We’re People Who Need People

Dallas Theater Center is a busy place, as one would imagine. Today is Inherit the Wind‘s official opening night (after party included), the next to last performance of Electra, and rehearsal #5 for Hood. I work with people across the entire organization as a management intern. So while many of my fellow grant recipients can describe the people they work with succinctly, it’s going to take me a little longer:

Monday morning was the big meet-and-greet for Hood. These gatherings include the entire cast, designers, production team, any DTC employee who wants to be there, artistic director Kevin Moriarty (a creative GENIUS!), and benefactors. Right after the meet-and-greet, we jumped into rehearsals. A full week in rehearsal means even more time with the SM team! The SM, Eric, is one of the most patient people I’ve ever met. Nothing fazes him. I’m sure there were moments in rehearsal on Tuesday that caused some stress or irritation, but he took it all in stride. His two ASMs, Megan and Cheyney, are just as incredible. I’ve gotten close to the other intern who’s in college, Grace. She was here last summer during Dreamgirls, which Megan stage managed. Grace told me the story of the night when the Dallas police shootings happened and how incredibly well Megan handled it while calling the show. I can’t imagine the stress of that. I won’t repeat the story because of its sensitive nature, but I now classify Megan as one of my heroes. Our production assistant, Emily, just finished a yearlong stage management apprenticeship here at DTC. As a whole, I’d characterize the team as goofy when off the clock and all business the second rehearsal starts.

As for the cast, some have really made an effort to learn us lowly interns’ names. Billie, who plays Much and various other characters; Tiana, a member of the Brierley Resident Acting Company and our Lady Jane; Jacob, one of the funniest people I’ve ever met and the man playing Will Scarlet; Beth, who plays Lady Anne; and Luke, our Little John will actually hold conversations with us! Other cast members don’t interact with us for the most part – not in a rude way though. They just have no need to, and they spend their down time working on lines or music. The rehearsal environment is energetic and so much fun! Everyone is in good spirits (here’s hoping that continues into tech).

I’ve only spent half my time this week with Hood. As I mentioned last post, I was asked to fill in on Inherit the Wind. So Tuesday evening, I left the Wyly Theater, DTC’s main building in the Arts District, and headed to the Kalita Humphreys Theater in Uptown. The Kalita is the original home of the DTC and is one of the three surviving theaters designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. And for the next few weeks, the Kalita hosts Inherit the Wind! Anna and Wendy, SM and ASM, respectively, run that world. I shadowed Wendy on Tuesday, ran her track with her guidance on Wednesday, and effectively functioned as the ASM on Thursday. Anna, Wendy, and the entire cast made me feel very welcome, something difficult when this group has already been together through an entire rehearsal process. Both Anna and Wendy also answered any and all questions I had for them. They even invited me to the opening night party! I have a feeling tonight will be the highlight of my week: once finished here at Hood for the day, I’m shadowing stage management on Electra and then going to Inherit the Wind‘s after party. I don’t know how I’m going to leave this place in six weeks! Perhaps I’ll come back and do a yearlong stage management apprenticeship after graduating…

 

UPDATE: While shadowing Electra, I witnessed Tiana’s engagement!!! She plays Electra’s sister, Chrysothemis, and Eric and the entire SM team on the show helped orchestrate it. It’s been in the works for a month. As Tiana was exiting the reflecting pond, she turned to see her now-fiancé holding a ring with friends and family carrying a sign that read, “WILL YOU MARRY ME?” It was MAGICAL! The amount of planning just shows how deeply people care for one another here.