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L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O
January 28 - February 24, 2017
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What is your role here at Lyric,
and how long have you held the
position?
I’ve been at Lyric for 12 years, and
I am an assistant stage manager-
supernumerary captain. In operatic
productions, the score obviously
calls for singers. But to make
something like a town or a castle
ballroom look authentic, it also has
to include people who don’t sing
(called supernumerary roles), who
might serve as servants, guards,
children, etc. The director decides
how many supernumeraries are
needed, what ages they should be,
what they should look like, and I go on a quest to fill those roles and
supervise them once the rehearsal process begins.
What led you to work at Lyric?
I grew up in Chicago working as an actor and a stage manager
in musical theater. I am also a longtime opera fan and a Lyric
subscriber since 1992. My first experience at Lyric was as a
supernumerary, playing an asylum guard in
Sweeney Todd
. Because
of my experiences both on the stage and behind the scenes, when
this position opened up, Lyric called and offered me the job!
What’s a typical day like for you?
I spend the first part of my day fielding requests from people who
want to be supernumeraries in our productions. I’m also on a
constant search to locate the right people for certain roles, which
means I do a lot of reaching out to different theaters or casting
agencies. I manage the supernumeraries who are involved with
a production, and make sure they know what’s happening during
the day and when they will be needed for rehearsals.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your job?
Many of our volunteer supernumeraries have no prior theater
experience, so it’s not second nature for them to know exactly what
to do on stage. A lot of my time is spent coaching and providing
them with the resources they need to be successful in their roles,
and that can be a challenge. I try
to be the liaison and explain what
is needed before we even begin
rehearsals to make sure we’re all
on the same page.
What keeps you committed to the
work you do?
My job allows me to be creative
and focus on the smaller details
that can be easily overlooked in
large productions. It frees up the
director to focus on the show as a
whole, and that’s rewarding. I also
enjoy working with child actors
because it feels like I’m helping
them develop skills they can use later in life.
What’s something about your job that people might not know?
That I am working on so many different operas at the same time.
There may be supernumeraries rehearsing or performing in three
different opera productions, and we’ll also be auditioning supers
for a fourth, all in one day! A day like that doesn’t happen often,
but I do always have to be prepared for a busy schedule.
Favorite Lyric moment?
When Patricia Racette was in
Dialogues of the Carmelites
during our
2006-07 season, she turned to me and asked, “Bill, do I come in
from this side?” I couldn’t believe she knew my name! That was the
day I realized I was working with some really well-known people.
The same thing happens when I’m working with someone like Eric
Owens or Renée Fleming. It amazes me and I still get star-struck.
Beyond opera, what are your other passions?
I love working on my home; I’m a pretty good handyman,
electrician, and plumber. I think that comes from working in
theater and really learning how to do things with my hands. My
mother said as a child, I was always taking things apart, probably
because I was fascinated with learning how to put them together
again.
— Kamaria Morris
Lyric’s Public Relations Specialist
BACKSTAGE LIFE: Bill Walters