A look at how local artists and arts organizations are faring in the midst of a global pandemic.
Luke Miller Buchanan does not live an idle lifestyle. He’s worked at Poole’s Diner since it opened in 2007, teaches art at William Peace University and is admired locally for his artwork, including several prominent murals covering walls around town. All three careers took a hit simultaneously with the emergence of COVID-19.
“I’ve worked since I was 16 and being out of work was a completely weird experience for me,” says Buchanan. “The first week felt like a snow day but then a realization set in that I need to switch things up and adapt to not go insane.”
Buchanan’s shared studio was shut down but his landlord suspended rent payments for all of the artists. While Buchanan admits being an artist isn’t something you only do in a studio, he says it’s nice to have all of his tools and supplies in one place when he wants to create.
Luke Miller Buchanan
“Home is where I come at the end of the day and shifting gears to be productive in the space I use for winding down was difficult,” Buchanan says.
Buchanan recently completed a mural for Ponysaurus Brewing Company in Durham and Poole’s owner Ashley Christensen commissioned him to create an oak tree mural outside of neighboring Poole’side Pies.
“The bottom half of the circle is a root structure and the roots turn into a list of downtown restaurants that I thought were important,” says Buchanan. “The idea [is] that this great city is fed by these small businesses.”
Poole’s is now running curbside service and Buchanan is back in the studio working on projects, along with doing odd jobs that don’t involve being around a lot of other people.
“Being an artist has been one of the jobs that can still be effective,” says Buchanan. “I try to stay positive.”
Buchanan is just one of many members of Raleigh’s arts community affected by the pandemic. The nonprofit arts advocacy group Americans for the Arts reports a national economic impact of $8.4 billion to date, a figure that’s rising by the day based on survey feedback from more than 120,000 arts and cultural organizations in the United States. North Carolina’s financial impact to date is over $50 million, with a median impact of $18,000 per organization.
“Artistic organizations facing this crisis are forced to face the existing crisis that they’ve been treading water for a long time,” says Elizabeth Doran, president and CEO of Raleigh-based North Carolina Theatre. “Yes, the pandemic is a crisis, but we were already managing an impossible future financially. We are a labor-heavy industry. Our costs go up and our revenues aren’t keeping up with that. That’s been happening for decades.”
Elizabeth Doran
NC Theatre only covers 75 percent of its expenses with ticket sales and depended on donations even before productions were halted. Because of the stress that creates for arts administrators, diversity and inclusion have not been prioritized, creating a crisis of homogeneity with audiences fading away or aging out.
“You don’t want to make diversity a challenge, you want to make it an obsession,” says Doran. “We’ve worked hard since 2017 to build on diversity and inclusion. The Black Lives Matter movement changes it to something you need to be obsessed with really fast.”
Doran says as bad as a pandemic is, it’s exciting to pause and take the time and headspace to address problems and how they are interrelated.
“We can’t get out of the pandemic if we don’t address our business problems and we can’t address our business problems if we don’t address diversity and inclusion,” says Doran. “Cash flow was the water we were treading in. The water has been drained away and we see things revealed.”
Sherri Holmes, founder and director of the Triangle Friends of African American Arts (Triangle FAAA), which was founded in 2014, has been working to broaden awareness of African American arts. Through her organization, Holmes has engaged people with events that feature Black arts and artists, including visual arts, dance, concerts, opera and more.
Sherri Holmes
“The arts can be really powerful and can help us get closer to where we need to be, which is not a one and done thing,” says Holmes. “If we could figure out a way to be excited for everybody, celebrate everybody, that’s what makes this world. We’re all in this together and we can all rise together, have good lives and wonderful experiences together.”
Holmes says her organization was just getting into a groove and making a difference when the pandemic hit; now, her meet-up page is silent because events have been cancelled or postponed. It will take time for things to get up and running again, but Holmes says she is optimistic that once they do, she will continue making headway.
“Diversity is not lost through not only what [artists] put on stage, but also what they put into the audience,” Holmes says.
Structurally, big changes are likely as 2020 rounds out.
According to Brandon Cordrey, director of Raleigh’s Visual Art Exchange, a hub, gallery and supportive outlet for local artists, the “layer cake” of 2020 may result in some art organizations closing, but also a convergence of others.
