A former Off-Broadway house manager and Grand Rapids native steps into the role of Experience Manager at Circle Theatre this week.
John Vesbit, a 2011 graduate of Siena Heights University who received his masters degree in theatre from Eastern Michigan University in 2013, has specialized in audience services and guest experiences as far away as Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in New York to the Grand Rapids Public Museum right here in our city.
We're thrilled to introduce you to John, who in addition to his work at Circle, teaches the Grand Rapids Community College Early Middle College Program at Ottawa Hills High School, as well as directs and guest teaches at Godwin Heights Public Schools and Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
Our Director of Creative and Audience Development, Noddea Skidmore, was excited to ask John a few questions so his new Circle Theatre family could get to know him better.
NODDEA: How did you come to learn about Circle Theatre?
JOHN: As a born-and-raised Grand Rapidian, I have been aware of Circle for as long as I can remember! My aunt and uncle have been season subscribers for decades, and my first memories go back to shows at John Ball Zoo.
NODDEA: You have kind of a cool history with Circle, and the Performing Arts Center, right?
JOHN: Last year I auditioned for the first time at Circle, but some of my first experiences as an actor occurred on stage at the Performing Arts Center. The shows I appeared in as a Catholic Central student were some of the very first shows ever produced at the PAC.
NODDEA: What made you want to work at Circle?
JOHN: I was attracted to the position based on my past experiences in Box Office, Volunteer, and House Management, but what truly sold me was my first interview with you and Lynne. You bring so much energy and passion to Circle. After we hit-it-off it became a total no-brainer for me at that point that I wanted to become a part of the Circle family!
NODDEA: There was an awesome connection right away - like the kind of 'well, if we don't become co-workers, I'm sure we'll end up friends' kind of feel! I think everyone here is excited to get to work with you. What do you love the most about the Grand Rapids Theatre Community?
JOHN: Having quite a bit of experience in the GR theatre community, my favorite part is the diversity of content in the number of plays and musicals being produced. The theatre community in Grand Rapids is a unique gift. There's just about something for every person's taste and interest. I also greatly appreciate Grand Rapids theatre's focus on education in theatre arts. Whether it be Circle's audition workshops, or Civic's School of Theatre Arts. There is a devotion to educating, not only a new generation of artists, but a new generation of audience members, as well.
NODDEA: YES! That's so true, we're really lucky in that way. And What are you most excited to do once you get started?
JOHN: I am looking forward to meeting all of the ushers and volunteers! They are an essential element to any non-profit organization, and I cannot wait to get to know them.
NODDEA: So this is a good time to remind everyone who is an Inner Circle Member to come to our orientation this spring to meet you before the season starts! What show are you most looking forward to this season?
JOHN: Superior Donuts. Tracy Letts is one of my favorite playwrights. His play, Bug, was my senior thesis directing project for my B.A. at Siena Heights University.
NODDEA: Yes! I love Superior Donuts too, and I think it'll be something really new and fresh for our patrons. What do you want Circle patrons to know about you?
JOHN: As a Grand Rapids/Midwestern boy, I place a high value on empathy and treating customers as individual people. I have followed this through in my career, and will strive to ensure all Circle patrons have a genuinely positive experience from the moment they purchase a ticket to the moment when they leave the theater after a show.
NODDEA: Thank you! You and I have talked about how much we love watching the ticketing agents and front of house staff at Broadway theatres... just watching and seeing what sort of things we can bring from that experience into our jobs here. Let's talk about non-work "you" for a second. What's your favorite lunch or dinner spot in the city?
JOHN: There are so many! Uncle Cheetah's Soup Shop across from Wealthy Theatre is hands-down the best lunch stop in GR. They have new soup creations every week, and their grilled-cheese sandwiches are to-die-for. My wife and I love West Michigan dining, but our "anniversary" go-to is Osteria Rossa downtown; great service, and wonderful local farm-to-table dishes.
NODDEA: I love Uncle Cheetah's! That's one of my go-to lunch spots with Kyle Los, who is the Executive Director of Actors' Theatre - it's good to catch up with our fellow arts admins, whether it's to talk about work or just talk about theatre we're interested in or what we've seen or want to see. What's been your most memorable theatre-going experience?
JOHN: Muskegon Civic recently staged a production of The Old Settler by John Henry Redwood. The play structure is conventional, but the story was new to me. What made it special was the cast and the intimate setting; the director made the choice to put the audience on the stage, bringing us closer to the action, giving us a genuine feeling of immediacy. The cast had so much heart.
NODDEA: There's something fascinating about on-stage seating in a show. We've had the opportunity to do that with a few productions here at Circle, but I also got to see the Ivo Van Hove directed production of Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge on Broadway and my husband Calin and I had on-stage seats - the experience was riveting.
JOHN: I was so gripped by the lives of their characters that at times I forgot I was at a play!
NODDEA: You're obviously a really spirited and passionate person. Tell us more about your life.
JOHN: My wife, who is also a theatre artist, studied at the Actor's Studio in New York City where we lived for several years before moving back to Grand Rapids in 2017. When I'm not attending, teaching, performing, or directing theatre around town, I am an avid hiker and cross-country skier. During the summer, my wife and I try to make it out to Lake Michigan about once a week. I am also an unapologetic film-geek, and voracious reader.
NODDEA: Well we're so excited that you're a part of our Circle family, and we can't wait for everyone to meet you.
John Vesbit assumes the duties currently carried out by Circle's Box Office Manager since 2015, Michelle Matson. Circle is grateful to Michelle for her four years of service to our volunteers, patrons, and community, and we're feeling both bittersweet and excited for what the future holds for her.
Stop by the Box Office in the upcoming weeks to purchase your Season Flex Passes (or to purchase individual tickets starting March 25) and say hello to John when you're there! If you'd like to purchase your Flex Pass today, visit circletheatre.org.