Andrew Vonderschmitt. Photo by Sander Roscoe Wolff.
Andrew Vonderschmitt’s steady hand has been on the wheel of the Long Beach Playhouse for the last several years and, under his leadership, the 86-year-old institution has continued to thrive, connecting with new audiences while, at the same time, not losing sight of what gave them such staying power. Tomorrow, the Playhouse is presenting a new production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Directed by Vonderschmitt, the popular musical has been a multi-generational favorite. In fact, it shocked my mother when, as a young Jewish boy, I brought it home from the Public Library.
Long Beach Post: How did you first get involved with LBP?
Andrew Vonderschmitt: I started as a stage manager and actor then, later, as a designer. I always loved the Playhouse and kept coming back to work here. In 2007 I was in a show, Little Footsteps, in the studio, and the Technical Director was moving on to a new job. I applied, and got the job.
What was it about the Playhouse that made you love it so?
It’s really a community theater in the true sense of the word. Erase the negative connotations of poor quality and you have the sense of community and belonging that the Long Beach Playhouse always meant to me and so many others.
For those who don’t know what community theater means, can you explain it?
Essentially it is theatre created by and for the community it serves. Community theaters are nonprofit organizations whose mission it is to serve their community. To me, it is a place that is not out to make a buck, but to serve an artistic product that will enrich their lives. A community theater (theater not theatre), that space, should be a place that everyone in the community should feel welcome. Not just the audience, but artists as well. Actors need not be professional. Every single audition should be an open call. All interested individuals are welcome. Now, that doesn’t mean casting just anybody. The best actor gets the part every time.
Is there an opportunity for the community to participate in programming decisions?
It’s funny you should mention that. I have, in the past, polled our audience with surveys, etc. But never found it to be a full picture. I have been thinking about hosting a “coffee with the artistic director” event in order to hear what people had to say. Not sure how that would turn out, but I’m looking at more ways to get the community involved.
Is there an effort to seek new works from the community?
We have our annual New Works Festival and, last year, we added a workshop production to the production schedule. There are more plans to make this festival more local and inclusive as well. We receive roughly 100 unpublished scripts per year and our committee reads them all to find winners that are awarded staged readings in front of an audience. The playwright receives an honorarium and written critiques from local critics. There is a talk-back after each show to provide a forum for the playwright to hear what the audience has to say about the script.
Last year we chose a script that had won a staged reading to go on to a workshop production. In this way the playwright gets a chance to work with a director and actors to refine the script. It’s a logical next step in the life of a script. The process really worked. We’re going to continue with this format.
Tell me about the rest of your season.
We have two stages, Studio and Mainstage. We produce five shows in the Studio and eight shows on the Mainstage annually. In the Studio we can do more contemporary, issue driven work and on the Mainstage more traditional work. Plus, there’s the Collaborative which offers the Studio space to local artists and companies during our five month dark time. There’s usually five to seven different offerings during the Collaborative.
How are shows selected?
Essentially, I pick them and the Board of Directors approves the season, or not. But, there’s a lot that goes into it. I believe that each season should have variety, and shows that the audience wants to see. Sometimes it’s a no-brainer, like Fiddler or A Christmas Carol. Other times, I’m hoping that I’m reading my audience right with long-shots like The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow, which I believed served a segment of our community that isn’t always served on the Mainstage. That one actually worked out, by the way. When I say, “worked out,” I’m saying that people came to see the show and it had great word of mouth.
Part of the challenge must be to please existing patrons and, at the same time, develop new audiences.
Bottom line, ticket sales are the major metric to decide if a show was indeed serving our audience or not. So much so. We are blessed to have two spaces so we can brand one of them, The Studio, as a more ‘contemporary’ space and serve a younger demographic. But I still try to get more diverse audiences in the Mainstage. It’s pretty touch and go. I like to think I do pretty well, but it could be better. Hence, the new ideas of audience engagement.
How has the board evolved during your tenure?
I believe we have a very strong board who are in it for the right reasons. They understand the job of a board and are willing to do the work. It was not always the case, but I’d like to think we took a functional board and made function even better in the last few years.
I know you’re directing Jesus Christ Superstar. Does the play have any special significance to you?
I’m about to open a show that has been in my heart for about thirty years, now. I have listened to the soundtrack and watched countless productions, the movie and every YouTube video I could get my hands on since I was a young teen. My love for this piece has been a part of me all that time. Now, I can honestly say that this is the production I have been waiting to direct. The cast, the crew, and the design team have created a world that, at once, honors the original, and is profoundly our own.
This has been a deeply personal experience for me and I can’t thank the people we have gathered together to create this world enough. Now it is time to give it to an audience, and I couldn’t be prouder.
Tomorrow, Saturday, July 11, is opening night for Jesus Christ Superstar at the Long Beach Post. For tickets, and information about other productions, visit LBPlayhouse.org.
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