“Between COVID shutting everyone down and engagement and activism this year bringing people out into the streets, there is an interesting push and pull in art right now,” says Cordrey. “It’s important that we have some sort of space for supporting them. Now, people are consuming and looking to Black artists and that’s important and I hope it continues.”
Brandon Cordrey
Cordrey says ultimately an artists’ job is to metabolize current events and explain them to future generations. This year offered much to digest.
“A lot of artists are thinking about their role in their community,” Cordrey continues. “Artists take all of this free time to think and create work out of it. There’s a reason we had such an explosion of arts after the Great Depression. People had a lot to say at the end.”
Zalman Raffael, CEO of Carolina Ballet, finds himself, the company and other arts organizations in a strange place.
“Of course, we’re the last thing on the list,” he says of reopening and funding. “Without these organizations, what is your city, what is your state? You would have almost a generation of artists that wouldn’t be able to practice. Dancers come in every year and retire every year.”
When Carolina Ballet closed in March, the hope was it would only have to cancel remaining performances of “A Celebration of Female Choreographers,” a production already underway. As the weeks went on, the ballet kept readjusting, managing to pay dancers through the ends of their contracts. Now, productions have been postponed and dancers, who have been taking classes in their bedrooms and bathrooms, will return with precautions in place.
“It’s nerve wracking to bring the dancers back,” says Raffael. “We’re doing it in a way we hope will keep everyone safe. I’m trying to avoid scheduling things with [dancers working in pairs] for as long as I can.”
Raffael plans to create a virtual ballet experience for patrons and sponsors to get a glimpse into the first nine weeks of rehearsals, allowing them to remain engaged safely.
Zalman Raffael
“We feel it’s important to try to have offerings,” says Raffael of the formal virtual experiences. “Dancers are young and need to be in the studio and not taking classes in their bedroom. We would like to offer the public an intimate view into that and something to hold onto with the ballet.”
Raffael has 11 new dancers joining the company, many of whom have never been to Raleigh, including a young woman from Dresden, Germany. To keep patrons involved and engage new supporters, Raffael says it’s important to show the ballet as it really is. He wants to be able to transition back into the theater and honor tickets when it is safe, so the company is rehearsing in hopes the doors will open soon. Raffael is waiting until the last minute to make a decision on whether to cancel the company’s annual performance of “The Nutcracker.”
“We went from a $6 million organization to a $3 million organization,” says Raffael. “We’ve been re-forecasting everything and working to put something together that is artistic, as well as offering employment in a safe way.”
Like Carolina Ballet, the North Carolina Museum of Art is offering virtual experiences when possible, bringing visitors in the only way it can.
In May, the NCMA hosted a virtual screening of the documentary series “Afripedia,” drawing attendees from 11 countries on six continents. Coming up, the museum’s virtual event offerings include Slow Art Appreciation events, a virtual version of its first-ever Sculpture Race, a sunflower photography workshop and more.
“The reach of digital events is incredible and makes our programming accessible across our state and around the world,” says Director Valerie Hillings. “Our staff has been actively producing digital content to keep our community connected to the People’s Collection, even as the gallery doors are closed.”
Valerie Hillings
Hillings notes that the museum’s ongoing newsletter series, NCMA Recommends, connects visitors both local and international to their favorite works of art such as Thomas Sayre’s “Gyre” and Stacy Lynn Waddell’s “The Gulf Stream.” The newsletters often include music, food and film recommendations as well as family activities and art lessons.
But, Hillings says, when she’s in the galleries without visitors, there’s a lifeblood that seems to be missing. In recent weeks, some staff have returned to the museum to ready it for welcoming visitors back.
“We talk about how our campus is an intersection of art, nature and people,” says Hillings. “Our visitors and members bring our collection to life as they reflect on and talk about these great works. Our art handlers are installing new works of art, our conservation team is preparing for special exhibitions ‘Good as Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Jewelry’ and ‘Leonardo Drew: Making Chaos Legible.’ And our member and visitor experience team have worked out how we’ll safely allow visitors back into the galleries.”
Eric Woodall, NC Theatre’s artistic director, says the challenges wrought by the pandemic have forced artists and arts advocates to find new ways to continue to serve their communities, as socially distanced performances wouldn’t be financially viable.
