Candide (2016)
Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Richard Wilbur
Assistant Director
Director: David Schweizer
Conductor: Kristof van Grysperre
Scenic and Puppetry Design: Sean T. Cawelti/Rogue Artists Ensemble
Lighting Design: Sara Nishida/Long Beach Opera
Costumes Design: Lori Meeker
Hair and Make up Design: Dolores Polley
Unique Elements: The production consists of multiple puppets and puppeteers.
- Production staged on a thrust with the orchestra behind.
- First time working as Assistant Director only
Hydrogen Jukebox (2015)
Poetry by Allen Ginsberg, Music by Philip Glass
Calling Stage Manager
Director: David Schweizer
Conductor: Kristof van Grysperre
Scenic Design: Caleb Wertenbaker
Lighting Design: Dan Weingarten
Costume Coordinator: Nicholas Pilapil
Sound Design: Bob Christian
Hair and Make up Design: Dolores Polley
Unique Elements: Produced in a large, empty warehouse at CRAFTED at the Port of Los Angeles
- Brought in during tech only to learn and call the show
- Production ligh with all moving lights, every cue had to be timed and called perfectly.
- Playing space was 90’ long by 25’ wide and had audience on 3 sides. Two songs were staged behind/outside of the audience.
The Death of Klinghoffer (2014)
John Adams, libretto by Alice Goodman
Production Stage Manager
Director: James Robinson
Conductor: Andreas Mitisek
Scenic Design: Allen Moyer
Lighting Design: Christopher Akerlind
Video Design: Gregory Emetaz
Costume Coordinator: James Schuette
Sound Design: Bob Christian
Hair and Make up Design: Dolores Kimble (Polley)
Unique Elements: Production purchased from Opera Theatre St. Louis, all elements had to be recreated.
- Called all lighting, projection and spot cues starting the 1st day of tech.
- Helped stage 2 chorus scenes (from the original blocking score and video) when the director was stuck in a flash flood).
- Cast included 11 principals, 16 onstage chorus, 9 offstage chorus, 9 supers, 2 children and 2 walk on roles (large donors).
Macbeth (2013)
Ernest Bloch
Stage Manager and Assistant Director
Director and Production Design: Andreas Mitisek
Conductor: Ben Makino
Lighting Design: Dan Weingarten
Hair and Make up Design: Dolores Kimble (Polley)
Unique Elements: Produced in a cruise ship terminal at the Port of Los Angeles
- Called the show within 2’ of the audience, so all cues were hand signals and eye contact.
- Orchestra was behind a column and fabric, monitors had to be set up around the stage to see Maestro and hear the orchestra, and a monitor had to be set up so Maestro could hear the performers.
The Fall of the House of Usher (2013)
Philip Glass
Stage Manager at LBO, ASM and AD at Chicago Opera Theatre
Director: Ken Cazan
Conductor: Andreas Mitisek
Scenic Design: Alan E. Muraoka
Lighting Design: David Jacques
Costume Design: Jacqueline Saint-Anne
Hair and Make up Design: Dolores Polley
Unique Elements: A few weeks after the performances in Southern California, the show transferred to Chicago with the same principal singers, but different Supers. I was sent to Chicago a week ahead of the director to teach all the Supers their tracks.
- In Chicago, I cued both sides of the stage myself.
- My calling score was used by the SM in Chicago to call the show.
- The plexi glass tables/coffins had florescent lights inside that were on extension cords, so cables had to be tracked with every movement and scene change.
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (2012)
Michael Nyman, libretto by Oliver Sacks/Christopher Rawlence/Michale Morris
Stage Manager
Director: David Schweizer
Conductor: Ben Makino
Scenic Design: Andreas Mitisek and David Schweizer
Lighting Design: Stephanette Isabel Smith
Costume Design: Christina Wright
Unique Elements: Produced in an abandoned furniture wearehouse
- Lighting had to be creative due to lack of power in building.
The Breasts of Tiresias/Tears of a Knife (2012)
Francis Poulenc/Bohuslav Martinu
Stage Manager
Director/Choreographer: Ken Roht
Conductor: Andreas Mitisek
Scenic Design: Alan E. Muraoka
Video Design: John J. Flynn
Lighting Design: Azra King-Abadi
Costume Design: Lake Sharp
Sculpture/Mask Design: Wen Wen Hsu
Unique Elements: The walk on role (auctioned off as part of a fundraiser) did not want to leave the stage one night when instructed to and was chased around the stage by leading soprano.
- The order of the 2 shows were switched during tech and all presets had to be redone.
- I called final dress and the first performance from the booth in front of house, and the 2nd performance from back stage left due to an injured ASM.
The Difficulty of Crossing a Field (2011)
David Lang, libretto by Mac Wellman
Stage Manager
Director/Concept: Andreas Mitisek
Conductor: Ben Makino
Lighting Designer: Dan Weingarten
Unique Elements: Though in a traditional theatre, the audience was seated in risers onstage and the action took place on the hydraulic pit and on plexiglass platforms over the seats in the audience.
- Orchestra pit consists of 3 hydraulic sections, all scene changes and the principal singers rode these sections up and down at different levels.
- I called the show from the house of the theatre (which was one of the best views I have ever had of Maestro and the stage).
Akhnaten (2011)
Philip Glass
Stage Manager
Conductor/Director/Production Design: Andreas Mitisek
Video Design: Freider Weiss
Lighting Design: Dan Weingarten
Choreographer: Nanette Brody
Unique Elements: Part of the Video projections were motion capture of the performers onstage and projected back onto the stage: there were 5 cameras placed around the stage for this.
- Due to health issues, we replaced the Countertenor who sang Akhnaten between the 1st week of performances and 2nd week. During those days in between we taught the role to the new performer in the Conductor/Directors living room.
- Both ASM’s were fired during tech. Therefore I called the show from backstage and cued all the performer entrances and scene changes.
- Since the Conductor was also director and production designer, he was on headset up until opening night, giving notes while conducting.
- Cast consists of 6 principals, 26 chorus and 11 dancers
Nixon in China (2010)
John Adams
Stage Manager
Director: Peter Pawlik
Choreographer: Jenny Weston
Conductor: Andreas Mitisek
Scenic Design: Wilhelm Holzbauer
Lighting Design: Dan Weingarten
Costume Design: Joerg Gaulocher
Unique Element: Half of an airplane onstage (for the first 3 minutes of the show), then it had to be stored offstage for the rest of the opera!
- Cast consists of 9 principals, 36 chorus, 7 supers and 10 dancers.
- Director was German, conductor Austrian, original production produced in Italy and all drawings for the set were in metric.