This week, we're thrilled to introduce the producer-stage managers of the Moxie Commission! First up is the incomparable Sally Burgos. We worked with Sally on From A to Double D this time last year (you can read our Q&A with her from that show here), and we can't wait to work with her again on three different shows as part of the Commission.
Check out her bio and read on for a Q&A with Sally about Frida Kahlo, pros and cons of theatre on Zoom, and more.
Want to support the Moxie Commission and new work written by, staffed by, and spotlighting the stories of women+? You can donate here!
Sally Burgos is a passionate stage manager who loves the art of storytelling. When she isn't stage managing, she is writing plays and teaching yoga through her private yoga business. She has been a stage manager for over a decade and loves it more than anything. She is thrilled to be with Moxie Arts once again for this amazing experience. She has worked with Moxie Arts back in the old days where people were allowed to sit together in a theater and watch a story unfold. She worked on From A to Double D with the company before the shutdown. Now, she is stage managing from home and creating virtual theater till we are finally allowed back in.
What drives you to work in the theatre?
It's my soul's purpose. Before I discovered theater, I wanted to be a composer (which would have worked in a theater too). Then theater entered my life and I fell in love. I am naturally a creative soul, so to be able to think of something, then write it down, then rehearse the piece, design the elements, and put it all together to breathe life into what used to be just a thought.... is the closest thing to magic.
And why a stage manager? Because I get to touch every single department. Working closely with everyone. Every design element. Every rehearsal. Every meeting. I get to be a part of it. Also, I am naturally great at organizing and scheduling so that totally helps! We work together to tell a story and stir emotion. It's the grittiest and the most beautiful job in the world.
Who is a woman+ artist who inspires you and why?
Frida Kahlo. She was passionate. She was an artist. She was resilient. She was defiant of her limitations. She was a voice. She was queer. She was a Latin woman. She is a constant inspiration in my life. She created some of the best surrealist art I have ever seen. She was so radical for her times. What a force to reckon with.
What excites you about virtual theatre?
Honestly -- not much. Perhaps because I am so spoiled by the real theater. But what does inspire me is how innovative people have become during these times. I am in awe of how people in the industry have not let this pandemic get them down. "Shut down the theater? No problem. Let's create art online! On ZOOM none the less!" I didn't even know what Zoom was. But now, almost a year later, I have seen such amazing work and have gotten the opportunity to work with people all around the world, literally in every time zone. This wouldn't have been a thing way back when. So, that is one of the great things to come out of it.
What have you been reading, watching, or playing this year that you would recommend?
The Goat. This show is simply amazing. It's a one-act play that tells an untold story that most don't want to know about. It's so provocative and terribly disturbing. 100% recommend.
What makes you feel hopeful right now?
I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. As the pandemic makes a new turn, I am noticing more work in the arts come up. This gives me hope that soon we can all safely work together again. In the meantime, thank goodness for Zoom!
Stay tuned for more announcement's about the Moxie Commission, including the rest of our producers, our director cohort, and tickets, coming soon!
Want to support our work? You can donate here!