Eric Woodall
“A lot of theaters in our area, as well as all over the country, are trying to branch out and do things virtually,” says Woodall. “We started a series called ‘Star Gazing’ where we take a look back at some of the amazing stars who have appeared in our shows. We highlight them through archival videos and photos to give people at home something to watch, get excited about and remain hopeful.”
“Hope” is the word that best captures the common feeling weaving through the Triangle’s arts organizations and keeping creativity alive, says Woodall and others.
“We are trying to see when we are able to open up again and are able to perform live theater, and what will that look like,” Woodall says. “I do have a strong belief that live theater will come back with a vengeance, but I think it’s going to be a while before it looks and feels like what it used to look and feel like. The fact that they are changing the rules of baseball shows that everyone has to be in a place of adaption and flexibility.”
Aid for the Arts
While groups like Americans for the Arts are working toward funding for arts organizations nationally, including lobbying Congress to include money for the arts in COVID relief bills, locally, the NC Artist Relief fund, launched on March 14 and managed by VAE Raleigh, has sent $200,496.50 to 681 artists living in 198 cities and towns across North Carolina.
“Art is very much a consumer style and without consumers, people can’t pay their light bill,” says VAE’s Cordrey. “This has brought home to a lot of people that art isn’t a hobby and highlights that there are problems in ways we support artists.”
So far, North Carolina artists have reported a total of $2,532,842 in losses to the NC Artist Relief Fund and the fund has had to pause in accepting new applications. There is a waitlist available for those in need.
Eligible artists who live in Chatham, Harnett, Johnston, Lee or Wake counties can also apply for Artists Support Grants for up to $1,500 by October 1. These grants support the visual arts, performing arts, literary arts and interdisciplinary arts.
The community can also help by making donations, absorbing the cost of pre-purchased tickets instead of asking for refunds, advocating for continued federal support, subscribing to programming and even wearing a mask that says ‘I Support the Arts’ for continued safety during the pandemic.
“We are relying on donors and sponsorship and patrons making contributions,” says NC Theatre’s Woodall. “All of the performing arts need that support, which is difficult, because this is a hard time for everyone. Other businesses will be able to open up long before the performing arts.”
WEB EXCLUSIVE As the weeks of this in-between state of isolation and partial reopening drag on, businesses that have not been able to reopen yet—or can only open at limited capacity—are feeling severe effects of the loss of a steady income.
One of the most affected sectors of the COVID pandemic in Raleigh is its once vibrant arts scene. Concerts were postponed to 2021 or delayed indefinitely, local theaters had to cancel the remainder of their 2020 season and museums are still up in the air about when they’ll be able to open up again.
David Casteel, owner of Mitchell•Casteel, the Triangle’s oldest locally owned caterer, wants to help out these local arts organizations that have been hit hard by the coronavirus shutdown. With the company’s A La Carte for the Arts menu series, for the rest of the summer, for every order placed Mitchell•Casteel will be donate $10 to a different art group each week, including the NC Opera, Raleigh Little Theater, Theatre Raleigh, NC Symphony and more.
Mitchell•Casteel is a big supporter of the local arts and the company frequently partners with the NC Opera, Carolina Ballet and Raleigh Little Theatre, collaborating on events and opening the company’s event space to the groups for functions.
“The arts are sinking to the bottom of the ocean and they need our help,” Casteel says. “Every little bit helps.”
“Our hope is to spread the word about what we’re doing so that we can raise some serious money for these awesome people while also encouraging people to eat local,” adds Nathan McDaniel, who is in charge of Mitchell•Casteel’s marketing. “We have been in this community for quite a while and we want to help give back to those we love.”
During the pandemic, Mitchell•Casteel shifted operations to focus primarily on takeout and delivery of upscale and locally sourced cuisine as the company waits for events to be allowed again. Meals offered rotate every two weeks and dishes are largely based on what can be sourced locally and what’s in season.
This week’s menu benefitting the Carolina Ballet will be available until August 22 and features dishes such as chilled heirloom tomato gazpacho, miso-honey glazed North Atlantic Salmon and Mongolian BBQ beef tri-tip, along with various sides and desserts. All menu items serve four people and must be placed at least 48 hours in advance either online or by phone.
You can’t celebrate the holidays without “The Nutcracker” and you certainly can’t celebrate the holidays without treats! For the last four years, Carolina Ballet has partnered with local restaurants and bars to celebrate the season with custom “Nutcracker”-themed desserts and cocktails. Make like Clara and the Prince and enjoy these delights on a glittering throne of your own.
