Last Page: Stuart Soloway, 61
Reflecting on a 20-plus year career as SUNY Brockport’s fine arts series manager
By Todd Etshman
Q: What aspects of your work as fine arts series manager did you enjoy most?
A: I enjoyed seeing audiences enjoy themselves. Hearing patrons chatting about a show on their way out of the theater is a very satisfying feeling, akin to feeding someone a delicious home-cooked meal. It also meant a great deal to me when I would stop and realize that for some of our patrons — mostly our students, in this case — we may have been the first live concert or theatrical performance they experienced. Finally, it was always my goal to introduce our students to the Great American Songbook in one way or another. I am not sure I completely succeeded on that front, but it sure was fun to try.
Q: What aspects did you find most challenging?
A: Challenges became part of the landscape. Be it dealing with budget constraints, pesky ticket printers or event scheduling is just part of the job. The most difficult challenge, I suppose — especially post-pandemic — was trying to both retain and rebuild our audience base.
Q: How did you get into this special area of work?
A: Prior to my arrival in Western New York, I was born, raised and worked in New York City. For many years, I worked for a company that booked national tours of Broadway shows. The RBTL [Rochester Broadway Theatre League] was a client. After I left that job, I worked for a Broadway marketing company for several years. When I began at SUNY Brockport, I very quickly learned that my job utilized pretty much every aspect of every other job I had ever had. Which is a pretty good feeling.
Q: What is it like being around performers and performances?
A: It can be exciting. It can be challenging, but not in a bad way. It can be frustrating, at times. But overall, it can be satisfying. It can be very satisfying to make an audience laugh or cry or think or simply feel.
Q: What performances stand out for you after 20.5 years at Brockport?
A: Well, there’s always your first, of course. And, as I recall, I think the first show that was presented upon my arrival at SUNY Brockport was The Laramie Project, which was (and still is) an important piece of theater, depicting a most unfortunate incident and was a turning point for LGBTQ+ rights and hate crime legislation. When I saw that this play was on the series — and that the department of theater was so forward-thinking — I felt that I was in the right place. Also, after presenting the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for so many years, this past year I had the honor of presenting our musical neighbors to the west, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, for their first appearance in Brockport in more than half a century. The Sankofa African Dance and Drum Ensemble concerts were always exhilarating… two hours (or sometimes more) of rhythm and movement and energy and… life!
Q: What would you like to see in the future of the series?
A: There are things that I have control over and there are things that I don’t. I can make suggestions to the theater department as to what titles to include on their season, but the faculty makes the final decision. For many years, they have chosen to perform a musical only every other year. I have been pushing for them to consider doing at least one musical at least every year. Musicals tend to bring in audiences. I am happy to say that this will now be their standard operating procedure. I would like our audiences to experience more professional musicians. I would like to see a more diversified dance program, that might include more classical choreography.
Q: What cultural events might we see you at here in Rochester in the future?
A: Now that I will have more time on my hands to attend performances, you may see me at Geva or RBTL or the RPO. I should have more time to attend free concerts at Hochstein or at Eastman. And I look forward to having more time to devote to Pittsford Musicals, for which I had previously served on the board of directors, including a term as president. Community theater is a great way to see wonderful shows with some terrific local talent.