Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2021 - 20

buzz about it. After closing, not a single
person from the company was asked to
be a part of a postmortem-the theatre
deemed the production a success and
moved on.
Why We Tell the Story
Words into Actions
Even through the excitement of a transition
back to in-person productions
and a semblance of normalcy, it's crucial
not to become complacent and
brush
off
these
harmful traditions
within our practices. We cannot put
this work on pause as we focus on
COVID-prevention practices. We must
hold these two crucial cultural shifts
at the same time and understand how
they work hand-in-hand in the process
of developing safe environments for
BIPOC individuals. What is the point
of returning if we are simply returning
to the same inequitable space? How
effective are safety measures if they
are built upon previously ingrained discrimination
and exclusion of BIPOC
individuals?
With heightened safety precautions
poised to fall under the responsibility
of the stage management team, this
added strain doubles down on the importance
of being mindful in the way
we assign duties and operate with others.
We need to keep an active eye on
ensuring stage managers aren't overburdened
with work outside of their
paid role. As we know, COVID-19 has
disproportionately affected communities
of color, and we will need to advocate
for the safety of our BIPOC bodies
and keep those needs at the forefront
as we develop safety protocols.
Ultimately, we as stage managers do
have the power to help make changes,
but we must be courageous and vigilant.
Don't be afraid to stand up, because
you are not standing alone in
this. There are countless members of
the theatre community who have been
put into similar environments and situations,
and it's time to band together
and listen to one another. Theatres are
going through massive overhauls of
their systems and structures, and we
must use this time to move from discussion
to action. Do not let people tell
you these problems are unsolvable. Do
not allow excuses that perpetuate inequities
as the norm. We have the tools.
It's time to hold producers and organizations
accountable. It's time to hold
our peers and ourselves accountable.
This is your call to action. Go.
Miguel Flores earned his B.A.
in music from California
State University Los Angeles.
Born and raised in the Los
Angeles area, he has been a
theatre professional for the last 20 years,
working in opera, theatre, new works, and
music education. Flores was the music teacher
at a public high school in California for two
years before returning the LA theater scene as
a stage manager, and then traveling the
United States to ASM operas. He worked in
St. Louis for 5 years as an associate
production manager before moving to New
England to be the production manager at
North Shore Music Th eatre. He is happy and
excited to go on a new adventure working
with the Revels Community.
R. Christopher Maxwell (stage manager)
hails from Little Rock, Arkansas, and
currently resides in Harlem, New York.
During his early years, he earned a BA in
theater arts-dance and sociology from Th e
University of Arkansas in Little Rock.
As part of his journey, he spent several
years working in the Chicago not-forprofi
t theatre circuit, and special events
management for the historic Navy Pier
Entertainment. He also received an MFA
in stage management from Columbia
University's School of the Arts. He aspires
to use his education and experience to center
the voices of marginalized communities and
advance the work of other queer artists and
the diaspora of colored people. In his career,
Maxwell hopes to explore new mediums
and untold stories. Recently, he joined the
adjunct faculty at Pace University and the
University at Albany, SUNY. He is the
co-founder of the Black Th eatre Caucus,
and third-year stage manager at Actor's
Equity Association for which he serves as an
Eastern Regional Delegate. He also serves as
New York Metro Regional Representative
for the Stage Managers' Association. Off -
Broadway Credits: (ASM) Eco Village,
Safeword - EBP Productions; American
Moor - Red Bull Th eater. Regional Credits:
(ASM) Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles;
Dreaming Zinzelle; Black Like Me
(PSM) - St Louis Rep; and Iron John:
An American Ghost Story (PSM) -
Manhattan School of Music.
John Meredith (they/them/
their) is an arts
administrator, producer, and
AEA stage manager. Stage
management credits include
DO NOT LET PEOPLE TELL
YOU THESE PROBLEMS ARE
UNSOLVABLE. DO NOT ALLOW
EXCUSES THAT PERPETUATE
INEQUITIES AS THE NORM.
20 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | SUMMER 2021
1776, SIX (American Repertory Th eater);
Pass Over, Fun Home, Small Mouth
Sounds, Men on Boats (SpeakEasy); Wig
Out!, Shockheaded Peter, We Are Proud
to Present... (Company One); A Guide for
the Homesick, after all the terrible things
I do, 2017 Summer Workshops (Huntington
Th eatre Company); Th e Hotel Nepenthe
(Brown Box); and Fiorello! (Berkshire
Th eatre Group & Off -Broadway Transfer).
In addition to stage managing, they help lead
StageSource's Gender Explosion Initiative for
trans and non-binary inclusion and the Line
Drawn Initiative for harassment prevention
in the arts. Meredith was also the associate
producer of the inaugural two annual MTA
Playwrights Labs, created to connect student
playwrights with professional actors and
directors. Outside of the arts, they work with
progressive campaigns and organizations at
ActBlue. Th ey hold a BFA in stage and
Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2021

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