By Jordee Kalk
Murphy News Service
Putting on a theater production is no easy feat. Hours of sweat, work and rehearsals must occur for the show to have even the slightest chance of success. Similarly there are the days and weeks of effort by the crew behind the curtain – effort that, if things are going well, goes unnoticed to theatergoers.
Cody Stewart is one of those behind-the-curtain people.
Stewart works as the box office manager for the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis. His day-to-day duties, among many tasks, include answering phones, selling tickets and stocking concessions. Stewart says it is a labor of love for him and allows him to further his commitment to the arts as a whole.
Murphy News Service sat down with Stewart recently to find out, among many things, this: How strenuous is Stewart’s job?
Murphy News Service: So, how long have you been working here?
Stewart: I’ve been here five years, but I’ve been the manager for the last two or two and a half years.
Q: What made you originally interested in this position?
A: I started getting into theater when I was a teenager, principally acting. I’ve always wanted to get into theater. I actually act with smaller companies in town. I was made aware of the position here so I applied and got hired.
Q: Do you still act now?
A: I do. I actually am in a show coming up next month. It’s so nerdy. It’s at a Doctor Who Convention. So we’re performing an episode of Doctor Who on the opening night of the festival.
Q: So are you from the Twin Cities?
A: I grew up in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. It’s about an hour north of Milwaukee.
Q: What do you like about the Twin Cities Area?
A: Ultimately, just the people here and the culture are the main reasons. I really like the amount of theater in this town. As opposed to Chicago or New York, why I like this city better is (that) those cities are much bigger and don’t really sleep. So I like the metropolitan urban setting but I like to have quiet time too.
Q: Can you give us a rough overview of what your day-to-day job is like?
A: I sure can. I’ll give you a really rough overview. Each day is different. We open the box office at noon. I’m salaried, so I’m not paid by the hour. I’m paid to be here when they need me to be here … I try to be here by 10 or 10:30 a.m. We open up, I get the cash box out and I’m also in charge of my staff. We can usually take care of all of the ticket orders but in recent years we’ve become super popular and sort of took off, so there’s more of a need to have another person in the office with me… (and) I make sure things are stocked and order supplies. And then basically its answering phones and it’s also being the face of the theater when people come into the theater. I’m kind of like a glorified receptionist in a way.
Q: Sounds like a fun job.
A: It is fun. When it gets busy with people coming in to buy tickets, other staffers need your help; there are days when I’m like “I can’t believe I made it through this.”
Q: Do you sit down at all during the day?
A: A lot of my job is prioritizing, what needs to be done right now and what can wait. That’s a huge part of my job.
Q: What would you say is the best part of working at Jungle Theater?
A: The best part about working here, and it’s ultimately the same reason why I’m in theater, is about working with other people to make the world a better place. That sounds so generic and cheesy to say. But we’re all coming together to create the show, I’m on the front-house end, but ultimately it’s about collaboration and fitting things together so we can all be happy.
Also, when people are really appreciative of the work we do. We are an entertainment-based theater organization and sometimes we (stage) … shows that really move people. So it’s great to see that because that’s why we are here – to make people happy.
Q: So, going forward in your career, what do you see yourself doing?
A: Ultimately what Bain Boehlke (the Jungle Theater’s owner) has done with this theater I would like to do on my own. But it takes a lot of getting to know people and being in the field. It’s not just about your experience, but also about whom you know in this business. It’s about continuing to create meaningful art. So that’s where I’m at right now. I’m not sure what or where the theater might be yet, but I have a few ideas.
Q: Are you looking (to start your own theater) in the Minneapolis area? If not, where then?
A: You know I’m not set on staying here. There are a lot of theaters here. One thing I always think about is where theater is needed. It’s not just an entertainment thing, but also can be a catalyst for social change or also can inform people of what’s going on around them, especially if it’s a politically active play. If I had the opportunity to bring a theater that could make an area better that’s what I would really like to do
Q: So what do you like most about the Jungle Theater?
A: We are a small not-for-profit theater and I like that setting as opposed to a big corporate setting where there is a lot of bureaucracy and rules that are kind of imposed on you. I also like that we’re like a big family here; we all do a lot of different things … to keep this place running. You have to keep that in mind when you take a position at a space like this.
But it also allows me to be very flexible with what I want to do with my own life – which is a huge perk. I’m able to do shows outside of here and I have a pretty killer schedule.
Q: Any closing thoughts?
A: This position that I’m currently in no one goes to school for. It’s sort of an un-glorified position, but there are a lot of things that you can do if you’re a person that takes initiative and gets things done. You can set challenges for yourself and make the position soar.
Jordee Kalk is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.