Michelle Foster, Production Manager
Some Q&A with our Production Manager, Michelle Foster! (See yesterday’s blog for a description of her duties.) Michelle is fairly new to Dallas and to Pegasus, so we’re letting her tell her story in her own words. And she’s a free-lance writer, so she has a good inventory of words!
How long have you been in theatre?
I spent a lot of time in Renaissance Faires as a kid and I loved the theatrics of it all. When I got to be old enough, I started doing whatever we could afford, which wasn’t much, but I did act in a few shows. In high school, I was dubbed the Sound Girl, so I came into the tech world a little bit by default.
What positions have you held in theatre?
Professionally I have worked primarily as a stage manager both in Dallas and in New York. I have dabbled in playwriting and producing as well.
What do you like best about working in theatre?
This question was hard for me until I took a hiatus from theatre and did a stint in corporate healthcare. I love a lot of things about theatre, so I used to mumble different things about rehearsals being extended literary study or seeing the growth of a show or being the “make it happen” girl. But eventually all that stuff just becomes a part of the job. Personally, for me, it’s the people. We’re a passionate, liberal bunch, by and large. Sometimes when I’m in tech and I’m two hours behind schedule and I want to wring someone’s neck, I remind myself how freakin awesome it is that I get paid to lock myself in a personal playground with a bunch of genius, artistic, like-minded individuals.
What have you found to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
I’m really great at giving my all to a project, but when the need arises to do multiple projects – and it always does – I’ve only got so much “all” to give! I’ve always been an excellent multi-tasker, so it’s all about giving myself the time to sit down and get organized. (This write-up is part of a to-do list that is an entire page long, single-spaced.)
What are your pet peeves?
Passive-aggressiveness. I appreciate somebody who can walk up to me and say, “Listen, I have this problem, and here’s what should be happening instead.” 99% of the time, communication itself is the problem.
What other jobs have you held besides theatre jobs?
I’m working on my jill-of-all-artistic-trades status. Currently, I own a business writing biographies for people and their families, I freelance for Mixmaster/The Observer, I model for art classes, I work in a costume shop, and when I really need to, I dress up like a princess and attend little girls’ birthday parties. Otherwise I’ve worked administrative jobs in a hundred different directions: government (parks and recreation), food service, retail, real estate, childcare, education, healthcare…
Any unusual special skills or hobbies?
I can say my alphabet backwards in under six seconds.
What is your education/training?
I got a four-year bachelor’s degree from Marymount Manhattan College. My sophomore year, I managed to take all my classes at Collin College. I entered school as a playwriting major and then switched to scenic design, and then at Collin I started stage managing, and there I’ve stayed. My degree is in Theatre Arts with a concentration in Producing and Management.
What do you treasure most?
A day off and my bed!
Anything else of note we should consider adding?
I’m fairly new to the Dallas community, having made my return at the Festival of Independent Theatres this year. The majority of my experience has been in New York City. I’m legitimately floored by the progress that was made in the whole arts scene in Dallas in the six years I was gone. A lot of young people leave here to pursue artistic avenues in New York or LA or Chicago because they think they’ll get more of an opportunity to be a part of great art, but the truth is that as artists, it’s our job to MAKE great art. People are doing that here. If anybody’s looking for a community where they can make a difference with what comes out of their brains, their hands, their voices, and collaborate with earnest, supportive creators, Dallas is it. I know literally hundreds of actors in New York who haven’t worked in a year, but I have yet to meet a talented individual here in the same boat. Those brand-name cities are still famous for their immortalizations in sixty-year-old songs. How in the world does anyone believe they can make those cities their own?
That’s Michelle! What we love about her so far? She’s smart, dedicated, and great at getting to the root of issues before they become actual problems. Plus she’s a blend of feisty and tactful that is ideal for the theatre world!! We’re delighted to work with her.