TROPHY BREWING CO.
Spiced Winter Warmer: A 5.7 percent-ABV holiday beer with a sweet, malty backbone conditioned on a balanced blend of cinnamon, ginger, clove and orange peel.
VIDERI CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Sugar Plum Bonbon: Made with local plums, brown sugar, dark chocolate and cinnamon, this dairy-free ganache has a fruity flavor and a fluffy texture inside its dark chocolate shell.
VIDRIO
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy: Crafted with Deep Eddy vodka, Pama pomegranate liqueur, Frangelico, Baileys, Nux Alpina, Allspice dram, cardamom bitters, tiki bitters and house made chocolate pomegranate molasses.
Clara’s Fallen Ornament A dessert prepared to look like a holiday ornament that has fallen off the Christmas tree and shattered on the floor, incorporating white chocolate mousse, spiced pomegranate gelee, gingerbread and gingerbread meringue.
so.ca
Mouse King’s Midnight Snack: A chocolate gingerbread, coffee buttercream dessert with white chocolate snow and marzipan mice.
A PLACE AT THE TABLE
Waltz With Plums: A layered dessert featuring chestnut custard, spiced pumpkin and sugar plum jelly, gingerbread and a honey caramel drizzle.
TWO ROOSTERS ICE CREAM
The Nutcracker: A chocolate ice cream base with chunks of homemade “crack bars,” made with saltines, brown butter, chocolate and pecans.
KINGFISHER
Chocolate, Coffee, Tea: A cocktail made with cocoa nibs, lapsang souchong tea, Ethiopian coffee, bourbon and marshmallow.
10th & TERRACE
The Sugar Plum Fairy Martini: Made with Absolut vanilla vodka, Chambord liqueur, lemon juice and simple syrup.
lucettegrace
Gateau Clara: Made with chestnut mousse, black currant yoghurt cremeux, almond cake, black currant gelee and almond shortbread.
BITTERSWEET
The Sugar Plum Fairy Cocktail: Made with peach-infused bourbon, sherry, elderflower liqueur and fresh plums.
Guglhupf
Mother Ginger: Made with Durham Distillery Conniption American Dry Gin, Lil Farm ginger-turmeric syrup, Pernod, lemon and fresh sage.
THE HAYMAKER
Urban Legend: Made with Fernet-Branca, Solerno blood orange, house ginger syrup, house passion fruit syrup, lemon and lime.
It’s that time of the year again—when we’re content to get lost for an hour or two in the rhythms of a dance, the drama of a play, the physical world of the visual arts or the melodies of musical composition. Raleigh’s cultural scene continues to thrive and this season of arts and entertainment promises all the excitement of live shows, performances and exhibitions of seasons past, and more. In our 2019 Arts and Entertainment Guide, we highlight, along with our arts and entertainment events calendar, some of Raleigh’s connoisseurs of culture, plus a few of the folks who work behind the scenes to ensure that all the shows go on.
Cultural Ringleaders
We spoke with the folks at the forefront of Raleigh’s arts and entertainment scene.
Eric Woodall, North Carolina Theatre
Growing up in Benson, many of Eric Woodall’s firsts in theater were an hour’s drive away. One of the first professional productions he watched was “Man of La Mancha,” featuring Ira David Wood, and his introduction to performing was on Raleigh Little Theatre’s stage. At 9 years old, the theater bug had a firm hold—throughout his youth, Woodall, now NC Theatre’s artistic director, was shuttled back and forth to perform with and learn from Triangle artists.
Woodall spent nearly three decades in New York, first as an actor and then as a casting director, interspersed with stints of directing back in the South. As a casting director, Woodall helped add sinew to Broadway productions including “Phantom of the Opera,” “Les Miserables” and “Falsettos.” Collaborating with our century’s gold standard of directors and producers influenced him in a thousand ways, Woodall says, adding layers to his creative process and preparing him for the full-time plunge in Raleigh.
In his new role, Woodall oversees the artistic vision and merit of the entire theater company. Every day, he must spend time on each of the six shows NC Theatre will stage this performance season—not to mention what the company plans to produce in 2021, the conservatory (the theater’s education department) and any other shows he’s directing.
