Have We Met?
I don’t think I have ever talked about what I do for my job and since I have a pretty unique one, I thought I’d share. The company I work for builds scenery and automation for Broadway. I won’t lie – I love what I do and its always fun to talk about because its not a common job.
I have been working in theater for almost 15 years. I started in high school. Truthfully I was dragged into it, but soon after I started I was hooked. In high school I designed and built the sets, acted in all of the plays, took tap dancing lessons for four years (still have those tap shoes buried in my closet I think). I did it all. The last show I did in high school was Singing in the Rain. I played Don Lockwood (no I don’t have a video, and even if I did you can’t see it) and figured out how to make it rain on our stage. It was pretty cool.
When high school had come and gone, I found myself going to UCF with a scholarship for technical theater. From the get-go I knew I was done with the acting/dancing/singing thing, because I wasn’t good at it. But I was really good at building sets. In college I worked in the scene shop any chance I had. I worked on all the shows and really excelled. I was the first student that the faculty trusted enough to give me my own show to plan, build, and manage. It was a big moment for me, and I give all the credit to the great professors and mentors I had at that school.
In college I also worked at the award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival one year as a carpenter and then I went back as an assistant technical director. A Technical Director’s job is to take the drawings that a designer creates, engineer how they are built, and then manage the carpenters building the scenery and getting it on stage, or “load-in”.
As undergrad was coming to an end, I was just excepting the fact that I would get a job in a theater somewhere and that would be that. However for one of the last shows while I was there, I ended up building this little tool to help bend steel one day in the shop for a show. One of my professors said I should write an article about it and send it in to some technical theater publications.
“An Affordable Steel Roller Bender” Published by The Yale Technical Briefs October 2006.
That was my claim to fame at the time. It was awesome! Not only did I get something published by Yale (which was like The Emerald City at the time to me, it was a place you only heard about, but it wasn’t real) but after the process of publishing the article, the editor of the Yale publication asked me to apply to grad school at the Yale School of Drama.
Suddenly I went from doing theater in high school to getting the absolute best education possible in technical theater. There are theater graduate schools everywhere and there are a lot of really great programs out there, but none of them offer what Yale can offer. Most of the good grad schools were started by and are run by graduates of Yale. There is no comparison to anything else. I wouldn’t trade for anything for the three years I spent at Yale. It was a remarkable experience. I did everything from structural & mechanical engineering, to designing hydraulic and pneumatic systems for stage machinery. It was a massive amount of work, but I learned so much and loved every minute of it looking back.
At Yale I started to shift my focus a little into becoming more of a production manager/project manager. A project manager is different than a technical director because they deal more with the business side of a production – budgets, calendars, overall production needs, overseeing the technical aspects of an entire theatrical season instead of one show. I was the Technical Supervisor for the New York Summer Play Festival for a year while I was at Yale and that kicked off my NYC work. It was great because I was basically in charge of anything and everything technical for a festival of 16 different shows in 4 weeks. That was a lot of work! But I went to work on 42nd street everyday, which was pretty freaking cool.
15 years after starting, I feel like I’m pretty much at the top. I work for one of the top scene shops for Broadway. We build all of the big shows: Mary Poppins, Lion King, Billy Elliot, Phantom, etc. Last year I managed the Times Square Ball being built. The FREAKING TIMES SQUARE BALL! Thats crazy! I can’t believe how far I have come, from building scenery in a parking lot in high school to undergrad to Utah to Yale to Broadway.
So now what? I have no idea. I’m really starting to miss something and I haven’t quite put my finger on it yet. I used to be really excited to go to work. I used to put so much extra effort into everything that I did because I knew people were watching and they were going to tell me how I did after I was finished. I loved that feedback – good or bad. I am finding that at this senior level of theater management, there is very little collaboration and I miss that part of working in theater. Maybe its a funk, maybe I need a new job, maybe its because I have the Bean now, maybe its something else entirely. We will just have to wait and see what happens. Until then, the next time you go to the theater to see a show or if your in Times Square staring up a that big flashy ball, think of me.
-Chris
35 Comments
Nick Bodkins
I’ve been waiting for this one. Great job, Chris. So happy for you and your family!
