Vanessa Choi

About the Job

Vanessa works behind the curtain of some of the biggest theatrical productions in New York. As a stage manager, she is responsible for coordinating rehearsals, calling cues, managing actors, and ensuring every performance runs smoothly. In theater culture, the stage manager is often called “the heartbeat of the production.” While the audience applauds actors and directors, people like Vanessa carry the enormous responsibility of keeping the entire machine functioning. Several years ago, Vanessa worked on a major Broadway musical starring a rising actor whose performance was essential to the show’s success. 
The actor was brilliant. But he was struggling with a serious drug addiction. 
Vanessa noticed the warning signs early but Instead of reporting the issue immediately, Vanessa tried to manage the situation quietly. 
She covered for him. She convinced herself she was protecting everyone. 
But the situation worsened and Eventually the actor overdosed and required hospitalization. The incident was never publicly connected to Vanessa’s decisions. But privately, she knows she enabled the problem for too long.