It isn’t every day that a college graduate joins the circus following commencement, but for Elon graduate Stuart Richie, that’s exactly what happened.
While interning with Cirque du Soleil for three months during the spring semester of her senior year in the Las Vegas production of Mystère, Richie applied for her current position as a stage manager on the European tour of Alegría.
“On my trip back across the country (to get back on time for Elon’s 2010 commencement) I was contacted for an interview,” Richie said. “Over the following weeks, I participated in several phone and Skype interviews before finally being offered the job.”
Ever since, Richie has been busy working on many technical and artistic aspects of Alegria.
“Stage managers on Cirque du Soleil's Alegría are in charge of the coordination of technical and artistic elements on stage,” Richie said. “Most of our time is devoted to the artistic side as we work with a production team to take care of the technical details. A typical day for me will involve overseeing (acrobatic) trainings onstage and updating show tracks for the day and the run of a show.”
Richie said the stage management team, which consists of three people, must oversee 55 artists from 18 different countries.
“As a stage manager, it is always important to be prepared for the unexpected,” she said. “The team here at Alegría works hard to prepare for and train ‘what-if’ situations. Whether it be a missing artist, a broken technical element, strangely-shaped arenas or unique working spaces, it’s our goal to be able to tackle any endeavor with a ‘can-do’ attitude.”
And a “can-do” attitude is frequently needed for technical productions, as all major shows face challenges and mishaps on a daily basis. But any problems the cast and crew face must be taken care of in a timely and efficient manner in order to give audiences the best performance possible – even while on tour.
“A fundamental element of Cirque du Soleil is showcasing high levels of acrobatic skills in an artistic manner, and this is one of the challenges that Alegría faces as we move from city to city,” Richie said. “We have to ensure that the working conditions remain consistent so that the show, which has been alive for over 17 years now, remains true to its artistic intention.”
A huge part of Cirque du Soleil’s mantra is being able to create something new and radical for audiences, which is one of the main reasons for its wide international success. The technical team for a Cirque du Soleil show must be able to push boundaries and support an entire cast and crew without making its presence known to the audience.
“In addition for being progressive, Cirque du Soleil strives to make their shows accessible,” Richie said. “This means that no matter the personal history of a person, what language they speak or where they are from, Cirque du Soleil aims to present in idea that they can connect with. Sometimes this connection is light-hearted and humorous, and sometimes it can be very emotional – this is what art is about.”
Richie said being on tour and having to move from city to city with Alegría changed her pace and style of living.
“As a person on tour, you have to consider luggage packing, the navigation of a new city every week and methods for keeping in touch with friends and family not on the road,” she said. “It’s a fast-paced environment in all aspects.”
An additional challenge Richie faces is working and traveling through European countries and having to adapt to foreign cultures easily and quickly.
“My communication methods have had to adapt – such as using the point and smile method – and Google Translate has become a necessary link on my computer,” she said. “In Europe, we have come across challenges of show pieces not fitting into hallways, no loading docks for trucks to fit into, and even a malleable roof that meant an aerial act couldn’t be rigged for the show. Though these situations are challenging, these obstacles are part of what makes this work stimulating.”
But despite the stresses the company faces while in Europe, Richie said getting to spend time in Europe has been a rewarding experience – especially since she had never been abroad before working with Cirque du Soleil.
“I’ve been to six different countries in the past six months and will be visiting 14 more by the end of 2012,” she said. “From significant sights, such as walking the East Gallery of the Berlin Wall, to small things, like learning how to say ‘thank you’ in the native language each week, my experiences on tour have been amazing – and beyond anything I had ever imagined for myself.”
While at Elon, Richie was a theatrical design and production major, which allowed her to work on projects that gave her experience and preparation for working on a performance as large-scale as a Cirque du Soleil show.
“In 2007, Elon was selected to stage and produce Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ as a pilot project to release the script for regional and school theater markets,” she said. “I worked as one of two assistant stage managers. Working on a large-scale pilot project, I feel, was a pivotal point in my stage management career.”
Richie would like to continue working within the Cirque du Soleil family as her career progresses.
“With 21 shows currently open and operating, as well as a new one being developed each year, there are many opportunities within the company,” she said. “Someday, I’d like to be involved with a creation of a Cirque du Soleil show, which means being part of the team who brings a show from the drawing boards into a realistic production. Outside of circus, I would very much like to be a manager for the Olympics one day or perhaps opera. My goal is to continually challenge myself.”
But no matter where she ends up, Richie’s passion for the Cirque du Soleil lifestyle is a driving force behind her work.
“I feel that I have a passion to be in the arts, and it's because there's always something to do, something to think about and work on. I consider myself very lucky and blessed that I continue learning something new every day.”