the Center their own.
bertie michaels
Athol Fugard’s My Children! My Africa!
What inspired you to work in theatre? I think as a child I was a natural storyteller, and my mother enrolled me in drama classes very early. I found a community there that was full of fun, passionate kids who wanted to make art together and I was hooked. I probably wouldn’t have been able to articulate that as a five year old, but looking back on it, I think that’s what it was. A group of people who all wanted to work together to make something beautiful and worthy of sharing. What attracted you to Stage Management? I grew up participating in the plays that my mother’s children’s theatre company produced. I always acted in the shows, but also found myself organizing traffic backstage, coordinating cast schedules, and making sure props were available and dealt with correctly. The company didn’t have a Stage Manager, so I wasn’t aware that the career existed. Once I got to college and learned there was a job that encompassed all those tasks that I naturally gravitated towards, I knew Stage Management was the right job for me. n
david h. lurie
Edward Albee’s The Lady From Dubuque Kenneth Lonergan’s Medieval Play David Henry Hwang’s Golden Child Bill Irwin and David Shiner’s Old Hats
How do you prepare for rehearsals? I prepare for rehearsal with lots of snacks! Really, I do! I always have snacks. Thinking and moving uses a lot of energy for the creative types in the room.
l to r: Actor Conor Lovett, Production Stage Manager Donald Fried, Production Assistant Maegen Sacco and Digital Media Intern Jeff Kelsay in rehearsal for Title and Deed, 2012; Allie Gallerani and Stephen Tyrone Williams in My Children! My Africa!, 2012; Jane Alexander and Peter Francis James in Edward Albee’s The Lady From Dubuque, 2012; Dialect coach Deborah Hecht chats with David H. Lurie and Kyle Gates during the first rehearsal for The Mound Builders, 2013. above: Winnie Y. Lok supervises fight call for The Piano Lesson, 2012.
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