Working in theatre can be full of ups and downs. You get some jobs; you lose out on others. You don’t always get to know why. Some production processes are smooth; others are nightmares. Since I resumed working in live theatre in 2021, I’ve had my share of all these experiences, and everything else in between. But one thing that has changed for me post-shutdown is how I approach those messier situations. And learning to survive them and still do my job well has helped me learn an important lesson about letting go of some of my emotional attachment to my work.
This past June, concert touring veteran Lance “KC” Jackson celebrated 44 consecutive years in the live entertainment industry. The many artists KC has worked with include Luther Vandross, Boyz II Men, New Kids On The Block, Justin Bieber, and he is currently on the road as Production Stage Manager for Earth, Wind and Fire with Santana on the Miraculous Supernatural Tour. In this interview that he gave for PLSN (Projection Lights & Staging News) he tells us about his fascinating touring career.
Elisa Tauro grew up in Toronto and, from a very young age onwards dreamt of becoming a circus acrobat. 1 year ago, she became part of the cast of Cirque du Soleil’s show O in Las Vegas. A position every circus acrobat dreams about. In this second part of our interview, Elisa tells us how life and work at O developed and how things are going now.
I’m going to go deeper this time around and combine some of the things I’ve discussed in previous blogs. I’ve mentioned you should always be willing to take the job on the table, even if it’s not the one you thought or dreamed of. But what happens when you do that, and you absolutely hate that job and it’s a toxic environment? There are ways and there are ways to deal with this.
It’s May 1, National College Decision Day, the day high school seniors commit to a college.
Whether or not you ever dreamed of college or know someone that does, the limiting beliefs around what “going to college” represents are so ubiquitous, you can’t help but feel the weight of their impact on so many kids – and their parents. Especially this time of year.
You can enter the backstage world from whatever location you like – through Joshua Broadbent and Kelly Plank’s podcast Whispers in the Wings. Their podcast focuses on life as a Stage Manager. It offers fun and fascinating insights of life backstage. Bringing order to chaos and making the impossible possible on a daily basis. In this article, listen in, as Joshua Broadbent tells us about his and Kelly’s creation: Whispers in the Wings.
Professor Francois Colbert C.M. is the head of the Master of Management in International Arts Management at HEC Montreal. Professor Colbert has been active in the field of arts and culture for over 30 years, particularly in the performing arts, museum, and film sectors. In this article, I would like to recommend three books on Arts Management and Art Marketing Professor Colbert has written.
In May 2021, I left my radio job of four years to start freelancing full-time. I’d been editing podcasts for a couple of different clients for the past month or two, but now I was starting to pick up more work, and it felt like the right time to make the leap.
Actress Carmen Law graduated from the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts MA in Performance (Musical Theatre). She has worked with West End and Broadway professionals including Lucie Jones, The Showstoppers, Noah J. Ricketts, and Quentin Earl Darrington. Carmen was also featured in TV and film productions, including a couple Bollywood TV series. In our interview, she speaks about her career, her international working life, and her dreams.
Aimee Poulin is the artistic producer at the Toronto-based Crane Creations Theatre Company. They love to create plays which make people think. Plays which encourage discussion in a way film and TV cannot. In this second part of our interview, Aimee speaks about the current projects of Crane Creations. The importance of thought and debate. The difficulties of being able to make a living in theatre in Canada. And about how artists can shape society with their visions and creativity.
Aimee Poulin is the artistic producer at the Toronto-based Crane Creations Theatre Company. They love to create plays which make people think. Plays which encourage discussion in a way film and TV cannot. In this first part of our interview, Aimee speaks about her life and career in entertainment. Her passion for working meaningfully in our industry. And her vision for a theatre experience which engages deeply with its audiences whilst aiming to be accessible for all.
Dinesh Yadav is Assistant Professor of Lighting Design and Technical Director for Theatre and Dance at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, USA. He is a designer and performer at heart. Further positions he holds are head of the OISTAT Lighting Design Sub-Commission and project leader of the Designers on Design webinar. In this interview in two parts, Dinesh speaks about his career and shares his passion for his work with us. This is part 2 of 2.
Dinesh Yadav is Assistant Professor of Lighting Design and Technical Director for Theatre and Dance at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, USA. He is a designer and performer at heart. Further positions he holds are head of the OISTAT Lighting Design Sub-Commission and project leader of the Designers on Design webinar. In this interview in two parts, Dinesh speaks about his career and shares his passion for his work with us. This is part 1 of 2.
