Women Stage Managers of D.C.: Cary Gillett

Presidential Scholars

Imaginary Invalid, Shakespeare Theatre Company. Photo by Carol Rosegg.

Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare Theatre Company. Photo by Carol Rosegg.

JACQUELINE LAWTON: How long have you lived and worked as a stage manager in DC? What brought you here? Why have you stayed?
CARY GILLETT: I graduated from the University of Maryland in 1998 and have been working as an SM ever since.  I love the DC area and have no desire to leave.  It is a wonderful place to live and work.

JL: What excites you most about being a stage manager? What do you feel your greatest challenges are?
CG: I love being in the room when it all happens.  I love bringing my strength in organization to a group of artists and help them achieve their dreams.  My greatest challenge has always been and will always be saying no.  I always take on too much.

JL: What traits do you feel a successful Stage Manager should have to support the health and growth of a production?
CG: Organization, communication and a sense of humor.

JL: Does your work as a Stage Manager pay the bills? If not, what other work do you do and how do you find a balance?
CG: I used to be a full time free-lance SM but have sent the last 5 years as a full time production manager.  I still dabble in stage management from time to time and now teach it at the University of Maryland.

JL: Looking at your body of work as a stage manager in this community, how conscious are you of selecting plays by women or people of color when deciding your season?
CG: I’m not sure how much the playwrights have influenced my decisions but I always enjoy working with female directors.

JL: How do you feel the DC theatre community has addressed the issues of race and gender parity? How has this particular issue impacted you and your ability to work?
CG: I feel we are growing as a community towards awareness and inclusion.  We still have a long way to go but we are headed in the right direction.

JL: DC audiences are ...
CG: Fantastic and very smart

JL: DC actors, designers and directors are …
CG: Innovative and fearless

JL: DC critics are ...
CG: Don’t know.  I never read reviews…

JL: What advice do you have for an up and coming DC based stage managers?
CG: Learn as much as you can about every aspect of theatre craft and work at as many theatres as you can until you find your perfect niche.

JL: What's next for you as a stage manager? Where can we keep up with your work?
CG: Currently teaching an intro the stage management class and mentoring a group of 12 SMs and ASMS on 5 shows this semester.  Exhausting but exhilarating work.