We sat down with Marie McCarthy, the Artistic Director here at Omnibus Theatre. From her typical day to her favourite Omnibus memories, check out what Marie has to say below!
OMNIBUS THEATRE: What does an Artistic Director do?
MARIE MCCARTHY: An Artistic Director’s job varies enormously depending on the specific organisation. I’m responsible for artistic programming, developing the vision and identity of the theatre, directing plays, and helping with fundraising. We don’t receive any core funding, which is a challenging situation, so box office sales, donations and hires keep us moving forward. Beyond that, I am responsible for the overall wellbeing of the staff and making sure that the different departments are working well together. Our audiences are really important to me so I like to be around as much as possible, and develop a programme that they would want to see. I also try and see as many shows as possible to keep up to date and I am always talking to writers and theatre makers who are interested in bringing their work to Omnibus Theatre.
OT: Can you talk us through your typical day?
MM: My typical day starts at 7am with a communication from China where we currently have a child-centered learning project. By 9am I’m sitting on the tube reading my notes, checking social media, and reading reviews. When I arrive at Omnibus Theatre, I catch up with our practitioner in China on the phone, then after a quick cup of coffee I’ll check my emails and, depending on the day, attend a variety of department meetings. After that, it really depends on what the day brings me. I may meet with potential donors and supporters, give people tours of the building, attend various industry meetings, read scripts, and proposals from theatre companies who want to have their work on our programme. At the end of the day I’ll feed our cats, Tybalt and Molly, and maybe catch a show. No two days are the same.
OT: Did you always want to be in theatre?
MM: Up until the age of twelve, I wanted to be a vet, a nun and a pilot – in that order but when I went to my secondary school – I played Ernest in the Importance of Being Ernest – it was an all-girls school and from there, I found theatre – and luckily have been doing it ever since.
OT: What is your favourite memory of working at Omnibus Theatre so far?
MM: When I was sitting next to a child in one of our family theatre shows. She had always thought that writers were dead so could not believe that the actual writer of the show she was watching was sitting in the audience. She was so excited, it was just amazing to see her discover that in that moment.
OT: If you were not an Artistic Director, what would you be?
MM: A sculptor.
