Watching it all come together: The unpredictability of being a Players’ Guild producer
Connie Spears and Randy Coutts are co-producing the upcoming “The Catering Queen.”
Producers Connie Spears and Randy Coutts never intended to be at the helm of “The Catering Queen,” the laugh-out-loud Alison Lawrence comedy, opening Jan. 17 at the Players Guild of Hamilton.
It just happened. It often does when you’re part of a community theatre and responsible for helping to keep it going.
“To be honest, neither of us had planned to work on this show, but like most local community theatres we are struggling to keep our volunteer numbers up,” the pair say. “So when the time came to start working on ‘The Catering Queen,’ we were the only two left to take on the task.”
Producing means finding the workers for all the departments required to get the show on the stage; everything from the set painters, props gatherers, costume designers and fitters, to those making sure the cast is in place, the stage manager is at the controls and the lights are focused and ready to come up opening night.
“Watching it all come together, knowing that you had a hand in every part of the show, and seeing the final product on the stage makes it all worthwhile,” Spears says.
“We do our best to make sure each part of the creative team and the cast have what they need to complete the job they’ve been tasked with. Producers also monitor costs and publicity. They meet with department heads to deal with issues and steer the ship,” adds Coutts.
Each show brings its own unique experience, the two producers say.
Spears became involved in theatre in high school at Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School.
“I loved everything about it. The smell of the theatre, the catwalks above the stage, the chaos and the creativity and especially the teamwork.”
When he was a student, Coutts was walking down the hallway at Hillpark Secondary School and the drama teacher stopped him.
“Be at rehearsal for the musical at 4 p.m., he said. I told him I wasn’t in the show. ‘Well, you are now. And don’t be late,’ he said. Just like that, I was in ‘Grease.
“Growing up, my family watched a lot of movie musicals and listened to a lot of soundtracks,” Coutts says. “So, I think musicals were in my blood. When I started to work on the school musical, I was hooked. I was in awe of the talent and dedication people had. I loved the team, or the family aspect of it and how the different parts came together.”
“I was lucky to have 2 IATSE (stage hands union) members who worked at my school,” Spears says. “I learned a lot from them. They were amazing teachers. When I stage manage and direct, I would say it’s a 50/50 split between technical know-how and instinct. You can have all the technical knowledge you want, but if you call a cue at the wrong moment you can wreck a scene. You have to find the sweet spot, and when you do, it’s magic.”
Coutts says he hasn’t had any formal training for what he does.
“I was fortunate to have worked on a number of shows that were directed by New York directors. If you were smart you observed everything they did. These were huge productions and you could learn a lot. There’s instinct involved, too, though. You have to trust your gut.”
Spears and Coutts are staunch members of the Players’ Guild of Hamilton and serve on the group’s board of directors.
“The guild is celebrating 150 years next season. We are in the unique situation that we can serve the community as a training ground for people who are interested in getting into theatre. We have an immense amount of experience within our membership. We offer a variety of shows each season to all tastes. We’re also hoping to expand our BIPOC productions as well,” Spears says.
About the upcoming comedy, Spears says, “ ‘The Catering Queen’ is a fun, easy comedy that gives us a glimpse into the world of catering and the people who serve the food. We get a chance to hear about the hopes and dreams, relationships and friendships, successes and failures in life. And we also get to hear about what the caterers really think of the guests at these fancy parties.”
Spears is stage managing “The Catering Queen” as well as co-producing with Coutts. When they are not involved with the Players’ Guild, Coutts and Spears work for St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton.
Both Spears and Coutts have strong opinions about where community theatre groups should be heading.
“I think theatre groups need to be willing to take more risks,” Spears says. “Do shows that will challenge the audience. Balance these with old favourites that keep audiences coming back, but take the risks, do the shows that will make people think and feel, that’s what theatre does, challenge us to see things from another perspective.”
“If you do the same kind of shows all the time, you’re really underestimating your audience. Finding a balance is the goal,” Coutts says.
Both producers agree the hardest part of being a producer is the unpredictability of the job. You have no idea what challenges will come up, or how you’re going to deal with them, they say.
Go see “The Catering Queen” and support community theatre.
By Gary Smith, Special to the Spectator
