Quick Chats: Jessi Veverka

Welcome to our Quick Chat series where we'll dive into the life and times of some of APT's finest. Each interview will supply insights ranging from the obviously relevant to the vaguely insane. Sounds fun, right? Today we're chatting with APT's Administrative Assistant, Jessi Veverka!

This is Jessi Veverka's sixth season with APT. In her time in the woods she has served as a Wardrobe Assistant, Assistant Company Manager, Company Manager and now Administrative Assistant. We talked with Jessi about her time at APT and some of her favorite memories throughout her roles with the company.

APT: You've worn a few different hats throughout your time at APT. Can you talk about the different positions you've held?
Jessi Veverka: Well, I started as a Wardrobe Assistant. At that point I was working hard to establish myself as a Costume Designer and to keep myself consistently employed in theatre between design opportunities. I. LOVED. Working wardrobe here. Seriously, my shows were fun to run, my team was great, and my actors were dreamy. I was fully hoping to return for more seasons, but come the end of the summer I was surprised by an offer from Carey Cannon to be her Assistant Company Manager!
I was totally taken off-guard, I had never considered Company Management before, but the more I talked with Carey the more I realized how many of my skill sets from being a dresser, an assistant, and a designer were oddly applicable - Company Management is SO MUCH about taking care of and managing people's expectations, and being able to (or trying to at least) do so in a warm, firm, thoughtful way. And being VERY ORGANIZED. :)
I wound up really loving Company Management here. I learned more than I ever expected about property management, event planning, large scale budgeting, cleaning, communication, prioritizing-.it's a weird job. It's a HARD job. It requires you to use your whole brain to find the bottom line, follow that budget, make sure that every single person has their necessities, but it also requires your whole heart to be patient, play roommate-matchmaker, listen, respond compassionately when you have to say no, and push hard so that you can say yes.
I spent a great four years in the job, moving from Asst. to Company Manager halfway through. But ultimately I found that I was starting to wear out. As much as I loved the job, it took all of my energy but wasn't giving me enough back - I missed designing and creating too much and I just couldn't manage a second goal on top of Company Management and be successful at both. So I decided to boogie and try and find a job that would give me better balance. I spent a great year training in my then-assistant Nicole, and turns out that luck on was my side and the timing of our lovely Gayle Wood (the previous Administrative Asst.) moving to Florida timed out very closely to the end of my contract! I was able to stay here, in the town and at the company I love so dearly, and have a job where I still get to support APT and those therein, but a job that doesn't follow me home-or call at 3am with an overflowing toilet :)
So now I'm learning all about how the other side of Bravo works and it's just lovely!

APT: Any favorite memories from your time out in the woods?
JV: Gosh, honestly just all of The Tempest. It was a bigger cast, my track was really busy, lots of quick changes, lots of hurrying through the woods with baskets full of tabi boots and wolf puppets-.and Charlie Wright forgot his pants before a harness call once but was already all rigged up and did the whole thing just in those tight little shorts-.

APT: What is something you've always wanted to do?
JV: At APT? Costume Design a show.

APT: Would you rather be able to visit 100 years into the past or 100 years into the future?
JV: FUTURE! Are you kidding me?! I mean, I LOVE history, it's awesome, but technology is advancing SO QUICKLY that I cannot even imagine what the world look like in 10 years much less 100! I want to see all that science!!