Interview: When a Smaller Dream is Just Right
Originally posted on July 20, 2009
Interview with Theater Owner and Operator Asher Williamson
Earlier in the month, the story of the origins of the Berkeley Theater was shared with Realm of Resin readers. In our exclusive interview, Asher Williamson, owner and operator, brings us up to date on the inner workings of this relatively unique theatrical venture.
RoR: To what do you attribute your success with the Berkeley Theater?
Asher: Success, eh? *laughs* Sorry for that bit of amusement there. As in so many other fledgling businesses, you can find a framed dollar bill tacked up on the wall in my office. Only mine is labeled “First Year’s Profits” and well……. I had to round up.
RoR: How did your second year turn out?
Asher: A little better. In our second year I utilized more volunteer staffers and figured out ways to better employ some of the paid workers. I rely heavily on hiring young people whose experience is limited to what they have had in high school, and I have been extremely lucky; they learn very quickly and no one has let me down in a major way yet.
RoR: When you say “young people”, how young are you talking?
Asher: Well, our chief sound and lighting technician is nineteen, and the most reliable all-around volunteer is seventeen. Of all regular staff, only our wardrobe mistress is older than I am. Many in the acting companies that book to play here are older, of course.
RoR: So you don’t have your own acting company?
Asher: Not for the strictly professional productions. We book itinerant companies for the main part. Most have worked in larger venues, but for a few, we’re the biggest house they’ve played.
RoR: Imagine that.
Asher: Yeah, really. There are actually a few working theaters out there smaller than the Berkeley.
RoR: I’ve heard through the pipeline that you’ve come up with some unusual ways of making it all work, even in a slow economy and small town location. Tell me about your most innovative idea.
Asher: I realized right away that a totally professional theater would never last in this location. We’re too far from the closest big cities for an easy evening out, and this area is too sparsely populated to support a large theatrical endeavor in the long run. So we operate as a hybrid. Our standards and some of our productions are professional level, but we also have initiated an excellent community theater program. Some of our productions utilize both models simultaneously.
RoR: And that works for you? The pros don’t mind working with the community troupe?
Asher: We get the occasional prima donna type who protests, but I’m careful to include the possibility of working with amateurs in the company booking contract. Much of the time, the seasoned actors look upon it as a valuable service, and enjoy playing mentor to the local actors. Well, as long as they get the choice roles!
RoR: That’s amazing. Please tell me you have some problems, or I will believe I’ve stumbled upon the ultimate theatrical utopia.
Asher: *laughs* The perpetual problem of staying within the budget tops my list. There’s always some better piece of equipment to consider, some cutting-edge technology that that would improve staging efficiency, or some costly prop or costume piece that is so much better than a cheaper alternative. Each department fights hard for a larger piece of the money pie, and it’s darned difficult to say no sometimes. I’ve fallen victim to their enthusiasm more often than I like to admit. Of course it helped that for the longest time, they thought I was just a go-between.
RoR: Oh yes, tell us a little more about that. No one knew you were the owner until very recently?
Asher: A select few people were aware of it. My brothers. My fiancé. My lawyer, of course. And somehow the wardrobe mistress found out; I still don’t know how that happened. I probably blew my cover with her in some way I’ll never figure out.
RoR: Why keep it a secret at all? And why reveal the truth now?
Asher: I wanted my staff to see me as a co-worker rather than a boss. My theory was that being one of them would allow us all to get along better. I so needed all of us to have a cooperative spirit, especially in the beginning when one disgruntled staffer could have ruined everything, and very quickly.
RoR: But how did you manage to maintain your authority if you were just one of the crew?
Asher: *laughs* You haven’t heard about the reputation stage managers enjoy? Didn’t you know we are all-knowing, all-powerful, maybe even able to walk on water? We’re expected to perform miracles; to create something stupendous out of nothing, fix the un-fixable, and stick to an absurd budget and impossible schedule. Pretty soon we start believing our own press. In short, everyone expects a stage manager to be the ultimate authority, so I didn’t have to act like I was in charge; the staff were already convinced I was.
RoR: Were your staff shocked when you finally told them the truth? And do they treat you any differently now?
Asher: They may have been surprised, but everyone took it in stride. As far as I can tell, everyone treats everyone the same. By now most of them know me well; they know what I will tolerate and what is absolutely forbidden, and they know I play it as fair as possible…. always. They trust me, and that’s extremely gratifying.
RoR: Tell us one thing you never expected to happen, that happened. Or maybe something you anticipated that never came about.
Asher: Hmmm, this is a tough one. I guess…. I was more than a little concerned that I would lose my enthusiasm for the work, since I didn’t last even a year doing a similar job in New York. But the truth is I love this more every day. I guess the thing that I never expected…. I never expected to find the love of my life outside of the theater business, but I have. My future wife is incredibly supportive and understanding even though she is not directly involved here. She puts up with my odd hours and the inconvenience of frequent emergencies that demand my attention. She gives me sound advice when I need and ask for it, and she is a wise and steadying voice when internal conflicts arise. With someone as wonderful as Kohana on my side, things can only get better and better.
RoR: Congratulations on your engagement.
Asher: Thanks!
RoR: Any plans for the future of the theater?
Asher: Staying afloat would be nice. Seriously, I’d like for us to develop a learning and training center for theater arts hopefuls. No real plans for it at the moment, though – right now it’s just an idea that may or may not be worth pursuing.
RoR: If you do pursue it, I hope it will be just as successful as your theater here promises to be. Thank you for your time, Asher, and for telling us more about your unique endeavor.