Welcome to another installment of our Working in Theater series. This series in which we interview people working in different theater-related jobs runs periodically on Saturdays. Today we will be speaking with company manager Rebecca Crigler (RC).
What is your job title?
RC: Company Manager
How would you describe what you do?
RC: This question is harder to answer than you would imagine. Company managers function as HR reps, bookkeepers, travel agents, event planners, and social workers. The general manager dictates budgets and contracts, and the company manager uses those directives to run the day-to-day during rehearsals and performances. My scope of work has deviated on every project I’ve worked based on the capacity of the venue, the types of union contracts, the location of the theatre, and/or the size of the management office that hires me.
However, broadly, I deal with money, tickets, people, and paperwork. I am the person “in the field” from the management office. I pay the bills, run the payroll, book travel and internal ticket requests, and I listen to the pulse of the company to anticipate any issues that may cause riffs. I’ve sat in emergency rooms with injured or sick crew members; I’ve held creatives’ hands while they’ve cried; I’ve played decoy to the paparazzi and over-enthusiastic fans when celebrity employees needed to get from one place to another without interruption; and I’ve spent six figures on bills in an afternoon. No two days are the same.
How did you come to be doing the job that you do?
RC: I was an out-of-work actor who thought an internship in theatrical administration could get me a leg up on my acting career. That plan didn’t work quite as well as I had dreamed, but it did gain me valuable insight on the “business” side of “show business.”
I interned at a theatrical foundation that was in preproduction for an awards show. The foundation also managed a few theatres, so I found myself filling in for some of their front of house staff to make a little extra money after work in the office. Once my internship ended, with the experience I had acquired from filling in at the theatre, I became a house manager. Whenever there weren’t any shows in the venue, I would fill in for the box office at other theatres that had shows running. While I was bouncing around theatres, I met a producer that made producing look like a lot of fun, and I did everything I could to make myself seem valuable enough to be incorporated into his producing team. After a year of building a relationship with that producer and producing small-scale projects independently, he offered me a position as associate producer on one of his shows. Because the scope of work in that position is so broad, I was acquiring skills that were transferable to theatrical management positions. Once a show would close, I would look religiously at different job postings that fit my skillset on Playbill.com, but I tend to get most of my work (including the company management position on A Sherlock Carol) based on recommendations from the connections I’ve made over the years.
Did you have to get any special training for your job?
RC: A BA in Theatre does not impress too many people on a resume. Most of my training has been hands-on via work experience. While special training for this job is not usually required, in order to make myself a competitor in the industry, I regularly take classes and seminars on topics that range from accounting to fire safety to sexual harassment prevention.
What is the best part of your job?
RC: Making connections. Company managers deal with everyone that touches the theatre: producers, creatives, audience members, venue staff, catering companies, carpentry shops, etc. Being able to connect with such a variety of people and doing my part to make their connection with a show run as smoothly (and as fun!) as possible is quite fulfilling.
What is the worst part of your job?
RC: There is never a time when I feel like I am “off-the-clock.” The day off for the actors may not be the same day off for the other departments, so finding a work/life balance in this position is challenging.
What is your favorite part of your current show and why should people want to see it?
RC: The people! Everyone working on A Sherlock Carol is amazing. Because the producers and the director have put together a team of professional, talented, and good people, that “vibe” translates onstage. The content is fun and thrilling, the design elements are beautiful, and the performances are top-notch. It’s a show for the whole family without feeling like it is geared toward children. The adult iteration of Tiny Tim brings a case surrounding a mystery involving Ebenezer Scrooge to Sherlock Holmes. Who wouldn’t be intrigued?!
What are some of your other favorite shows that you have worked on?
RC: There are so many! The first ones that come to mind are Mike Birbiglia’s The New One, Chris Gethard: Career Suicide, Neal Brennan: 3 Mics, and Jerry Springer—The Opera. I guess I like to work on shows with people’s names in the titles.
What shows if any would you love to have worked on?
RC: That’s a tough question, too, because some of the shows that I’ve loved would have been a lot of work for me as a company manager (huge casts, a million moving parts, etc.), but, if I had to choose a favorite play that I would have loved to have been a part of, I’d say August: Osage County.
Who are some other people in your field that you admire?
RC: As far as those that I admire in the theatrical management field, I can honestly say that I admire the people I’m working with now: Nathan Gehan, CEO of ShowTown Theatricals, and everyone in the ShowTown offices. They are so knowledgeable and well-equipped to take on any show that comes across their desks. Even though there are a lot of things going on at all times, they have a way of creating a workplace environment that makes me enjoy coming to work every day.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to do what you do?
RC: Be adaptable and resilient. Be true to yourself, check your ego at the door, and make people want to work with you. Entertainment is a hard field to succeed in, and the people who get the most work are the ones that make life easier for everyone else. The job of a company manager can be exceedingly stressful (you’re managing eight live events per week!), but you get to see your work realized eight times a week, as well. This position can touch so many peoples’ lives.
We thank Rebecca for taking the time to answer our questions. A Sherlock Carol is currently playing at New World Stages located at 340 W. 50th S., New York, NY. It will run through Sunday, January 2, 2022. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit asherlockcarol.com.
Tune in tomorrow for this week's Sunday Scoop.
Photo credit: A Sherlock Carol production photo by Matthew Murphy
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