Wicked!

I had the unique opportunity to meet and hang out with the stage managers of the Wicked touring company. My former employer, Sharon, stage managed for Wicked a few years back when it was produced in Chicago and she got to help out with some of the shows while the touring company is in Chicago. So, being the great person that she is, she set up an opportunity for me to meet the stage managers and watch the show from back stage! It was a really incredible experience!

Molly, the SM who called the show tonight, was a lot of fun! She only graduated from college 4 years ago and she worked with Wicked in New York and has been touring with Wicked now for almost 2 years! Getting to watch her call the show was super impressive, not only was she totally on top of all the calls and cue lights but found time to answer my questions, talk to me about my life, and still goof around with actors and crew backstage.

With the touring companies the stage manager is usually not located in a booth at the back of the house but is set up with monitors and everything right in the wings backstage. This made my experience even better because I could hear everything going on over the headsets as well as get to see the chaos and precise "choreography" of the crew, set pieces, costumes, actors, props, and everything else backstage. From where I was located, right next to the stage manager right off stage left, I had the perfect view of Elphaba hooking herself up to the rig to fly at the end of act 1, the monkeys being hooked up to the rigs, and the riggers controlling the flight of the moneys.

I had so much fun getting to be backstage for such a big crazy performance! It made me realize how much I miss working on productions!