Show and Stay® Interview With Avenue Q's Marion Marrs
Avenue Q is one of the biggest shows in the West End at the moment. Its raucous blend of puppetry and very adult humour have garnered the show 3 Tony Awards, the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding New Musical and legions of adoring fans.
One of the most intriguing parts of Avenue Q is how it all works, just who is responsible for organising the frantic action on stage, who is the only sane person in a cast of monsters, bears and wacky puppeteers? The answer is simple, company manager, Marion Marrs. Show And Stay went where even Sooty would fear to tread to talk to Marion and learn just what it takes to work behind the scenes of Avenue Q.
S&S: As the company manager for Avenue Q how would your typical day pan out?
MM: I spend the day out of the theatre but I have to have my phone on for any calls that may come in from the company. I get into the theatre at about 6.30pm . I pop into box office to see how the house is doing and check all the ticket requests were ok. I like to see the company at the end of warm-up and give any ‘Parish Notices’ and then I go round to see everyone in their dressing rooms to see if they are all ok. During the show I deal with emails, questionnaire requests and any problems with the company. I put up a rehearsal schedule for the week from the resident director, MD and puppet coach and dance captain.
S&S: How did you get in to working backstage in the West End? Do you need any formal qualifications or is it just a matter of working your way up the company ladder?
MM: I had first started being interested in theatre because my father was an actor and my mother used to do the props for a drama group. My best friend at school made me be in the school play but I preferred doing the lighting and organising everyone rather than being onstage so I went to train in Stage Management at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Since leaving Guildhall I have been working up each ladder in each theatre company and I’m rather enjoying this particular rung at Avenue Q.
S&S: What advice would you give to anyone looking for a job behind the scenes in theatre?
MM: Try doing some work experience at a theatre and find out which area you may be interested in. Talk to those doing the jobs and ask how they got there. I trained but lots of stage managers start working and learn on the job. If you feel college is the way go, go to a good college and see if you can dep on a show in town. Take the jobs that will get you working in the area you want to succeed even if it is lower paid, you’ll meet the right people who will recommend you for work. Keep learning.
S&S: It must be quite strange and stressful working with manic puppets all day; how does working on Avenue Q differ from your previous roles?
MM: It’s tough for the cast because they are learning new skills. They may be more nervous for first nights than usual because they are more vulnerable. The puppets do rather steal the show too so if we do a photo shoot or press they have their own personal assistant who looks after them which is our puppet master. He won’t let anyone touch the puppets.
S&S: What would you say is the toughest part of your job?
MM: My primary role is to make sure that the show happens each night. So it can be quite stressful if the show stops or something goes wrong like a company member injuring themselves. Also, I like to keep it a happy ship but if someone steps out of line then I have to discipline them.
S&S: What would you say is your favorite part of your working day?
MM: I still love it when the show starts and I hear the audience laughing. I’m also very proud when I see the cast performing onstage regardless of how bad a day they may have had. They are all very talented; it’s a great to be able to watch such a great show each night.
On that we wished the lovely Ms. Marrs good day, with a hope in our collective heart that one day we might get her job.
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