CHELSEA BARON
Special to The Leader
College students are oftentimes categorized as lazy, but Amy Gruttadauria is an exception.
A senior double major in theatre and audio and radio production, Gruttadauria’s focus in her theater degree is stage management. She is an active member of Sigma Gamma Phi (Arethusa), a social sorority, as well an active member of Alpha Psi Omega, an honors theatre organization. On top of those, Gruttadauria is the program director of WCVF which is the dial station for Fredonia’s radio systems.
One of SUNY Fredonia’s productions this semester is “Peter and the Starcatcher,” directed by Dr. James Paul Ivey. Gruttadauria is the stage manager. This is a show she has always wanted to work on.
“I am so fortunate to have been assigned to this production. I’ve wanted to be a part of the magic of this show since I saw it on Broadway,” she said.
Gruttadauria decided she wanted to get into stage management during high school. Her brother was the one who introduced it to her.
All four years of high school she participated in theatre. She was a stagehand in “Phantom of the Opera” as well as “Hairspray” during her freshman and sophomore years. In her third year, she was Props Manager for “Legally Blonde.” She was able to be the stage manager in her senior year for the production “Miss Saigon.”
A stage manager doesn’t miss a beat. They are involved in the entire production process and work hand-in-hand with the director and creative team. Gruttadauria said the most exciting part of being stage manager “is watching ideas flow between the directors and their designers during the first few meetings.”
On the contrary, Gruttadauria’s least exciting task is all day tech. During this tech, all of the aspects of the show come together for the first time. It incorporates lighting cues, sound cues, curtain cues, costume changes and many more aspects the production requires.
Gruttadauria has a reason she doesn’t particularly enjoy tech.
“All eyes rest solely on you and how you call the show,” she said.
Stage managers play a key role in the performance.
“Once the show opens, the director’s work is essentially complete. Now it’s the stage manager’s job to make sure that every aspect of the production runs just as the director intended time after time, until the production closes,” said Gruttadauria.
That is a lot of pressure to endure and being program director for the radio station on campus adds even more events to Gruttadauria’s schedule.
“Amy is certainly a responsible individual and always gets what she has to do done,” said John Boughton, a senior theatre arts major.
Boughton can’t speak on Gruttadauria’s stage management work, but he can speak on her work as Program Director. He says Gruttadauria is a great leader. He mentions that she wants people to feel comfortable and happy, yet she is able to make hard choices if necessary.
WCVF was named “The Best College Station in the Nation,” and Boughton feels it has a lot to do with Gruttadauria’s hard work within the station. He said that even though it was a group effort from all of the Fredonia Radio Station members, the title speaks volumes to her work ethic.
Gruttadauria is an all-around hardworking and caring individual in her roles of responsibility as well as friendship.
Her friend Marilia Andrade said she is an extremely loyal friend, a great listener and a leader.
“The people she oversees feel like they can go to her with problems they may have, and she can handle situations well,” said Andrade.
Not only does Gruttadauria have good relations with the members of her respective organizations and productions, she also has good relations with people outside of them.
“She won’t leave people in the dark and put work before them,” said Boughton.
Being involved in two positions with such power must call for commitment. Andrade said Gruttadauria completely dedicates herself to the activities she is involved with, which makes everyone look up to her.
“Her calm and rational personality definitely helps her be a leader in any aspect,” said Andrade.
With all of the hard work Gruttadauria puts into stage management and program directing it seems as though she would be stressed. Andrade said that Gruttadauria’s performance in her activities is not affected by her stress, instead she takes time outside of them to recharge.
Although being a Stage Manager was what Gruttadauria originally planned to pursue as a career, that has since changed.
“I know I’ll carry the skills I’ve learned [stage managing] with me for life.”