Arts Production
BYU ARTS PRODUCTION
Russell Richins
Director of BYU Arts Production
Though patrons of BYU Arts may only see dancers, musicians and actors when they come to a show, there are thousands of moving parts involved in putting on a performance. BYU Arts Production — helmed by Russell Richins — is a professional-caliber arts production entity housed within the college that helps to make these events a reality. Arts Production is charged with mounting, running and striking all the behind-the-scenes aspects of a performance.
“I manage all of the work that needs to be done: everything that the camera and audience sees except the actors,” Richins said. “That’s the simple way of putting it.”
An understated description of an overwhelming task, yet Richins’ position involves even more moving parts. Richins oversees the production of more than 500 BYU Arts performances annually and is directly involved in special projects like BYU Spectacular and film and stage integrated productions. His primary responsibility is to coordinate the different production managers for dance, theatre and music, as well as the operational heads that manage lighting, audio, costume, makeup and everything in between.
Production Managers
Before stars like violinist Joshua Bell and singer-actor Audra McDonald hit the stage, the BYU Arts production team spends months in preparation. Planning for upcoming performances can begin almost a year in advance and requires input from a variety of people. Production managers like Ben Sanders–who primarily manages dance productions and was involved in the Department of Dance’s recent performance in Beijing–are the ones who coordinate all these efforts. “We meet with the directors and all the designers, whether for costumes, lighting, scenery or makeup, to develop the concepts of the show,” Sanders explained. As the production manager meets with the director and other key players, the team refines their vision for the undertaking and establishes the budgets, logistics and staffing necessary to make it a reality.
Benjamin Sanders
Director of Production and Design
A large part of the production managers’ job is coordinating the efforts of their many student employees. From follow spot operators to stage managers, these students work to hone their technical skills and help create art. According to theatre production manager Jennifer Reed, running a production staff comprised mostly of students presents a unique set of challenges. “It’s hard because academic theatre is a little different, and you have to find a balance,” Reed said. “You want students to learn what it’s like to work in a professional theatre, but there’re some other considerations like classes that make it tough to find the right balance.” As students and production managers navigate these challenges, they do more than just prepare for shows. Many skills that production students learn will help them in their post-collegiate lives. In coordinating all the efforts among performers, directors, students, and more, production managers help great performances not only to touch the lives of those in the audience but also those lives who assist in bringing the magic to life.
Jennifer Reed
Adjunct Instructor
Stage Managers
Crysta Powell
Stage Manager
Stage managers lead the legion of backstage crew members both during a show and long before any performers hit the stage. An integral part of the conceptualizing and planning phase of any production, they work closely with production managers and directors. “I have to remember it’s not me that comes first; it’s the production and the director’s vision,” said Crysta Powell, stage manager for dance and theatre productions. “My job is to make sure their vision and dream are coming to life.” Much of a stage manager’s job consists of coordinating lighting, sound, costumes, sets and more. The arsenal for managing these elements includes a master scene list, an actor/scene breakdown, rehearsal schedules, diagrams of the set and lighting configurations, and more. “One of my big roles is to keep all the information organized and put together,” said Powell. “When nobody else feels the stress I’m feeling, it makes me feel like I am doing something right.”
Powell is no stranger to the stress that comes with managing high-profile stage performances. She was the stage manager for the BYU Contemporary Dance Theatre’s recent trip to Beijing when the troupe performed at the National Center for the Performing Arts with the Beijing Dance Academy. “I learned a lot from that show,” Powell said. “It was really stressful because . . . the director (and I) ended up doing a lot of things you normally don’t do as a stage manager.”
The stage manager’s bread and butter is “calling the show” on the night of the performance: over headsets, the stage manager will signal the light, sound, set and other cues, scene-by-scene throughout show. They have to know every element of every scene and stay organized to keep everything on track. “A stage manager is talking five minutes into the future,” said Benjamin Sanders, who, as a production manager, works closely with the stage managers. “That communication that happens between stage managers and stagehands backstage is crucial for the show to work right.” Hannah Richardson, the stage manager for BYU’s upcoming play Pride and Prejudice, explains that audiences feel the impact of a well-called show, even if they don’t notice it. “It starts with the first cue, ‘house to half,’ which is when the lights first dim,” Richardson said. “For the people sitting in the audience it’s something that just happens, but in a show everything is called live.” Anytime a light changes or a scene change happens, the stage manager calls it. They ensure a light doesn’t turn on before a set is finished and that sounds play precisely when they should. “If an actor enters, I’ll say, ‘Spot on actor number one at 50%, upstage left – go,’ and they’ll make it happen,” Richardson said. It takes a lot of dedication and skill for stage managers to be able to do their job well, but the effort pays off in more ways than just a great show.
After hanging up the headset and putting away the script at the end of the night, stage managers leave the theatre with skills that go beyond the stage. “If you can’t keep everything either mapped out or at least keep it in your head clearly, then [stage managing is] not for you,” Richardson said. “It’s a lot of stress management–you keeping a cool head in a difficult situation.” Even though costumes and lighting may not be of great concern outside of the theatre world, stress and crisis management skills transcend the stage into everyday life. Interdisciplinary skill sets are quickly becoming vital in the job market, and stage managers are equipped with expertise that will allow them to succeed in many different endeavors. “There are a lot of critical studies in the major,” Richardson said. “A lot of learning about art and the reason behind doing it. It’s not just putting on a show, but understanding some artistic vision.” Stage managers get the opportunity most people never have: to call all the shots in life. Even though it’s a stage life, the heavy workload of a stage manager is made worth it by the satisfaction that comes when the audience is enraptured by an impressive arts performance. “It’s hard and it takes up your life but I love it,” Powell said. “It’s worth it for me, and I don’t think I’d want to do anything else.”