Journal Entry #9: I didn't take all these notes for nothing!!!

Friday, November 22nd, 2024. 2:24 PM.

Confidence in my career/choice of major: 75%

Song stuck in my head: Salut d'Amour Op. 12 by Edward Elgar

                If this is a freebie journal entry, then I'm using it write about guest speakers DeAnn Boise and Jordan McKey, company managers for Some Like it Hot. I took a whole bunch of notes while they spoke to us, and I'm glad they're not going to waste. I found their talk to be particularly interesting and unique.

                I had little to no knowledge about the role and responsibilities of a company manager before the DeAnn and Jordan came to class to speak with us. My takeaway is that they handle the logistics and finances of the tour, and act as liaison between the company and the producers. DeAnn's exact words were that they "represent" the producers. They work with travel agents to secure lodging, manage payroll and expenses, and oversee contracts between the tour and the venues. Apparently, they have their own separate union, which was surprising to me. They even have the power to hold a curtain if they feel they need to! How crazy is that?

                According to DeAnn, touring is "trial by fire." You can never truly know what to expect, and every tour will force you to experience something new, or find solutions to new challenges. She and Jordan McKey both started their careers as company managers by managing "bus and truck" tours, which are generally smaller tours where the cast and crew live on sleeper busses. Despite having less trucks of equipment, these tours are apparently more stressful to manage, partially due to them often being non-union. I imagine the "one night" tours I've heard so much about are often bus and truck tours.

                DeAnn and Jordan primarily spoke of their own experiences, but they did have some advice for us as well. They said that diversity in education and experience is vital to being a company mmanager. DeAnn even went to school specifically for theatre management, which is something I wasn't aware you could get a whole multiple-year degree in. I mean, I didn't think it didn't exist, I just never thought about it. We were also warned that theatre is a small business. They said we would be surprised by how many familiar faces we would see on the road. It is for this reason that they stressed how important it is to not be a jerk. Your reputation precedes you in this industry.

                One thing DeAnn showed us that I found particularly interesting was city sheets. I'd assumed that information about the cities the tour was stopping in was somehow communicated to the company, but I was not aware that there was a designated sheet for it, or that the a portion of the information on them came from the venue. These sheets include info on lodging, nearby grocery stores and banks, and options for healthcare in the area. They also have flight information, the schedule, and, most excitingly, things to do in the city. It's nice to know that people on tour aren't just dropped into a city with no prep or guidance.

                I had several questions for the two of them that were answered without me having to ask, and two questions I did ask.

                Question: Are you expected to handle disputes between the different groups you manage?

                Answer: There is a hierarchy for conflict resolution, and company managers are near the top. Most disputes are addressed by the groups involved. A company manager would only intervene if those groups are unable to reach a compromise, but that happens very infrequently. Touring companies do have outside HR companies they employ, but they only oversee serious altercations or emergencies.

                Question: I know Some Like it Hot is a pretty physically demanding show. Do you travel with a physical therapist?

                Answer: No. The tour is connected with physical therapists at each (or at least each major) stop. The cast and crew are able to book 20 minute appointments with them. In the case of serious injury, the employee does have time off they can take, and equity actors have health insurance.

                Health and safety, both physical and mental, is something that is becoming less of an afterthought in theatre, which DeAnn said is a very nice change to see. There are more swing performers to step in when people need to take time off, and just recently there are crew swings as well. Particularly exciting for me are the crew swings, which are a post-covid development. According to DeAnn, all swings are "caught up to speed" early in the process, so they have no trouble jumping in when they are needed.

                The confidence-o-meter was at a fairly high 75% after listening to DeAnn and Jordan talk about their experiences. Perhaps I felt like being higher up the chain or command would be less stressful than being a production manager. I still had my worries, of course. I'm Jacquelyn after all. Perhaps knowing that there are many very knowledgeable people working very hard to support the cast and crew put my mind at (relative) ease.