Beth Domann

Executive Director, Springfield Little Theatre

41

Cast the show right.

Mick Denniston taught me if you cast a show right, you’ve done 90% of the work, and he was right. Putting people in the right roles, whether it’s onstage or in an office, is everything. It must be the right fit for it all to mesh.

42

Get out of the way.

If you have cast right, let them do their work. Don’t hover. Don’t tear people down in an attempt to rebuild them because they’ll naturally end up the way they were, which is why you chose them for the role in the first place. Let people do the work, and you can tweak and torque along the way.

43Support your people.

I always see my job as clearing the way for the staff and volunteers to have what they need to accomplish the shows, have a good time doing it and access to the tools and resources to get it all done. Fly at 30,000 feet and see the ripples. Get ahead of it.

44

Everyone has a different need.

Know what makes people tick. Some people want applause, some want to be a part of the process, and some just need an escape. Whatever the reason, listen and make people feel heard and included.

Be on time.

45

I know, seems like a no brainer. Nope. There’s a saying in theater: If you’re not 15 minutes early, you’re 15 minutes late. It only takes once to be shamed in front of 50 of your cast members because you kept them waiting for 10 minutes – you’ll never do it again. Plus, basically what you are saying to everyone is my time is more important than yours. Time is precious. Don’t waste it.

46

Stop taking yourself so seriously.

Leave the drama at the door. Yes, I said it. Leave it at the door, or keep it on the stage. It’s exhausting being around drama queens, and it distracts from the goal.

Surrender to the art.

48

No matter what it is that you do, do it fully and with your whole heart. Don’t hold back; tell people you love them, admire them and respect them. Don’t miss the opportunity to let people know how you feel. Take a chance, because what the other person does with it has nothing to do with you.

49

Take away the excuses.

Betsy Stack taught me this: Don’t let people hide behind excuses. If you expect excellence, you will get it. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people say, “I can’t do that,” only to realize they can and they will. It’s so rewarding and fun to watch people accomplish something they thought they were too old or scared to do. And trust me, if you dance in a Lorianne Dunn show, you can do anything.

Make people feel included.

That’s really the deal, isn’t it? People want to feel included and to be part of something they built with other people and can be proud of. Cliques are death traps that do nothing but exclude people. It’s difficult to maintain a culture of inclusiveness, but it’s one of the most important things.

Notes:

If you feel like a ‘goob,’ you’re doing it right.

And if you feel cool, you’re doing it wrong. Weird, right? But it’s true, not just in theater but in life. There’s a reason for the saying dance like nobody’s watching. Go for it. Sing like you’re in the shower; don’t keep yourself from expressing how you feel just because someone might judge you. Who cares? Cool is boring; being a “goob” is freeing. Trust me. It’s fun, I promise.