THEATER HISTORY: Original Blowing Rock Stage Company Founder and Theatre Producer Mark Wilson interviewed by veteran broadcaster Tim Baxter.
Oscar Hammerstein said: "I think only people in the theatre know what a producer is. The public does not know. It knows a writer writes, and an actor acts, and a director tells them what to do. A producer raises money. Well, in some cases that's all he does. But the workers in the theatre know that this is not the real thing. A producer is a rare, paradoxical genius - hardheaded, soft-hearted, cautious, reckless, a hopeful innocent in fair weather, a stern pilot in stormy weather, a mathematician who prefers to ignore the laws of mathematics and trust intuition, an idealist, a realist, a practical dreamer, a sophisticated gambler, a stage struck child. That's a producer."
Mark believed: "The greatest week of any year was the privilege of residence at Actors Equity, enjoying an ensemble of 500 - 700 performers auditioning, one by one. That meant meeting the most exciting, talented, brilliant, attractive, ebullient, focused, concentrated, best dressed, greatest gifted professional salespeople, on their best behavior at their best moment - one right after another, from 8 in the morning until 6 at night for five days. Brilliance and royalty - there is nothing sexier than talent."
Whether from the open casting call in Backstage or through agency submissions from the breakdown service, Mark was treated to the best 3 to 5 minutes of the craftsmanship of auditioning - a singular art form. These performers interrupted their "rent jobs" to slog across New York on subways, pounding pavement in rain, wind and snow for the astronomically unlikely probability of being cast in one of perhaps 35 roles available in a summer theatre season. Do the math! Mark's admiration was beyond measure.
Casting is a combination of mind, heart and viscera working in harmonic concert. A great casting director falls in love, and in so doing, knows the audience will too. There is also consideration of hosting this personality. They will represent your company in your little town for three or more weeks, and your intuition had better be keen. Ken Triwush, Mary Lucy Bivins and Wilford Brimley interviewed in this video exemplify that perfect combination. They were hit-makers.
99% of the time Mark was astounded at the thousands of talents not destined for the luck that gave some lesser "TV personality" their 2.5 year half-life of fame. He fell in love on the half-hour, knowing that a short while later, memory could be assisted only by an efficient notation and filing system, leading to callbacks for a second read.
It is tribal. If you could meet all family/friends with whom you might be comfortable - and meet them all in one week - that is the audition process. When you read a book and form your mental picture of those characters ...that is the casting process. Statistically, they WILL come through that door. Then you hope you'll be able to assemble your "A-list", and that some calendar conflict or obstructionist agent will not prevent the better palette of all the possible perfect colors.
Mark was grateful to be at the right place at the right time, to act upon inspiration in the spirit that Hammerstein describes, and especially to serve as what he always called "good copper wire" for the spiritual energy he believed must flow through the mission of producing good professional theatre.
To paraphrase playwright John Patrick (THE HASTY HEART), Mark is grateful that he "kept the company of kings" in his place amongst theatre folk. He continues to believe that devotion, trust and truth out-value the alternative. Those values were the coin of his theatrical realm.
Wilson brought theatre excellence to Blowing Rock, North Carolina in 1986 in the tradition of Flat Rock Playhouse and the Barter Theatre. From that first season, he understood that casting professional actors made the difference in his success. Blowing Rock audiences embraced this initiative for distinctive excellence. Within three years, Mark adopted a union contract, gaining access to the nation's greatest resource of top-level professional talent, while providing a dignified wage, and retirement and health benefits to adult professionals. Within the theater's first decade, Blowing Rock became a reputable destination for the New York professional network. The Blowing Rock Stage Company produced 24 consecutive seasons, establishing the regional standard for professional excellence, and providing the seminal inspiration for Blowing Rock North Carolina's lavish permanent performing arts center.
Tim Baxter, veteran broadcaster and community advocate, conducted this 16 year old VHS interview for local television. He remains an asset in the Boone Blue Ridge Mountain community today with Baxter Mountain Properties. http://baxtermountainproperties.com
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