After 40 years as an IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) Local 3 stagehand and 25 years as the house carpenter at the Benedum Center, Kenny Brannigan, 57, is retiring to make way for the next generation of stagehands.
“I think we’re at the point where the kids need to learn and need to take it up,” says Brannigan, who believes it’s time for new talent to take over. “I was doing this in my 30s, and the guys doing it now, I really like.”
The job title is deceptive.
6 comments:
I love stories like this. I know that sometimes we but heads with Unions, but I like the stories about the individuals. You can tell from the way Brannigan speaks that he is an old school theatre guy from way back, its great. Its also nice to see how a business like ours is so familial, (even though like the article states, we sometimes miss important family commitments). I did think it was funny, and had to keep reminding myself that this article was written for the general public, when the author would explain things that we all know without even a second thought. I am glad that Brannigan had such a fulfilled career and wish him well in retirement.
I love these types of stories. I have respect people who have had the same job for decades. I mean if I think about it, I have become so comfortable within the Purnell Center and how the SoD runs things just in the last three years, imagine if I have been here for 40. I cannot wait to have the comfortabilty and familiarity with my future workplace like this man had. Often times people say that sticking with things from the past is not mving forward, but there is something to be said about the committment that people have to an institution. The dedication of this gentleman spanded over the course of 40 years, that is easily over 200 different productions. But at the same time, imagine the feelings of Mr. Brannigan. It's like leaving your second home. I know it's going to be hard to part with Purnell and everyone here, I couldn't imagine leaving essentially another family of 40 years.
This is such a heartwarming article. It perfectly describes the type of unconditional love that we all have for our profession, and is only amplified in stagehands whose family has been in the business for generations. This part of the business is entirely about supporting the designers and onstage artists, making their dreams possible and keeping them comfortable to facilitate good performances. What strikes me about stagehands like Brannigan is their incredible love for what they do. They take such incredible pride in doing things well not because it matters to audiences, but because it makes them, their colleagues, and the talent happy. They take pride in doing the impossible, against all odds, because it has to be done. The show must go on. An additional reason that master stagehands enjoy their difficult and often thankless jobs is for the stories. Kenny is an absolute master storyteller, recounting perfectly absurd requests from designers and talent that he has received and carried out over his 40 years as a stagehand.
As absurdly privileged CMU students we have so much to learn about passion and sacrifice from master stagehands like Kenny. Theatre is not always a cakewalk. We pull long hours and receive proportionally little compensation for our work, but it is still always important to put your best foot forward and take pride in what you do. Working with people like Kenny reminds me that through thick and thin, this business is what I LOVE and I could never tear myself away from it. We all have days where we go into work/school filled with frustration and discouragement at the tasks that await us, but it is important to remember the big picture. In our line of work we get to solve impossible problems, work closely with remarkable people, and ultimately do what we love. It takes a great person to remember that, and an even greater person to remind others of it on a daily basis. The genuine interest that Kenny takes in both his work and everyone he works with (from Broadway star to lowly intern) rockets him firmly into the second category. If you passionately invest yourself in what you love you can never really go wrong. You’ll either end up with a fantastic product or a fantastic story.
This is one of those personal stories which while not all that important in the grand scheme of things, really is heartwarming. To know that this kind of dedication and passion for our industry exists makes me glad in my decision to pursue this line of work. Even just leaving my school last year after was like leaving my second home, and I was only there for six years. I can only imagine how it would feel to leave the place you've worked for forty. I'm glad this article was intended for the general public, because it will hopefully remind people that there actually is a whole network of people behind the stage and in the wings who support the production, not just the actors.
I was fortunate enough to meet Kenny and his daughter, Kelli, this past week when I interned with the Stage Manager of "Giselle". I could tell that Kenny was friends with everyone who had worked with the ballet and at the Benedum before. He is one of those guys you just have to like- he was always cracking jokes and smiling backstage. He seems to possess such a wisdom that can only come with years of experience, and yet he doesn't have a big head about it. When you speak to Kenny or Kelli about the business, you can tell that they are both filled with such a love for what they do. I hope to find myself in a job someday that I love as much as Kenny and Kelli love theirs. Kenny's commitment to the theatre and his positive impact on all that he has worked with over the last 40 years will obviously not soon be forgotten. As young theatre people, we should all strive to create a career for ourselves like the one Kenny made for himself- and we should make sure we are having fun along the way.
This is a nicely written article. A 40 year career in this industry takes dedication and courage. There must have been times that Brannigan looked at his life and wondered if he could have done something different. I wonder if he happily let his daughter join the union. I am not sure that I would want my family to follow me into this career. I might try to persuade them to pick a more financial stable position, but then again. I'm here because my parents were.
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