Interview: Ron S. McCan Talks SOTA's 2016 Spring Musical

BroadwayWorld interviews Ron S. McCan, director of The Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts' spring musical, CABARET. Ron is the Assistant Director of the Theatre Program at Asawa SOTA and an alum of SOTA?s Technical Theatre Department (Class of 1995). To learn more about Ron, visit http://www.sfsota.org/theatre-people. Then be sure to read our full interview below!

Q: Why did you choose to do this version of Cabaret?

A: When I was approached to direct CABARET, I specifically asked for the 1998 Revival version because I felt that it was the boldest and most challenging of the three available scripts. It puts the stakes of the characters right in the audience?s faces without watering it down.

Q: What has the planning been like for CABARET? How have you and the designers been working together?
A: The first thing I thought about when I signed on was the choreography. Sally, The Emcee and the Kit Kat Klub Girls have some very iconic dance numbers that help tell the story, and I needed that choreographer that was able to make the complex movement accessible to our students. I knew that I had to work with Elizabeth Castenada from the Fossettes (Elizabeth is also an Artist in Residence in the Asawa SOTA Theatre Department). With Erika Weil (Artist in Residence, Musical Theatre) as our Musical Director, I knew that we had the makings of a knock out creative team. As an alum of the Technical Theatre Department (class of 1995), I couldn?t help but think how exciting it was going to be for the students to design this show! The 1930?s was a fascinating decade for Architecture, Fashion and Art. My only instructions to the student designers were to keep it intimate and detailed! I wanted them to focus on telling the story through their designs. Look at the details. Make it interesting! Working with Paul Kwapy (Chair of the Technical Theatre Department) and Annette Hays (Head of the Costume Department) and seeing how they encourage and support their students has been an amazing experience. And I feel like this cast and crew have really grown from this experience.

Q: How has the cast responded to this piece?
A: This is not an easy piece for the ensemble. The first thing I said to them was to take what they know about the iconic characters made famous by Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey and throw it out. I wanted them to make these characters their own. This show requires you to be a triple threat (an actor/singer/dancer), and additionally requires you to go to a pretty dark place emotionally. I have told them repeatedly that there is no single star of the show. They are creating wonderful work together as an ensemble!

Q: As an alum of SOTA?s Technical Theatre Department, did you have any experiences at SOTA that have had a profound influence on you?
A: This whole experience has been a full circle moment for me. I come from a family that has a rich background in Theatre and film, but SOTA really helped me to be the artist I am today. Fred Cushing - who was the head of the Technical Theatre Department from 1992-1995 - gave me the elements I needed to become a successful Costume Designer for Theatre, Television and Film. Phillip Rayher taught me how to look beyond the text, to step out of my comfort zone as a Director and taught me there was artistry and excellence in the details. SOTA has always been a big part of my life, and it is nice to be able to reach back and hopefully share my experiences with the students.

Q: Has the construction provided any challenges for CABARET? How has the space needed to be transformed in order to accommodate the production?
A: Yes. Coming on to the Asawa SOTA Campus this year was very different. Certain areas of the school were closed, and we were sharing lots of classrooms. Everyone has been really great given the circumstances. We
knew that whatever we were planning for the musical this year had to be kept easy due to limited space to build and rehearse, but still be quality for our students and our audience. However, as Tina Turner says at the beginning of Proud Mary: "we never ever do anything nice and easy..." Paul and I knew that we needed a unit set that could be transformed into the different locations. I wanted to create an intimate experience for the audience to force them into this world. I think what Paul and his team have created is pretty spectacular!

Q: How do you think audiences will receive CABARET? What do you hope they will gain from seeing the production?
Cabaret is more than just a musical; it is a picture of the human experience in one of the darkest moments in our world?s history. In working with our cast, we have had many discussions about the truths of the characters in this play, and how current national and global events are making this production timely and relevant. With themes questioning freedom (personal and political), the right to love and be loved, this show does not allow the audience to take a passive role. It leaves you with the question "what would you do?" Good Theatre does that. Hopefully the audiences will leave thinking about how they can create change in their communities and cities thereby impacting our nation and the world.

Q: Why do you think doing a musical like CABARET is important for The Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts?
A: I think that we have a duty as artists to hold up a mirror to society so that people can take a good long look at themselves and ask thought provoking questions: How does history repeat itself and what role do we play in it? How can we create a dialogue for change? I think its great to do a musical like Cabaret because it allows the students the opportunity to not only put a show like this in their repertoire, but it teaches them that they don?t have to wait until they?re adults to change things. That young people have the power -- through movements, through art, by using their voice -- to create change today.

CABARET plays March 11-20, 2016 at the Dan Kryston Menorial Theatre. For tickets and information visit http://www.sfsota.org/cabaret.