Steppenwolf Theatre Company Blog – Chicago Theater, World-Class Ensemble

I moved to Chicago this past August to begin my yearlong apprenticeship at Steppenwolf Theatre Company. I am halfway through my apprenticeship and I’ve got a few numbers for you.

I’ve worked:
67 performances of Fake
37 performances of American Buffalo

I’ve had:
27 days off (Since August 5th, 2009)

I’ve worked with:
17 Fellow Apprentices
4 Equity Stage Managers

The numbers don’t completely capture my experience but it’s nice to be able to break things down into tangible facts sometimes. Did I mention I’m the Stage Management Apprentice? It helps my “Type A” personality.

What the numbers won’t tell you is how many truly fantastic people I’ve met here. One of the best parts of my job is that I’m able to interact directly with the actors. With the past show, American Buffalo, I’ve been privileged to work with three ensemble members (Tracy Letts, Amy Morton and Fran Guinan) as well as the fantastic Patrick Andrews (have you seen his video blogs?).

While most days I’m the quiet observer in the background, listening to stories of Steppenwolf’s past shows, I am always ready to do my job. Just like the other stage managers, I’ve memorized the lines and I know the blocking. I know where the props go and what costume items need to be worn in each act. I pay attention to what the director’s notes are and the rhythm from the actors so that, when I read for understudy rehearsal, I can mimic the real tempo of the show.

There are some days that I cannot believe I’m hanging out backstage at Steppenwolf and joking around with such accomplished people, but it’s just my job! Of course, like any other job, there are ups and downs: my mom always reminds me that, “The only problem with jobs is that they are daily.” But even on the hard days, I enjoy myself. Live theater is an experience like no other, and I’m so glad to be experiencing it at Steppenwolf.

(You can learn more about the Internships, Apprenticeships, and Fellowships that comprise Steppenwolf’s Professional Leadership Program here)

This entry was posted by Karyn Labbe on Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 4:55 pm and is filed under 2009-2010 Season. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.