Bryan Sommer, Stage Manager for the Macbeth Tour

Bryan Sommer, a Salt Lake City native and SUU alum, is the stage manager for this year’s educational tour,  Macbeth. As stage manager, he will be the head wrangler for this production as they travel throughout 5 states, performing the show 89 times in spaces as large as a high-school gym and as small as living room. Here are his thoughts about this adventure.

 Have you ever been involved with this play before?

Yes, my first time working on Macbeth was as an Assistant Stage Manager while in school at Southern Utah University. This play is actually my first repeat of a Shakespearean play! Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays; I’m looking forward to many more [Macbeths] in my future.

Have you ever toured before?

Does a Cruise Ship count?! No, I’ve never toured a show to several venues. But, I have taken a show and its venue to multiple locations aboard a ship!

What are you looking forward to the most?

Seeing the kids’ response to the play. One of my favorite aspects of stage managing is witnessing the audience’s reaction/response to the play before them. And, especially with a young audience, the impression theatre can have on young eyes is amazing. It can change their life. I know my first play, Sherlock Holmes and the West End Horror, changed mine.

What do you hope kids will take-away from your production?

What’s done is done. Our actions always have a consequence; let that be a good or bad consequence, a reaction nonetheless. In this case, Macbeth and his wife do whatever it takes to get what they want, and to retain it. This includes murder, which then leads to their guilt, insanity, and ultimately their defeat.

Any other thoughts?

I’m thrilled to be going on this tour. We have an amazing cast and an excellent production that, I know, the kids will enjoy very much.