Interview with Barry Burns - Shaw Festival ASM

Back in September I arranged a phone interview with Mr. Barry Burns, an ASM at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-On-The-Lake. I got in contact with him through a contact that my mom had. This was the first occurrence that made me realize that networking and making connections is quite crucial in this industry.

Here is my Q&A interview with Mr. Burns:

Q: How long have you been an ASM?
A: Since 1988.

Q: Why did you choose to become an ASM?
A: I was pursuing acting, but fell into liking stage management after trying it a couple times. I liked the process and thought it would be a good 2nd option if I didn't get work as an actor.

Q: Where did you apprentice and how long did it take to get your Equity Card?
A: I didn't apprentice, actually. I was offered a stage management job in Ottawa with a theatre that couldn't find an Equity stage manager that was available. I paid a fee to get the card and took the job.

Q: What was your apprenticeship experience like?
N/A- Didn't apprentice

Q: What companies have you worked at and what type of work did you do?
A: I have worked at the Shaw Festival, Stratford, National Arts Centre in Ottawa, The Globe in Regina, Vancouver, and Manitoba Theatre Centre, all working as an ASM or an SM. I have also worked with Livent doing Phantom of the Opera in Toronto, but the company doesn't exist anymore.

Q: What are the pros and cons to the ASM lifestyle and job?
Pros:

• Responsibility
• Finding a good team you like to work with and working with them on projects on a regular basis
• Job is good for a certain type of personality

Cons:

• Don't get the same recognition as a stage manager does
• Long hours

Q: What shows at the Shaw Festival are you working on at the moment?

A: The President and Drama at Inish

Q: Can you give me some advice on being an ASM?
A: - Have a good sense of humor.

     - Stay bright and cheerful under pressure.

     - Be well-organized and prepared for the job always.

     - People like to work with people who make work fun, so just relax and enjoy your work.

I really enjoyed talking to Mr. Burns. I found out some important and insightful information into being an ASM. I was really nervous at first, since it was a phone interview, but what I found that helped me was to just relax and practice asking the questions before calling. When I was on the phone, after the initial greeting, I started to feel more comfortable and the questions I asked came out sounding normal, rather than stuttering when I spoke when I was practicing before hand. Talking on the phone and calling people is important in this industry, I have found out, so I was grateful for the opportunity to talk to someone on the phone.

Sometime next week I am trying to arrange to shadow at Theatre Aquarius during a rehearsal.