“I ain’t gonna lie,” Woodall confides, “I don’t sleep a ton. I wake up with my mind and heart racing, because I take all of this so seriously.” A firm believer in preparedness (often fueled by strong coffee), in July, Woodall already had the cast and creative team for October’s production of “West Side Story” completely locked in, headshots lining his office wall.
“I am passionate about helping North Carolina Theatre find and re-establish its identity, so that theatergoers, or even non-theatergoers, in the area can begin to know who North Carolina Theatre is, and what we do and how we do it,” Woodall says.
In the upcoming season—Woodall’s first set of selections—there will be musicals from the Golden Age, modern classics and a couple of shows few will recognize. The casts and crews are comprised mostly of Carolinians and about a dozen New Yorkers. Woodall wants audience members to come in and see theater that is discovered, rehearsed and re-imagined in their backyard.
Woodall’s task is twofold: to continue the legacy NC Theatre began (without which, he says, he would not be here) and to challenge artists and audiences. These challenges manifest in many ways, from diversity in casting to offering more scholarships for the conservatory to engaging more with the community. Another closely held hope is to produce original work that other regional theater companies (and even New York companies) potentially could perform down the line.
“We’re moving in this upward direction of new ideas and wondering ‘What is possible?’” Woodall says. “So, it’s an exciting time to be here.”
For tickets or more information, visit nctheatre.com— Megan Dohm
Valerie Hillings, North Carolina Museum of Art
Valerie Hillings is absolutely overwhelmed by the love for, and pride in, the North Carolina Museum of Art that she encounters across the state.
“I’m excited to think about NCMA as a campus as a whole and how different elements can talk to one another,” says Hillings, who’s now 10 months into her position as NCMA’s director and CEO.
A Duke University graduate and curator at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation for more than 14 years, Hillings is enjoying exploring the cultural landscape at NCMA, and, now that she’s settled in, she’s honing her insight into what the museum does best, including reimagining how art is shown across time and space.
“We’re starting to ask ourselves how to install the collection to tell new stories,” says Hillings, who has focused closely on art collections throughout her career. “Starting in 2020, we’re going to start shaking up the narrative, suggesting new ideas and opening up conversation.”
The museum’s fall and spring exhibitions will bring diverse material to the public.
“The public will be getting a varied menu of experiences that will show local, national and global perspectives,” Hillings says. Scott Avett, co-founder of the band The Avett Brothers, will have a solo exhibition featuring his large-scale oil paintings beginning in October. Also in October, the museum will feature an exhibition on Mexican Modernism with works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, along with art from the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection.
A high point on the spring calendar is “Front Burner: Highlights in Contemporary North Carolina Painting,” beginning in March. The exhibition urges viewers to slow down from the chaos of modern life and approach the paintings with “patience, critical thinking, and an open mind and heart.” Featuring 25 emerging, mid-career and established artists from throughout North Carolina, the exhibit highlights the different perspectives in painting across our state, from Raleigh’s Brett Baker and Shaun Richards to Charlotte’s Ashley Lathe.
Hillings emphasizes the idea that not everything will be a linear progression or just about geography. From portraiture to world religion, there are different ways of looking at the collections today. One way of viewing a collection, for example, is through thematic narratives, as in March when the museum created a gallery of works solely from women artists.
“We want to get the audience to look forwards and backwards by the way we installed the collection,” Hillings says. “There are different ways of looking at collections today. I like to say that all art was once contemporary and all contemporary art will become history.”
Zalman Raffael’s artistic journey began with gymnastics and a distaste for team sports and grew into a love for the power he found behind a ballet bar.
“It’s very internal, standing behind a bar, but external as well,” says Raffael, who was born and raised in New York City and received formal dance training at the School of American Ballet. “I couldn’t find a place to exert my energy until I found ballet. It helped me find myself and develop as a person.”
The 2019-20 season marks the beginning of Raffael’s role as CEO and artistic director of Raleigh-based Carolina Ballet. He takes the reins from longtime chief Robert Weiss, who is credited with the company’s success over the last two decades and will still remain involved.
“I really see the importance of not holding on so deeply to being a powerful person, but instead, to nurture the future generations,” says Raffael of his new role. “The power of art in the world contributes to the quality of our lives.”
