This past Saturday I came into our Charleston Stage Mt. Pleasant offices and studios and though it was Saturday, things were buzzing. In our administrative office, Judy Halberda, our Director of Finance was printing out W-2’s (tax season is here) . . . she printed over 100 which means we’ve had over 100 people working for Charleston Stage this past year, actors, technicians, scenic artists, administrative, staff and more. Next door in Studio One there was a spirited rehearsal for the off Broadway comedy, Bad Dates which opens February 1 at the American Theatre. Actress Beth Curley (who by day is our Box Office Manager) was doing her first runthru offbook (memorized) as Guest Director Megan Link and TheatreWings apprentice stage manager Heather Jones looked on. Beth was doing a great job. This is a one woman show and there are a LOT of words. (Funny words I might add). Down the hall in another rehearsal room, our five professional acting interns (Sam, Autumn, Charlie, Patrick, Nicole) were putting more than a dozen theatreschool students through their paces for a showcase of songs from Broadway Musicals through the ages. In only two weeks these talented kids put together a singing and dancing review of over a dozen showstoppers which they presented to a packed house of family and friends at 10:30. And me, I was actually in room number four learning how to do this blog, the first of many, which I hope will give you a glimpse of the workings of Charleston Stage. As you can see from this one busy Saturday morning there are many facets to Charleston Stage, rehearsing, performing, teaching, learning and of course the all important business side too. Every room was bursting at the seams with excitement and creativity.
Julian Wiles, Producing Artistic Director