Working for Cirque du Soleil is a dream many of us working for contemporary circus shows secretly (or not so secretly) harbor. I have dreamt about it for thirty years. Not just dreamt about it but worked towards it as well. However, as of now, my love affair still seems to be rather one-sided. This is a frank look at how the journey has been for me. Where it will lead is of course still an open book… and, as they say, it’s not the goal but the journey that matters in the end…
SMA is the Stage Managers’ Association. It is an organization based in the USA. However, its International Cohort is growing as well since it began in early 2019. A “UN of Stage Manager” with currently over 25 ambassadors from 15 countries on 6 continents. On July 5, 2021, SMA Director-at-Large David J. McGraw and Editor in Chief/International Cohort Chair Hope Rose Kelly from the USA met for an online discussion with SMA International Cohort Ambassador Anna Robb in Hong Kong. Together, they compared the work conditions of Stage Managers working in both regions and around the world. Drawing on their own experiences as stage manager as well as looking at a 2019 survey, their findings are profound and of imminent importance. We are sharing the highlights of their discussion in an article series of 4 parts. This is part 4.
SMA is the Stage Managers’ Association. It is an organization based in the USA. However, its International Cohort is growing as well since it began in early 2019. A “UN of Stage Manager” with currently over 25 ambassadors from 15 countries on 6 continents. On July 5, 2021, SMA Director-at-Large David J. McGraw and Editor in Chief/International Cohort Chair Hope Rose Kelly from the USA met for an online discussion with SMA International Cohort Ambassador Anna Robb in Hong Kong. Together, they compared the work conditions of Stage Managers working in both regions and around the world. Drawing on their own experiences as stage manager as well as looking at a 2019 survey, their findings are profound and of imminent importance. We are sharing the highlights of their discussion in an article series of 4 parts. This is part 3.
SMA is the Stage Managers’ Association. It is an organization based in the USA. However, its International Cohort is growing as well since it began in early 2019. A “UN of Stage Manager” with currently over 25 ambassadors from 15 countries on 6 continents. On July 5, 2021, SMA Director-at-Large David J. McGraw and Editor in Chief/International Cohort Chair Hope Rose Kelly from the USA met for an online discussion with SMA International Cohort Ambassador Anna Robb in Hong Kong. Together, they compared the work conditions of Stage Managers working in both regions and around the world. Drawing on their own experiences as stage manager as well as looking at a 2019 survey, their findings are profound and of imminent importance. We are sharing the highlights of their discussion in an article series of 4 parts. This is part 2.
SMA is the Stage Managers’ Association. It is an organization based in the USA. However, its International Cohort is growing as well since it began in early 2019. A “UN of Stage Manager” with currently over 25 ambassadors from 15 countries on 6 continents. On July 5, 2021, SMA Director-at-Large David J. McGraw and Editor in Chief/International Cohort Chair Hope Rose Kelly from the USA met for an online discussion with SMA International Cohort Ambassador Anna Robb in Hong Kong. Together, they compared the work conditions of Stage Managers working in both regions and around the world. Drawing on their own experiences as stage manager as well as looking at a 2019 survey, their findings are profound and of imminent importance. We are sharing the highlights of their discussion in an article series of 4 parts. This is part 1.
Edwin Wan has studied drama in Hong Kong and went to do his MA in musical theatre at the Royal Academy of Music in the UK. His main passion lies with performing in musical theatre. However, Edwin is highly versatile and enjoys performing in all kinds of genres. Presently, he lives and works in Hong Kong.
Franchesca Wong is a Canadian born Chinese actress currently based in Hong Kong. After studying marketing, she discovered her true passion was with acting. She graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) in 2019 and has since then lived her passion onstage. Franchesca is also a drama teacher, corporate role player, and an avid adventurer.
Patrick Oliver Jones is an American actor and creator of the podcast Why I’ll Never Make It. In our chat, Patrick shares valuable personal insights on connection, belonging, and on what it means to truly show up for all that you do. Let yourself be inspired. The interview is in two parts. This is part two.
Patrick Oliver Jones is an American actor and the creator of the podcast Why I’ll Never Make It. In our chat, Patrick shares valuable personal insights on connection, belonging, and on what it means to truly show up for all that you do. Let yourself be inspired. The interview is in two parts. This is part one.
Michael Kushner, an award winning multi-Hyphenate, as in Actor – Writer – Producer – Photographer – Podcaster got together with us for an interview. Michael shares with us how multi-hyphenating kept him afloat during the pandemic. How he was not only able to survive and pay the bills, but also forward his career in theatre through following his multiple interests and inspirations.
I am just one of thousands of stage managers who found themselves unemployed in the spring of 2020 – due to Covid19. My last job was on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Oasis of the Seas as Stage and Production Manager for the Aqua Theatre. In this true tale, I want to share a little bit of my odyssey over the last twelve months. Where these months of enforced downtime have led mentally as well as practically. This is Part 2 of my story.