This season, the Carolina Ballet has much to offer. From “Frankenstein” to the return of “Macbeth” to a classical production of “Cinderella” performed to live music, there’s something for everyone. This month, Carolina Ballet performs George Balanchine’s “Rubies” set to the music of Igor Stravinsky and featuring a new collaboration between Weiss and Raffael, along with Weiss’s “Thai Meditation” and his “Classical Ballet” set to the music of the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev.
“I’m thrilled to have a partnership with the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle,” Raffael says. “We have a live music series that’s really exciting. Robert Weiss is also teaming up with local artists for Beethoven’s ‘[Symphony No. 7].’”
For Raffael, or Zali as he’s known, being a leader in the arts world, especially in Raleigh, is meaningful. He says that while ballet doesn’t have to do with physically saving lives, it allows expression and the opportunity to look at ourselves deeply. He says his goals for the company are to continue to preserve and innovate ballet.
“I would love to continue to choreograph ballets but it’s important to bring in new choreographers and preserve the stronger ballets that have become a part of our history,” says Raffael, who has worked as a choreographer for the Carolina Ballet for more than six years. “Part of success for any dance company is to have staples, like our ‘Messiah’ or ‘Rhapsody in Blue.’”
Another goal is to find a balance of quality dancers by consistently creating ways to nurture dancers’ lives. Raffael says, for him, it’s important to make sure dancers are cared for after the performances end.
“We want to create an opportunity for employees to set up their lives and become immersed in what is Raleigh,” says Raffael. “There’s artistic growth, plus growth in the city.”
To see a full performance and events schedule, visit carolinaballet.com — Tracy Jones
en pointe
Dancers with the Carolina Balletseek out the perfect fit.
Kristen Klein fits a dancer with Freed of London pointe shoes at the Carolina Ballet.
A long row of cubbies is stuffed with light pink satin pointe shoes. Dancers, both seasoned and green, slip shoes in different sizes and shapes onto their feet in search of a Cinderella moment: the perfect pair, the flawless fit. A tall, slim woman with a perfectly coiffed dark bun—a ballerina herself, and a choreographer and artistic director—greets the dancers one by one, peppering them with questions about shoe size, their preferred shape and pliability and what they’re ultimately looking for in a pointe shoe.
This is the scene in a back room at the Carolina Ballet company’s headquarters on Atlantic Avenue and the woman, Kristen Klein, is a custom pointe shoe fitter for the storied dance shoe design and manufacturing company Freed of London. Freed, founded in the British capital in 1929, has supplied Carolina Ballet with shoes since it launched as a professional company in 1998; each year, Klein travels to Raleigh to facilitate custom fittings for Carolina Ballet’s dancers.
“They require so much from their shoes,” Klein says. “They’re their tools—they need them so they can do their jobs.”
Freed’s pointe shoes are all handmade by (mostly British) cobblers. Compared to other pointe shoes on the market, Freed’s designs are traditional, constructed out of satin on the outside and a canvas and burlap lining on the inside. The block of the shoe, which dancers rely on to carry themselves on the tips of their toes, is made using a flour-based glue, layered with paper or more burlap and baked into the shoe in a giant oven to harden. As dancers work in the shoes over time, the block will begin to break down. But, due to the shoes’ time-honored quality of materials, they’ll also begin to mold to the dancer’s foot “like an extension of the leg,” in Klein’s words.
Each cobbler at Freed churns out 30 to 40 pairs of pointe shoes each day, and each pair is stamped with a symbol denoting the shoes’ characteristics: a triangle represents a tapered pointe shoe with a small platform; a star signifies a boxier shoe with a platform that’s larger. For the dancers, Klein organizes the shoes by shape and most of the ballerinas know their preferences. “A lot of these dancers that have worn Freed know what maker they like and it creates a special feeling for them,” Klein says. “It’s like a ‘this is my maker’ type of thing.”
While the process of finding a new pair of pointe shoes is relatively easy for Klein when she’s working with more experienced dancers, first-pair fittings can be challenging; dancers are still getting accustomed to Freed’s uniquely designed pointe shoes and learning how their feet will fit them. But, as Freed employs so many different cobblers, Klein says that 99 percent of the time, dancers can find a pair of shoes that work with their feet.
