The Front Row Blog

Meet Crewton of the Year Award Recipient: Sam Regardie

Hello Encore friends! 

We’ve got an exclusive interview with our latest Crewton of the Year and STAR award recipient! For those who are new here, the STAR Award recipients show extraordinary dedication and ability. Recipients have participated in at least eight Encore productions: two onstage, two backstage on tech crew, three in either capacity and one front of house crew. In addition, one crew member, or as we call them “crewton” who has gone above and beyond is recognized from our Technical Director and production team every season with the Crewton of the Year. Meet this extraordinary crewton, Sam Regardie! 

What inspired you to audition for your first Encore show?

Throughout elementary school, I took many acting classes but never acted in an actual show. In sixth grade, my mom found out about Encore and took me to see my first show there, The Best Haunted House Ever. I was immediately amazed at the level of professionalism that children my age were performing with, so I signed up to audition for the next show, Night at the Wax Museum. Although nervous about my very first audition, I had the privilege of being cast in that show, leading me to continue working with Encore for the years to come.

How many Encore productions have you worked on, can you name a few (or all!)

I have worked on a total of 25 Encore productions! Six of these have been as an actor, including acting as Sherlock Holmes in The Enchanted Bookshop and D’Artagnan in The 3 Musketeers. I have worked backstage in many different capacities, including directing The Fairy Tale Network, serving as the sound board operator for Riley O’Brien and the Lost Leprechaun, stage managing An Enchanted Bookshop Christmas, designing the set for The Hobbit, and working other jobs for many more shows.

What does receiving the STAR award mean to you?

The STAR award signifies my commitment to all areas of theater. Receiving the award shows me that the work I’ve done at Encore has influenced lots of different people working in very different positions. Many people choose to work only in one area of the theater, and I think that is a great thing. However, I also think that the STAR award teaches the valuable lesson that gaining a variety of experiences will actually help to improve skills in a certain area. My work as an actor has led me to work well backstage and anticipate what actors may need. My work backstage has allowed me to be a respectful actor who can help with the technical side when needed. All sides of theater work together, and the STAR award shows that experimentation can lead to greatness.

What crew positions do you enjoy, which positions are the most challenging and why?

My favorite crew position is the Assistant Stage Manager (ASM). ASMs work backstage and are in charge of scene changes and the backstage crew, and they communicate directly with the Stage Manager. As an ASM, I often find myself enjoying the challenges of arranging the set so it fits backstage, making sure actors do not get in the way of set pieces, and creatively solving any problems that may arise. ASMs have an important leadership role at Encore and I enjoy every time I am able to work as one.

I find being the soundboard operator challenging yet still enjoyable. Also called the microphone op or just mics, this position is in charge of setting up all microphones that will go on the stage and on individual actors, as well as operating the board that controls them. This position is difficult because it requires constant attention to the show. The sound operator must always be aware so that they turn actors’ mics on and off at the correct times. Despite it being challenging, this job is very rewarding because microphones are undoubtedly very important to any show.

You were the recipient of the Crewton of the Year award for 2022, how did you react when you received the award?

I was very shocked and excited to have received the Crewton of the Year award. Due to the pandemic, it had been several years since it was last awarded, so I was very honored to be the first to receive it after a long gap. When the award was announced at the ceremony, I was surprised that it was even being awarded, and even more surprised when my name was called. I also felt very happy that I had received it because I worked very hard that season as an Assistant Tech Director, Stage Manager, Set Designer, and more. The award helped affirm that my work with Encore that season had paid off.

What skills have you learned through your time at Encore?

Encore has taught me the skills of collaboration, organization, and time management.

As an actor, I have learned to work alongside my peers in order to create a beautiful final show. Working on the technical side, I often have to work with other tech members or Encore staff members on the production team, sharing and developing my ideas to work for the whole group.

Being a Stage Manager has caused me to be very organized. I need to keep paperwork, spreadsheets, emails, and more in places where I can easily access them when needed. Encore has taught me how to find an organizational system that allows me the greatest success.

Going to rehearsals, tech days, and performances that often don’t end until late in the evening has made me think critically about how to manage my time. On weeks when I know I will be busy at Encore, I try my best to get my schoolwork done ahead of time. I also need to manage my time in rehearsals and tech days well. While a rehearsal process may seem very long, I’ve come to realize that every individual day matters greatly. Because of this, I’ve been able to think about what I need to do each day in order to make the entire production as successful as possible.

Thank you Sam for taking the time to share your Encore journey with us!