Interview: Stage Manager Jess Slocum on Her Role in DR. SEUSS'S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! at The Old Globe

Theatre as an art form is thousands of years old, and the behind-the-scenes talents of stage managers and crew have been there keeping everything running smoothly for just as long.   So we are shining the spotlight on stage manager Jess Slocum who has been a part of the  “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” family for over a decade.  Slocum talks about what the Stage Manager role involves, and why she loves being a part of the Grinch family for so many years.  “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” playing at The Old Globe through December 31st.

Jess Slocum has been involved in theatre since she was a kid when she first started acting in 5th grade all the way through high school. In college, she was studying something else when she found herself drawn back to the theatre. 

“I was focused on Sociology but had a second just-for-fun major in Theater. I started stage managing my sophomore year and by my senior year knew it was what I was meant to do. I did a couple of internships during college and then a few more right out of school and then started working and never looked back. I'm very lucky that stage management is the only job I've had post-college.”

The responsibilities of a Stage Manager are multi-faceted and span from overseeing rehearsals to cueing the performances of the shows.  Jess explains how the role changes and expands from rehearsals through live performances.

“A stage manager is the person who keeps the show running smoothly from rehearsals through performances. In rehearsals, we schedule each day's rehearsal, take note of all staging, track props and costumes, and facilitate communication to let production departments know what is happening in rehearsal and what needs the show has.

 Once we're in performances, the stage manager calls the show - telling crew when scenery, sound, and light changes need to happen during the show - as well as keeping a close eye on the show to make sure the artistic integrity of the show is upheld and give any notes that needed to keep everything on track.”

Jess has been with “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” at The Old Globe for ten years, starting first as a stage management intern and now in her seventh year as the Production Stage Manager.  Jess says that it feels like coming home every year to work on this show with her cast and crew.

“Working on The Grinch is the very best. I love the show, and I love the family of people I get to work with. In some ways, working on Grinch is easier than another show because we know what it is - we know what the staging is, we know how the scenery moves. 

It’s still a lot of work. It's a big show with a big cast and lots of moving parts. We have 15 adult cast members and 22 kids (2 casts of 10 kids and 2 kid understudies). There are a lot of emails, especially in communicating with the parents of the kid cast members. The Assistant Stage Manager Amanda Salmons and I have been with the show for a long time, so we are able to anticipate issues that may come up or solve things quickly when problems do arise. There's always something new to keep us on our toes, though!”

Besides many shows at The Old Globe, she has worked at other theatres throughout the region and says that the role appeals to her for the practical challenges as well as the artistic that makes everything she works on a unique experience.

“I love using the problem-solving and organizational parts of my brain. There is something so satisfying about putting together a really complicated schedule or dealing with a problem that comes up during the show in a way that means the show can keep going and doesn't need to stop. 

I'm also a collaborative stage manager and love being part of the artistic process - finding the best way to call a sequence in a way that best represents and highlights the director and designer's work makes me so happy.”

Jess has some advice if you or someone you know might be interested in learning about becoming a stage manager, or other behind-the-scenes positions.

“Shadowing a stage manager calling a show or running the deck backstage is a great way to see what we do/if it's something you might be interested in. Paid internships/apprenticeships are a great way to dip your toe in and get the experience needed to pursue a career as a stage manager further. 

Being in a room with lots of different stage managers is a great way to learn different styles of stage management and what you might want to steal for your own. Have coffee with a stage manager and pick their brain!”

So when you go see “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” at The Old Globe, or any other theatrical show, cheer extra loud when the cast takes their bows and the tech booth, and/or to the backstage team!

How To Get Tickets

 “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” is playing at The Old Globe through December 31st.  For ticket and showtime information go to www.theoldglobe.org 

Photo Credit:  Jim Cox