Director's Chair: Tim St. Clair II

Tim St. Clair II: Director, Musical Director and Performer. He does it all and is the leader behind Greenville Little Theatre’s production, I Feel The Earth Move: A Rock and Roll Journey Through the 1970s. We sat down and interviewed St. Clair to get his insight in to the craziness of juggling directing, music, and performing all at once.

1. Which do you enjoy working on more, revues/concerts or full fledged musicals? Pros and cons to either? I think I enjoy both equally though the work is quite different for each. I really enjoy working on revues and concerts, though from a music standpoint there is a lot more work involved to pick out songs, create arrangements and teach both the band and the performers. There is also something unique when performing a revue with an audience that already loves and knows the music. With a musical sometimes there is more of an unknown about how the audience will receive the show, while with a review you are pretty much guaranteed there will be a big response and fun audience moments. 2. How do you approach a show of this nature? I spend some time making sure I set aside any stresses from my own personal life or day and then focus on getting the cast and band laughing, loose and in good spirits so we can all really bring the party to the stage that the show needs. 3. What is your favorite song/artist from the 70s? I have multiple favorites. The 70’s is such a rich decade of music. I love me some Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac… you name it! There’s not a moment in this show that I don’t LOVE! 4. Any funny or memorable stories from the I Feel The Earth Move process? The cast and band keep me constantly laughing and enjoying every moment. From Doug’s stories in the green room, to Rick’s antics on stage everyone has a great sense of humor. Not to mention all the fun we have with watching the audience’s responses to the show. But, I have to say we spend a lot of time laughing with each other during the 12 minute Disco Medley at the end of the show. 5. You have worked with the same people for various productions, what does that add or influence in your work/experience? I have had the privilege to work with almost all of the band and cast multiple times in the past and on similar concert shows. The familiarity of doing a revue show with them really helps us dial in the numbers and performances quickly due to the short rehearsal process. We also have great chemistry as a group and everyone stays very positive and upbeat during the process. The hard work gets put in and it really pays off! 6. What is it like to direct and musically direct a show in addition to performing in it? Haha! I can say it’s definitely a challenge because I am not always able to step outside of the stage area to just watch what is happening. But on the other hand I LOVE performing and directing at the same time because it gives me a closer connection to the cast and band where we are all creating these moments together. I am also a very physically active director by nature so I love being up and moving while putting a show together. So performing alongside while directing feels right to me. 7. What is your favorite show you ever have been in? That has to be “Smokey Joe’s Cafe”. It was a stellar cast and band and we all still talk about it all the time. That’s one show we didn’t want to close.