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Accidental

ACTOR

Community theater fixture Darryl Nelson Smith talks Live Arts and reluctant performances By Shea Gibbs

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Darryl Nelson Smith had never been in a play when he uprooted his Richmond life for an office gig supporting the Charlottesville theater community. He figured he’d take the job with Live Arts for a few years. Twenty years later, Smith is a pillar in local theater—on and off stage.

434: So what’s your ROLE at Live Arts? Lol.

Darryl Nelson Smith: I’m the box office manager, but I feel like I’m more like the face of Live Arts. I help with development and marketing and fundraising. I get to throw fun parties and do a lot of the community outreach. I can’t wait to have people back in the building. And, since we’re a 100 percent volunteer organization, I have been onstage in a couple of Live Arts shows.

If you’ve only recently been in productions, what brought you to Live Arts in the first place?

A co-worker in Richmond was coming to do shows at Live Arts many years ago. I came to see one and fell in love. Then she took a marketing position here. One day, I got a phone call from her—”this might be weird, but we are looking for a box office manager.” Four or five months later, I packed up my suitcase and a moving truck.

What is it about theater you love?

The cool thing about theater is it is always growing and changing. At Live Arts, we do six or seven productions per year, and there’s great excitement around opening night. But then after four weeks of doing the same show, you’re a little tired of it. Then, there’s all of a sudden a new show and group of people to engage with.

How were you convinced to finally perform yourself?

I went to school for communications and advertising, and in Richmond I worked at museums mostly. But with Live Arts being a volunteer organization, someone was eventually like, “hey, by the way, we need a person and think you should audition.” I’d be like, “you’re crazy—I am not an actor.” But then after going out for a couple of beers, I’d be in.

What’s the last year been like for Live Arts?

We reinvented the wheel and did online shows—but you don’t get that immediate feedback you get with live audiences. We’ve also been doing dance parties to reach out and let people know we are here. It’s just kind of been like, “how can we engage the community?”

What’s the year been like for you personally?

After our doors had been closed for a year and a half, I honestly started to wonder if I could do it again. But I recently had a chance to go to New York and work with a former director of mine and run his box office. I got to do what I love, and I thought, “I can do this again.” I love the interaction with the public—that excitement of people coming to a show. It’s so magical.

What’s been one of your favorite moments as Live Arts box office director?

The last show before the pandemic was Men on Boats, which is an all female cast playing men characters. We ran for two weeks before the pandemic and kind of knew this was a big thing. For the last show, the audience just really wanted to be there and came to support us, and I think the actors felt the love. It was their last show, and they gave it their all.

What’s next for you and Live Arts?

I’m going to be here as long as they want me. But you never know. My life goal is to end up in a cabin in Canada somewhere.

Our first show this season is a oneman show, but we have three different actors available each night just in case. If someone gets sick, we have another actor who can go on. You can come three times and it might be different every time. We also have a big ol’ musical coming next summer. And I always say I won’t be onstage, but you never know. I say no, then I’m up there singing and dancing.