鈥淚 love helping other people create their vision,鈥� said Davy Grace McGuirt, who brings a servant-leader approach to managing the many moving parts of The President鈥檚 Gala and several other productions of the South Carolina School of the Arts at 91福利社.  

McGuirt is graduating in May with her B.A. in Theatrical Design with a specialization in Stage Management. 

(The President鈥檚 Gala takes place April 23 and 24 in the Henderson Auditorium of the Rainey Fine Arts Center.)

鈥淭his show has such a special place in my heart for so many reasons. This is my senior year, so this is my last Gala as a student,鈥� said McGuirt. 鈥淢y major is in Theatrical Design; specifically my emphasis is in stage management, and then I also dabble a little bit in directing and I work for our costume designer on campus. Actually for this year鈥檚 Gala, I鈥檓 not only the production stage manager but also I鈥檓 the assistant costume designer. Then I have a minor in Psychology and I鈥檓 also in our honors program. When I tell people what I鈥檓 studying about half of them go 鈥楾hose two things don鈥檛 go together鈥� and the other half goes 鈥楾hat must be super helpful.鈥欌��

Psychology has indeed come in handy for McGuirt, who has worked with upwards of 400 individuals at a time. 

鈥淢y intention is always to make a process as smooth as it can be for everyone involved. At some point it鈥檚 inevitable that people are going to be frustrated, going to get angry and things go haywire; so the response you have when something unexpected happens is really what makes the difference,鈥� she said. 

鈥淪he is stage manager extraordinaire and has been for about two and a half years in the theatre program doing major musicals that honestly are much more complex than the President鈥檚 Gala,鈥� said South Carolina School of the Arts Dean Dr. David Larson. Dr. Larson added that McGuirt is highly organized and people love working with her on productions. She鈥檚 also a founding member of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF)  Region IV Student Advisory Council.

McGuirt was first drawn to theatre as a teenager. While many youngsters catch the acting bug, she was intrigued by what goes on behind the scenes. 

鈥淚 first found theatre in my freshman year of high school. I was at a brand new school and hadn鈥檛 made a ton of new friends, so I decided I knew a few people who were involved in theatre鈥攚hy not go see what that鈥檚 about,鈥� McGuirt said. 鈥淚 walked in, (but) they already had auditions and the show was cast. I talked to the director and said 鈥業鈥檓 new here and I want to help.鈥� She put me on a run crew backstage. During the run of that first show, our stage manager injured himself in the middle of our run, so the assistant stage manager took over. I kind of got promoted in a sense on my first show and I just loved it.鈥�

Doors continued to open for McGuirt, who also performed as an actor. Her talents running things backstage were a better fit, she said. When McGuirt first saw The President鈥檚 Gala at 91福利社, she was dazzled by how the South Carolina School of the Arts could combine elements of music and theatre into such a polished showcase. 

鈥淚 remember walking into my advisor鈥檚 office the next Monday and I said 鈥楬ey, can I do this? I鈥檓 really intrigued with how this works.鈥� She was very open with me about how having more theater students who want this as a career would help,鈥� McGuirt said. 

She began her work on the Gala under Dr. Chris Hansen, assistant professor of music, who was directing at the time. 

鈥淟ast year when the Gala was about to happen, she was my stage manager the whole year. We had planned an entire Gala and it went away because of COVID,鈥� Dr. Hansen said. 鈥淭his year when we talked about doing the Gala but differently, I passed the torch onto my colleagues. I immediately said Davy McGuirt needs to be the stage manager still.鈥�

This year鈥檚 Gala is being directed by Dr. Derick Cordoba, director of the Johnny Mann Center for Commercial Music and assistant professor of music; and Joe Wehunt, assistant professor of music and director of worship leadership.

Cordoba said he doesn鈥檛 know what they would do without McGuirt鈥檚 efforts. 

鈥淒avy is doing an absolutely outstanding job on the Gala,鈥� Dr. Cordoba said. 鈥淪he has been a consummate professional, is incredibly organized and has been a joy to work with.鈥� 

鈥淚 have worked many shows over the past 30 years and she is definitely one of the very best. Her attitude is positive. She motivates everyone without being demanding. She is kind and gracious,鈥� Wehunt said.

Rebekah Miller, digital media and production manager for commercial music, calls McGuirt 鈥渁n invaluable member of the Gala team, helping to coordinate schedules, book rehearsals, lead communications with performers and much more.鈥�

Coming back after a pandemic-imposed hiatus, The President鈥檚 Gala will have a different look, but will be no less impressive.

鈥淭he COVID restrictions are unique,鈥� McGuirt said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 consider them a challenge because it鈥檚 ultimately creating a more intimate show. It feels more special in a sense because it is a smaller group of musicians, a smaller group of soloists, so it feels like it鈥檚 our gift to the University at a time where things haven鈥檛 been normal. Our goal is to make it feel as much of a celebration, as much of a normal event as possible. I think we鈥檙e going to achieve that even though it鈥檚 a smaller cast.鈥�

For McGuirt, theatre is more than just a profession. It鈥檚 a calling. 

鈥淭heatre was the only thing I really felt called toward and I thought it was such a big ministry opportunity. I think artists are some of the most creative and inspirational people, but they have some really deep struggles,鈥� McGuirt said. 鈥淭hings have happened every year where I see what God is doing.鈥�

McGuirt plans to continue working in theatre and hopes to someday work in New York City, or maybe overseas in London.

The post President’s Gala Production Manager Sees Theatre as More than a Profession鈥擨t鈥檚 Her Calling appeared first on 91福利社.