In the theatre world, it is common to meet someone who identifies themselves as a "people person." In fact, many of the company members of the Nebraska Rep are people people! Emma Gruhl, our Company Manager, takes great pride in being a people person--it's actually part of her job description! Emma is not only good with people, she's also pretty great with words. That's why she will be our Thursday blog contributor! Take a look as Emma gives you the inside scoop on Actors' Equity and what that means for the Nebraska Rep:
As a professional theatre company, the Nebraska Repertory Theatre is fortunate enough to have several professional actors and one professional stage manager, known as "Equity" actors/managers, in our company. The Actors' Equity Association, also known as "AEA," was founded in 1913 and is a labor union for actors and stage managers. Currently, there are more than 49,000 members in the union. As the AEA website states, "Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions and provides a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans, for its members."
This year, our Equity members include actors Lawrence MacGowan, Kristie Berger, Carolyn Popp, and stage manager Brad Buffum. Let's get to know them a bit, before seeing their work on the stage and behind the scenes!
Lawrence MacGowan
"Vanya" in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang
"James" in Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker
This is Lawrence's first year with us here at Nebraska Rep! His theatre credits include The Time of Your Life (at Seattle Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, and A.C.T./San Francisco), Rain, River, Ice, Steam (Victory Gardens Theatre), Design for a Living, All's Well That Ends Well (Goodman Theatre), The Importance of Being Earnest, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You, Romeo & Juliet (Arkansas Repertory), The Night Hank Williams Died, A Few Good Men (Peninsula Players), Blithe Spirit, Bus Stop (SSTC/Krannert Center), Permanent Collection, Bee-Luther-Hatchie (Northlight Theatre). You may also recognize Lawrence through his film and television credits, which include Chicago Fire, Animals, The Playboy Club, 39: A Film by Carroll McKane, Harmless, Road to Perdition, and New Port South. Lawrence is a member of both AEA and SAG (Screen Actors Guild, the "AEA" equivalent to film and television). Welcome to the company, Lawrence!
Kristie Berger
"Masha" in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang
"Marty" in Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker
Kristie is returning to Nebraska Rep this year. She appeared as "Grace" in Bus Stop and "Priscilla" in Resident Alien during our 2005 season. Other regional credits include Barbara Fordham in August: Osage County and "Frankie" in Frankie & Johnny in the Clair de Lune (for which she won a DayTony Award of Excellence as a Guest Actor) at the Human Race Theatre in Dayton, and the long-running national tour of The Odd Couple: Female Version starring Barbara Eden. Chicago credits include "Jeanette" in Last of the Red Hot Lovers at Illinois Theatre Center, The Vagina Monologues, Always...Patsy Cline, and The Odd Couple: Female Version at the Apollo Theater. Kristie has also worked with such theaters as The Goodman, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Equity Library Theater, City Lit, Lifeline, Strawdog, Mary-Arrchie, Touchstone, Center Theater, and Absolute. She also works in voice-overs, commercials, films, and industrial films, and has appeared overseas at Edinburge Festival Fringe in Scotland as "Sissy" in Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, and as "Little Mary" in Stage Door. She has participated in countless staged readings, several productions, many classes, and numerous table reads at Chicago Dramatists, where she is an Associate Artist. Welcome back, Kristie!
Carolyn Popp
"Sonia" in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang
"Mary Meekly" in Unnecessary Farce by Paul Slade Smith
Carolyn is making her debut at Nebraska Rep in two great comedies! Recently she played Aunt Kate in The Cripple of Inishmaan at Centenary Stage, and the evil Queen in Cymbeline with Shakespeare in the Parking Lot -- yes -- an NYC parking lot. Carolyn participated as a voice of Gettysburg in the televised live stage celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg last summer. Other NYC credits include The Hired Man, Escape from Happiness, Fifth of July, Natural Affection, A Tale of Two Cities, The Seagull, and The Comedy of Errors. Regional credits include The Last Night of Ballyhoo, The Clean House, Our Town, 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Dancing at Lughnasa, The Miracle Worker, Broadway Bound, Harvey, Footloose, Cabaret, Defiance, An Inspector Calls, A Wonderful Life, Funny Girl, Carousel. You may also recall Carolyn as Stephen Colbert's unsuspecting wife, Claire Noblet, in Comedy Central's Strangers with Candy. We're thrilled to have you, Carolyn!
Brad Buffum
Stage Manager for Unnecessary Farce by Paul Slade Smith
Production Stage Manager for Nebraska Repertory Theatre and Johnny Carson School of Theatre & Film
Brad Buffum acts as Production Stage Manager for the Johnny Carson School of Theatre & Film during the academic year as well as the Nebraska Repertory Theatre during the summer. He is a long-standing member of Actors' Equity Association. He is the national stage management coordinator for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. This is his 18th year working for NRT and for the Johnny Carson School. We're so lucky to have him!
Learn more about Actors' Equity Association by visiting their website: actorsequity.org
No comments:
Post a Comment