BY OONA KERSEY
It’s February in Chicago and that means it’s time to start romanticizing about faraway places where people are friendly, day-to-day worries seem less important, and it’s warm. Waaaaaaaaaarrrmm! Let’s skip the obvious destinations–Hawaii, Palm Springs, Bora Bora. There is a place where one can go hat, coat, and sweater-less, and satisfy his/her artistic longings in one fell swoop. That’s right, it’s time to start thinking about summer stock!
Ahhh, summer stock. Simply put, this is theatre that’s done in the summer, typically in resort-y areas, by a bunch of actors who pretty much don’t do anything else during that time. For some folks, a theatre company in the comparative wilderness is a home away from home, a haven to which they return year after year. For others, it’s an exercise in artistic frustration. Whatever you may believe about summer stock…well, go on believing it, because "all the myths are true," says Jill Charles, editor of the Summer Theatre Directory.
The very term "summer stock" may bridle the prideful actor; "stock" refers to the pool of performers who are assembled on site and then plunked into various and assorted roles, ideally based on talent, but sometimes on necessity. In a season that ranges from two to 10 shows, actors are often used in more than one production. So don’t be surprised if you are cast as male supporting lead in one show and as gentleman number four in another. After a rehearsal period that may be as short as a few days or up to three weeks, the first show of the season opens; typically the second show is rehearsed while the first one runs, the third is rehearsed while the second is run, etc. Or, two or more shows are rehearsed together and then performed in repertory.
The fast-paced intensity of brief rehearsal times, frequent performances, multiple roles and/or multiple duties are all part of the summer stock experience. "It’s an amazing flurry of doing and living," says John Anderson, production manager of CA Shakespeare Festival and longtime summer stock veteran. "You have to experience it first hand to understand."
If you are trying to decide whether or not to throw your straw hat into the summer stock ring, take a gander at some of its basic elements.
The Experience
Summer stock "packs so much experience into such a short time," says Charles. If you are not an Equity actor, and even in some cases if you are, you will need to decide what type of work experience you want. Many Equity houses use some non-union actors, but if you are new on the scene, you may find yourself cast as the aforementioned gentleman number four, or even as gentleman number four’s squire. But you will be working with professionals and this goes for the directors, designers, and technicians as well as your compadres on stage. Actress Jessica Hecht ("Friends," the as-yet-unnamed "Joan Cusack Show," etc) had her first summer stock experience with Charles as an apprentice with the Dorset Theatre in Vermont. Hecht, who has since summered with the O’Neill Center, Play Labs and the Williamstown Theatre Festival, recalls from Dorset wonderful classes and scenework, but also the mentorship of the older, professional actors. "They were really charitable helpers…they helped [me] to get a sense of what the business was going to be like."
Another option is to choose a smaller or non-professional company where you may have a shot at some meatier roles. The drawback is that you may feel the caliber of the production is not as high as it could be, but you’ll certainly get the onstage experience you crave. Charles points out, "In anyone’s career there are times for both of these [options]."
Summer stock is not all Oklahoma and The Odd Couple, but it is a lot of musicals, old standards, and Shakespeare. And though there are some that specialize in new scripts, few summer stock houses are known for their cutting-edge innovation. But you will be getting experience, and the old standards are old standards for a reason. As far as the Bard in performance, you are likely to get a more comprehensive and definitely more hands-on experience doing Shakespeare in the Park then you will at a training program, even if you are just the squire.
Pros: You could find yourself playing the role of your dreams.
Cons: You could find yourself stuck in the role of your nightmares.
The Work
Theatre is hard work wherever you are, but summer stock is notoriously fatiguing. "You have to have a certain inexplicable level of masochism," quips Anderson. Notably, short rehearsal periods necessitate long hours; and once nightly performances begin, rehearsals for the next show continue during the day. You may be ready to live for art, but are you ready to "eat, work, eat, work, perform, sleep, get up, and work again?" This is how Greg Vinkler, artistic director of The Peninsula Players, describes his typical summer day.
"It can be grueling, but it’s also absurd," says Deb Heinig, an Equity candidate who participated in Illinois Shakespeare Festival’s 1998 season. "There you are on stage, frozen in some beautiful pose, and you’re drenched in sweat and there’s a bug buzzing in your face."
The opportunity to flex one’s actorly muscles under this kind of pressure is exhilarating and rewarding. So much so that Eris Migliorini, an actress who spent this last summer as part of Williamstown Theatre Festival’s non-Equity core, admitted she may have bitten off more than she could chew. The WTF non-Eq’s have multiple opportunities to get involved in projects throughout the summer, "I was doing five productions at one time," she says, "but I wasn’t the only one.
Working in such close proximity can also be a great bonding experience. "It makes you feel like a rep company after only a few weeks," says Heinig.
"It’s the most collaborative that theatre gets," agrees Charles. And Migliorini valued the opportunity to meet and get to know other young creators, including directors and playwrights as well as performers.
Pros: Hard work usually pays off.
Cons: It’s still hard work.
Immersion
This is the big one. When you do summer stock you don’t do anything else. You live, eat and sleep the shows you are doing. "It brings out the best and the worst in people," says Vinkler.
Either way, you’re not doing much more in the summer months other than hanging out with your cast and crew. It’s considered poor form in the summer stock circuit to be overly concerned with anything outside of the summer stock season, which is fine for some people because the season is very exciting. Rehearsals are fast-paced and intense, there are new people to meet and old friends to catch up with and because everyone often lives together, it is just like camp. And who didn’t like camp?
Pros: This is great if you are looking to expand your horizons, meet new people, get out of town, and/or live in a world unto itself for a little while.
Cons: If you are happy where you are–be it professionally, socially, or geographically–it may not be exciting for you to leave your life, even for a few months.
A Word on Quality
It was mentioned earlier that you may question the caliber of summer stock in some cases. While it is not strictly true that expectations need be automatically lowered, stock theatre is not polished and mechanically perfect every time. On the other hand, this is a world where resourcefulness and hard work can make a huge difference, and the results can be tremendously rewarding. "We try to do the best with what we have," says Vinkler.
Hecht comments, "After having just two and a half weeks of rehearsal, there is a feeling of utter panic…but the audience is very forgiving."
Still interested? Whether or not you decide to do summer stock based on these factors or in spite of them, there are a variety of different options to explore. Decide what your priorities are in terms of location, duration, reputation, and salary. And as always, the best way to find out about a company is to talk to somebody who has worked there.
A quick note to directors, designers, and technicians: Although this article focuses on the actor’s experience, much of it is applicable to you as well! Also, most companies offer apprenticeships, training programs, and workshops in all areas of production, and if you have done an apprenticeship somewhere, you often have a better chance of getting into the company the following year.