Carrie Murphy

Interviewed by Andrew Korniej

As a member of the Super Committee it has fallen on me, on a number of occasions, to explain the changes in the duties of the new Super Coordinator, which are very different from previous years. I thought it would be worthwhile to have that person, the very affable and witty Carrie Murphy, help explain the changes and her responsibilities.

With this in mind Carrie and I met in a 24th Street taqueria towards the end of the 2003 fall season.

AK: Carrie, tell us where you're from.

CM: I'm from a town near Denver called Indian Hills. I left there nine years ago and arrived in San Francisco that October. I went to school in Southern Colorado, studying acting, theater arts and speech communication as a minor. I was trained classically as a singer, sang in choruses and did some opera workshops.

AK: How did you come to the San Francisco Opera?

CM: I started at SFO as the Opera Center Administrative Assistant and Auditions Coordinator. In January of 2002 Brad Trexell (the Opera's Artistic Administrator) hired me as his assistant. I help with contacting agents, contracting the singers and all the stuff that comes from working in the Artistic Department.

AK: What exactly does the Artistic Department do?

CM: The Department is the liaison between artists or their agents and the company. It handles contracts, housing and travel, auditions and, of course, casts Supers. We don't deal with the chorus though. That is its own entity.

AK: Well it's nice to know that we Supers fall under the artistic umbrella. How and when did you end up working with the Supers and is it easy?

CM: I was asked if I'd like to do it during a period of downsizing, last summer, when Todd Calvin moved into Scheduling. It can be very difficult; very involved and time intensive and I didn't get any training from my predecessor. The biggest challenge is trying to balance coordinating the Supers while assisting my boss.

AK: Tell us how hard it can be�

CM: The most difficult, totally stressful thing was trying to find one person who could stand on his or her head on a Vespa for The Barber of Seville . I called an audition and only one person showed up who could do it -- but the director wanted more choice so we ended up hiring an acrobat. Getting 51 people to do Don Carlos was much easier!

AK: Have you ever wanted to become a Super?

CM: (emphatically) No!

AK: So how do we Supers get roles?

CM: The casting starts with the Costume Department sending over a list of costume sizes. Then I go through the database and take people whose sizes match and I show the list to the Assistant Directors. Meanwhile the Director is telling us what he wants and then I have to find out if those Supers are even available to do it. I do try and make sure that as many people get stage time as possible. I want to keep people interested in doing it, even when there isn't much available, so that when they are needed they will still be around.

AK: If I call you repeatedly will that help me get a good Super role? How about email?

CM: (laughs) As any one who works around me knows I hate getting phone calls! They do take me away from the other things I need to get done, and working two different jobs means using two different parts of my brain.   I hope people realize that there are 450 people on the roster and that you aren't the only one calling or emailing. Having said that, though, the squeaky wheel does get the grease, but emailing me is much better. I always read my email.

AK: Can you tell us something about the duties of the volunteer Production Super Captain?

CM: The PSCs help keep me sane. They help with schedule changes and to disseminate information from the Assistant Directors to the show's Supers, such as venue and call times. They also oversee sign-in and make sure I get the correct information to issue the checks.

AK: Why are the ASMs and ADs always telling us what to do? Don't they realize that we're artistes, volunteering our time?

CM: (laughs)Their job is to tell everyone what to do, principals as well, and they are to be obeyed at all times! This is a team event and the Supers are very important. In terms of aesthetics, and to make sure the whole show works, they can be as important as the singers.

AK: Why are there so many backstage rules and regulations?

CM: They are part of the evolution of making the opera more streamlined. Everybody takes this very seriously, especially Wardrobe and Makeup, so don't mess with them.

AK: If I have to miss a performance should I tell you in advance or should I wait until the last minute?

CM: Tell me yesterday!

AK: As Super Coordinator you must get some free time when there aren't any Supers in a show. What do you do with all that free time?

CM: I am in the theater chasing rugged stagehands.

AK: Will there be many Super opportunities this summer? How about fall 2004?

CM: Apart from the return of La Bohème, no. There may be a couple of roles in Doktor Faust but the director has very specific requirements for those. Cunning Little Vixen will be using dancers. I haven't started to look at the fall operas yet.

AK: Carrie, do you enjoy working with Supers?

CM: Yes I do. You are really great people and I'm inspired by your commitment to the company and to opera. Supers are so much less jaded than many other company members and I continue to be amazed by Supers and by your involvement and willingness to help and just how much you accomplish.

AK: Finally, what did you think of Charlie Lichtman's party skit which took a light-hearted look at you and your role?

CM: I think I was laughing louder than anyone!