Student theater at Wesleyan this year has been creative and diverse, and the response from the student body has been wonderful—shows have received a great deal of enthusiasm and support from Wesleyan as a whole. We at Second Stage, however, feel that students don’t understand our role at Wesleyan, and I, as a Second Stage staff member, am taking this opportunity to explain what we do.
Student theater at Wesleyan is managed entirely by students in the form of Second Stage, the student production company. Though we are funded through the WSA, and have liaisons to the Theater Department, there is no faculty or staff member who’s ‘in charge’ of Second Stage. Ed Chiburis, our wonderful Facilities Manager, is an invaluable resource but not our boss. Thus, student shows—and the ’92 Theater itself—are managed solely by Second Stage. We run a theater company. Three of us (in charge of equipment and finances) are paid, the rest of us working long hours for free.
I explain this because, due to new fire codes, crowd control has been an issue. We fear that students, not knowing what Second Stage is, find it offensive when other students act as authority figures and give them instructions before and during shows. We’re sorry for this, and are working on ways to make our positions more clear.
That being said, we feel that students can do their own part to not make our jobs harder. We are at shows SOLELY to ensure that they run smoothly and safely, and that no one gets fined or SJBed. Ways you can help:
1. Don’t show up with plainly visible alcohol. If Public Safety stops by, we’re the ones in (very serious) trouble. If we see it, we HAVE to take it away.
2. Understand that we are bound by fire codes, and that the fire marshal has been PAINFULLY attentive this semester. If we say there’s no room, there isn’t. Your best friend’s in the show? Come earlier.
3. In general, come earlier. Unlike less formal performances like improv or bands, plays tend to start at the time advertised, and audience members can’t walk in late. Often times we have scheduling restraints, and we can’t hold the show for long.
4. Don’t arrive after the show has begun and bang on the doors so that everyone inside can hear. You can’t want to see the show that badly if you’re fine with ruining it.
5. Don’t sneak into the theater basement and do shots among other people’s costumes. I mean, come on.
6. When you curse at, insult, or otherwise attack us, it makes our job very difficult. It makes us sad and you, an asshole.
Student theater is our wonderful privilege. Please don’t jeopardize it when, if you take a moment to put yourself in our shoes, you’ll find there’s no reason why anyone should be inconvenienced, disappointed, or called a bitch.
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