Julia
Chris, thanks so much for the photos and sharing! I was a carp for years doing regional work (‘speed, ART, Globe), and moved up through the company management vein for a while before i got just a little dillusioned by the “business” of the whole thing. Im in law school now (which is the best decision of my life), but it gives me the opportunity to work and build on my own schedule. I build for a bunch of off and off-offs in the city and it is the most rewarding work. Its all the collaboration and fun and hard work that got me into it in the first place…sure…there are no welders, or plasma cutters or real draftings of any kind(napkins work, right?)…but theres something so fun about making something out of nothing, and working with folks who just want to make art. if and when you feel like you have the time to do it, try out a local group, or head into the city for a couple of calls. It was so much fun to walk into a theatre and be excited for the curtain to open, that moment of magic that was so lost on me for so many years.. Its still there, no matter what you decide to do, and you will figure out how to get at it. Thanks again for sharing, and keep up the good work!
Sarah H.
That job sounds WAY cool. But I totally feel ya. I’m a genetic counselor….another cool sounding job that is interesting to talk about because not many people have it. I worked hard–got my masters–studied for 9 months to pass my medical genetics board exam–etc. I use to work with 7 other counselors in a busy medical school (academic) setting–I loved learning from them, working with med students, and just the entire environment. Now I’m the only counselor at a small private practice. I do what I want, counsel how I want, can make patient info how I want–I call the shots. BUT I miss the other people and I have no more ladder to climb (for now). So I understand. Just enjoy it, use the time when everything at work seems figured out and status quo, to spend time with your family. Then when something bigger or better is supposed to happen it will 🙂 But I guess at 26/27 we have to realize life might not change as much or as fast in the next 10 years, as it did in the previous 10.
Lori @ Wife. Mom. Artist. Geek,
Oh, Attempts on Her Life–I remember that show (easy paint show for me–hooray!)
I have no interest in working for big B’way shows mostly because I really like the entire process and collaboration of putting up a show from start to finish (well, opening night for me.) I like being part of the production process as a whole, not just one of multiple paint minions whose name isn’t even known by he scenic designer.
However, on the flip side, now that I work totally in academia (not regional theatre, nor a regional/academic hybrid like YSD) there isn’t enough going on to keep me artistically challenged. I love working with students (grad and undergrad) but I get bored. Going from working on 16 shows a season at Y to just 6 here was quite the adjustment!
Sometimes I think that maybe I want to go back to regional theatre, but there isn’t one of those around here. Maybe I just keep expecting to stumble upon another Yale experience and I just can’t find it.
Oh and I have a request: I am interested in knowing your top 10 albums of 2009. Could you perhaps share your opinions in a future post?
Sarah
OMG Chris, please please please tap dance for us at some gathering. PLEASE!!!!!!!
Ben and Ashley Stark
Hey Chris,
Ben felt the same way before he went back to academic theater this year. Maybe teaching is in your future? 🙂 Send Ben an email if you have any questions about teaching at the collegiate level.
Merry Christmas!
Ashley
P.S. Eurydice was one of my favorite shows that I saw at Yale. Beautiful!
Sarah
Love, love, LOVE your Eurydice set!
I’m getting my Masters (not MFA) in Production and Stage Management and you, sir, have an awesome job. 🙂
Whitney
You are awesome! I have read where Katie has mentioned what you do, but it was so interesting to read in depth about it. I L-O-V-E broadway shows and have seen MANY! I wonder if I have seen anything that you were a part of?! I am sure that I have. Wow! So interesting!
And the New Years Ball?!? Seriously – where do you even GO from there???? 🙂
Rachel
Chris, you have a totally cool job! Shakespeare Festival is amazing. I live in Northern Utah where we have the Utah Festival Opera during the summers. I haven’t made it down to the Shakespeare Festival yet, but I’m sure I’ll wander down that direction one of these years. I’ve heard amazing things about it. I’m always amazed at the amount of detail that goes into the sets. It was fun to read this post and learn more about what you do.
Zoe
Wow, what a fascinating job!
Tressa
I was going to ask a while back what you did for a living. The NEW YEAR BALL?!?!?!?!? AWESOME!!!!!
You are awesome!! But it’s still your fault Katie fell 😉
Thanks for sharing your work with us. Very cool
Casey
It sounds like your job, and the process of getting to where you are, is pretty darn fascinating.
Oh, and I love that Mater is in the background of the Times Square ball 😉
Laura
What an interesting job! Thanks for sharing!
Terri A.
Great post! What a neato job!
Ashley
I love this post, and wish that it could have gone on and on forever! Your job is AWESOME, and I pray pray pray that I will love my job as much as you do one day! You are a very lucky man 🙂
Maureen
It does sound like a really cool job. But I know what you mean about being in a funk. I have a pretty cool sounding job too, and it’s interesting to talk about. But not really that interesting to do. It’s hard to have spent all that time in school working toward something, really enjoying it, and then getting out into the real world, and thinking… that’s it?
