The Yale Repertory Theatre (“The Rep”) has begun its 2022-23 season, opening with Edward Albee’s Tony Award-winning Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.
A poster advertising the production.
Which, for me, means it’s time to get to work. I’m an usher at the theatre, part of the squadron of community members, Yale Drama School students, and students from the College that ensures the audience has a great experience seeing the show. It’s a fun and lively job.
Especially because I get paid to watch some of the best theatre I’ve ever seen (though any Yale student can see a production at The Rep for a discounted price of $15 a ticket). Some nights I’m armed with a walkie talkie and assigned to monitor the audience throughout the show. As long as people are complying with The Rep’s COVID procedures and no photos policy, I mostly get to relax and enjoy the astounding productions.
In my time at The Rep, the quality and inventiveness of the work produced here has astounded me. During Today is My Birthday, I remember being floored by the use of lighting to turn an ordinary ceiling fan into the source of ominous, whirling shadows during a moment of conflict. In Choir Boy, the flawless singing throughout and the colossal sheets of wood painted and lit – convincingly – to look like stained glass windows was spellbinding. And I was floored by the choreography during the hilarious and frenzied fight scenes featured in Between Two Knees.
The David Geffen School of Drama is attached to the University Theatre, where Yale Repertory Theatre performances are sometimes held.
The talent displayed during The Rep’s performances is no surprise, considering that The Rep is the “theatre in residence” for the David Geffen School of Drama. Everything from set design and lighting to acting and dramaturgy is done by students at one of the best professional drama schools in the country.
The set of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, designed by School of Drama student Miguel Urbino.
For Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, the stage has been made over into George and Martha’s sitting complete with a fireplace, a front entryway, an upstairs, and a loaded bookshelf. James Bundy, the Dean of the David Geffen School of Drama, is the show’s director. The actors have plenty of film and theatre credits behind them, as well as a Grammy nomination, a Lunt Fontane Fellowship (from an acclaimed national program). Though I haven’t seen anything beyond the pre-show warm-ups yet, the performance is sure to be amazing.
It’s not just the free theatre and comp tickets that make this one of the best student jobs on campus, though.
The Wilson Lounge concessions stand, where you can buy a snack during intermission. Complementary tea and coffee is also available!
As part of their training, the Drama School students work front-of-house too. Between directing people to their seats and ripping ticket stubs, there’s opportunity to chat. I get to meet the humans behind the actors, and learn about what goes into the different types of work they do. We’ve mused on whether you can really return home once you’ve left it in philosophical side conversations. I’ve learned that my coworker designed the National Christmas tree star for the White House in 2014, and been shown the digital blueprints. They’ve taught me the secret to memorizing a script in just minutes (just kidding – apparently there’s no real shortcut for this).
After the show ends, the audience leaves, often marveling at effects or heaping praise onto the actors. I leave once the theatre is clear, giving the other front of house staff a cheery wave on my way out.
