Paula Gomez’s shining moment

Climbing the stairs of the Performing Arts Building, I hear voices even before reaching the third-floor rehearsal room. 

An open door reveals the source of the clamor to be various students scrambling about for a rehearsal of the closing dance from “Lysistrata,” an adaptation of an ancient Greek play recently performed in the Little Theatre.

Amid all the commotion in the rehearsal room, Citrus College student Paula Gomez sits in the corner, an open binder in lap. 

She fastidiously peruses its contents, resting her forehead on her hand, as if trying to isolate her thoughts and tune out the chaos surrounding her.  It is clearly a busy afternoon. 

As more and more performers arrive, the relieved expression on her face lends her the countenance of someone that is not only busy, but happy to be busy. 

She greets all the actors who have arrived on time, and amicably scolds the latecomers. 
Taking note of who has arrived and who is running late is just one of her many functions as the stage manager for “Lysistrata,” arguably the most enduring anti-war play of all time.

Asked about her inspiration to become a stage manager, she has a ready joke.
“There has to be a job where I can yell at people and be heard,” says the 26-year-old theater technologies major.

As an Ontario High School student, Gomez participated in Concert Choir, but after seeing how much of the performance depended on what happened behind the scenes, she was inspired to pursue a new direction. 

“Working behind the scenes teaches you how to deal with people better,” she explains.  “I’ve learned to be a better multi-tasker, to juggle multiple things at once, all the while being a solid sheepherder.” 

Being stage manager means “being responsible to know everything,” she says.
In the performance of “Lysistrata,” Gomez has a long list of responsibilities.

She’s in charge of knowing when the actors are available, scheduling rehearsals, then making sure everyone gets the schedule. 

It also means making sure everyone arrives on time, feeding lines, and identifying anyone who might be athe “weakest link.” 

And that’s just during a rehearsal. 

Before anything, she has to make sure the stage is available for a given rehearsal, scheduling the studio for a dance run-through if necessary, and submitting daily rehearsal reports to the production staff. 

On show night, she is also in charge of the production crew and ushers.
In short, she ties the whole production together by making sure everyone knows what’s going on. 

Gomez was asked by technical director Dan Volonte if she would be interested in managing.

“The only way he would even pick you is if he thinks you will be responsible enough to do a show,” she said.

Gomez is part of the Emerging Theater Technologies program, which offers Citrus students classes needed to land a job in theater.

“As a tech, it’s all about what you know,” she says.  “It’s not like being an actor where you have to worry about looking and sounding great.” 

Gomez acknowledges there are more behind-the-scenes opportunities in theater as opposed to jobs for actors. 

She plans to make a career of her passion.

“My dream is to be a full-time stage manager at a small theater somewhere, nothing too big,” she says.

But even dreamers have their apprehensions.

“I work better in a small theater because there’s not so much pressure,” she said.  “I still have a fear of failure though…I’m not used to failing.”

Her aspiration serves as a lesson that contentment can be achieved not in the boldest, highest-paying job, but rather in one that allows you to follow your life passion. 

Once the curtain drops and the actors are applauded, Gomez won’t take the stage to receive her due recognition. She finds a quiet contentment however, knowing that she’s contributed to an artistic expression that she loves.