Deb
I had no clue what you did, Chris. So cool! No wonder you endure the commute. I think with anything in life, it’s best to accept the feelings you’re having (they’re there for a reason!) and then use them to inspire the next step you take. What about mentoring? I’m sure school age kids or high schoolers would hang on your every word as you taught them. Do you guys allow field trips? Just a thought:)
kirsten
that’s just way cool. my brother has, but doesn’t use, a degree in technical theatre as well.
Jennifer
My sister would be so jealous!! She got her degree in tech theater at Troy University in Alabama and was their props manager. She’s the theater director at a local high school.
you have a ver cool job!!!
Amy
Hi Chris–
Having just seen Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the Ordway Theater in St. Paul, MN, last night, I have great respect for what you create! The scenery was A-MA-ZING and it was just so cool how all the pieces of the set worked together seamlessly. Kudos!
Sonya
Brandt and I just saw Wicked in San Fran. I explained to him that you are the man behind the scenery. As a former theater man, he was very impressed.
Sahsha's Mummy
WOW! What an awesome story. How lucky you are! I love the stage, the sets, EVERYTHING broadway. I’m in a foreign country living here in Texas. I grew in Connecticut and basically was involved in everything theater arts. I would love to do something like this… but ahh… my life is the daily doldrum of spreadsheets, flowcharts and reporting. You are so terribly lucky but I do understand about that funk. God is preparing the way for something amazing. Good luck!
Kourtney
I got to see that lovely ball first-hand on New Years Eve – it was gorgeous, so thank you for sharing your talents!
(I’m new to reading your blog, and love it, btw) 🙂
Chris
Thats awesome! We tried to go last year, but we got there at 6pm and it was backed up to like 50th street already, so we went home. Haha. But it was one of the coldest years on record, so it would have been silly to stand out there and not even get to see the ball. Hope you had fun! Thanks for Reading!
MJ in Fremont CA
Chris,
Your sets are beautiful. If you ever want to help out with our sets you’re more than welcome. We are in the middle of our Music Man run. Check out our little youth theatre here-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMfo5RRZR88
My son is Harold Hill. He will be going to college next year as a theater major. Any words of advice?
mike j
Sarah C. H.
I love hearing about your job. I’m in art direction for film so it’s nice to hear about someone with a similar job.
natasha
Very cool job! I know (from working in radio) what it’s like to have a “unique” job that’s actually fun to talk about…when people actually perk up and listen after asking “what do you do?”! Maybe you need a new hobby to give you that creative collaboration you’re seeking??
Susan Mangan
Chris, As always so proud of you. You have built amazing sets and are building an amazing life. Like I said, so proud of you and Katie. Come visit me in Argentina! Robert will be mad if you don’t 🙂 Much Love..
Scott Mersinger
I think it’s the Golden Rule that your missing in your life, might be time to open a bar 🙂
Seriously though man just when I think your accomplishments can’t get more impressive you whip out something like the New Years Eve ball! WOW
Chris
The Golden Rule is exactly what I need!!! Goods Times! Miss you buddy! (Scott was my roommate in college) 🙂
dave
Pretty cool!
Dandy
That is the coolest job ever! I’ve always wondered how these amazing sets come together and never heard of anyone who does it. I want to hear more!
Kimberly Loomis
What a COOL job!! Thanks for sharing!
ayejaydoubleyou
Hi Chris,
I realize I am late on the game here but stumbled upon this post and really enjoyed it. I’m currently a stage management major (undergrad), but the real reason I’m posting is my boyfriend is a TD too. I started kicking him and reading bits and pieces out loud–as he is headed to the same area to do something similar for an internship this summer.
While I did read that you are migrating south, it is comforting, in a way, to read this. Thank you.
Allison
Calypso
Hi Chris..
WOW! WOW! I grew up in CT and always wanted to go to Yale. That’s awesome. I was a bright student, but some family circumstances hit me hard at 16 and ended up having to be committed. When I got back from the otherside, I couldn’t catch up academically and Yale wasn’t a reality for me anymore.. ANYWAYS. I loved Phantom! Great work. I’ve seen DOZENS of shows on Broadway and that’s sooo freaking cool that you get to work on that.. I tooo… am feeling the same discontent with my current place in life.. I guess a change is coming for me too.. thanks for writing and posting.. keep doing so…