Today, this is evident. Following several rounds of try-ons, dancers test their shoes in front of mirrors. Then, they sashay out of the fitting room, away from Klein, with a promising new pair of pointe shoes in tow. The pink satin will shine from the stage; the solid blocks will carry the dancers into their new season of performance. — Lauren Kruchten
Ushering In
Usher Millie Bozek
Lights ripple in the fountain out front. The Greek Revival structure rises into a deep blue sky. Warm light draws you indoors. Approaching downtown Raleigh’s Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts on a performance night can feel like the whole place has been waiting just for you.
“I think it’s the most beautiful building in downtown Raleigh,” says usher Millie Bozek. “When I come here, I feel like I’m someplace special.”
Ushers are the human element to creating this welcoming feeling and, according to front-of-house manager Courtney Bisbe, the first qualification for the job is that an usher can talk easily to anyone. Follow-up traits include the ability to work hard, to be a team player and readiness to spend hours on one’s feet. To the public, ushers act as vested guardian angels, guiding the way.
Before the audience arrives, the theater is steadily preparing. While artists warm up, ushers fold inserts and take marching orders from the head usher. When Bozek was readying for her first night on the job in 2002, she arrived half an hour early, for one last chance to walk the red rows in Memorial Auditorium—the center’s largest—and test her memory of the sections.
Seventeen years of experience on the job and assisting thousands of people have stacked into quiet self-assuredness. With friendly blue eyes, a Brooklyn accent and a ready smile, Bozek is a comfortable presence. She does not particularly care what assignment she receives, or where she’s placed in or around the building. She’s there for the people. Other than the theater name and uniforms—a cranberry blazer has been exchanged for silver vests and bowties are no longer required—Bozek says not much has changed about her work.
When the tall glass doors open, ushers have manned their assigned spots. Those at the front door are the first faces patrons see. Bozek says she always tries to offer a welcome or hello, no matter how busy or rushed she is. Once the interior house doors open, the lobby and hallways are flooded with people. Some are season ticket holders who know exactly where they’re going, others are setting foot in the theater for the first time. Bozek says it’s important not to profile guests when there are multiple events in the building; sometimes the guy in blue jeans who looks like he’s headed for the bluegrass concert is actually destined for the symphony. After the audience files in, it is an usher’s job to maintain order and comfort, to be guides during necessary exits and to deal with what Bozek calls “situations,” should they arise.
“And they always have situations,” she says.
Situations include heavily perfumed patrons sitting near others with scent allergies who need re-seating, tipsy patrons and would-be backstage interlopers—all managed with tact. When the lights go down, the ushers’ navigational skills are put to the test. Bozek says it is still possible to get turned around, especially if she’s preoccupied.
At intermission, the ushers guide a flurry of coming-and-going and guard doors that would lead away to other auditoriums; once, they had a woman start out at one show, get turned around, and watch the second half of another show next door. They ring oversized brass bells to signal the end of intermission.
After the final note plays and the last bit of applause dies down, the theater empties as quickly as it filled. The ushers send their guests into the night with gratitude, appeals to come back and wishes for a safe journey home (and, for regular attendees, a quick hug). As the audience departs, the ushers finish their evening’s work. The theater resumes its waiting once again. — Megan Dohm
Check out our 2019 Fall Arts & Entertainment Calendar!
After almost two decades as head ballerina, Carolina Ballet’s Lilyan Vigo will retire performing for the last time this month in Carmen. She shares with RM some of the highlights of her career with the company.
In 2000, I received the Princess Grace Award in NYC for talent in dance. It was an honor to be nominated by Carolina Ballet’s Artistic Director Robert Weiss and to be selected out of many applicants to receive this award so early on in my career.
I have been fortunate enough to represent Carolina Ballet in Pointe and Dance Magazine. Going to New York City to shoot the cover for Pointe and to have a featured article on my life and career in Dance Magazine was like a dream come true.
Robert Weiss choreographed his Firebird on me in 2002. It was the very first ballet to be choreographed on me and working so closely with Robert Weiss and Ballet Mistress Melissa Podcasy was an amazing experience and the first of many to come.
Outside of dancing, the next most important thing to me is my family. I am the proud mother of two little boys, Patrick and Brandon, and I have been lucky enough to live both dreams. I was able to dance through the beginning of both pregnancies and return to the stage after.
Carolina Ballet first presented Giselle in 2013, and I was the lead. To this day, it is one of the most difficult and challenging roles I have ever danced. It was really my “bucket-list” role that I never thought I would accomplish!
