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Jerry Shafnisky
Jerry grew up in Allentown, Pa., and maintains ties to the area, where his family still lives. He worked for several Broadway and Off-Broadway production companies before coming to Juilliard in 2002.
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| Jerry Shafnisky in Martha’s Vineyard, summer 2004. (Photo by Alyssa Ward) |
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What job at Juilliard would you like to try out for a day and why? I don't think I'd like to "try it out," but I would certainly like to shadow Jon Rosenhein. It would be fascinating, if humbling, to experience a day in the life of the vice president for finance and administration and see what it takes to keep Juilliard up and running—in addition to all of the offices' requests and wish-lists.What is the strangest or most memorable job you've ever had and what made it so?Perhaps not the strangest, but certainly the most memorable, was when I was living in Harrisburg, Pa., before I turned 21. I worked full-time at the front desk of a hotel in the evenings, full-time at a convenience store in the mornings—and on my mornings and afternoons off, I worked at a Blockbuster Video. I didn't know many people when I lived there, so I decided to bury myself in work for about six months.If out of the blue your boss said to take the day off, what would you do with your free time?I'd make a few phone calls to find another friend who had the same luck, and then bum around a museum or two before going to see a show. I am embarrassed to say that I've only been to a few museums since I've moved here six years ago. I'm sure there would have to be some people-watching in there somewhere, and probably a few drinks.Many Juilliard staff members are also performers or artists; are you?My art is office management. That may sound a bit … odd. I love what I do, and I approach my job with the same passion. When I was younger, I performed in high school and community theater plays, but I have no interest in doing it professionally. I don't think I could handle the rejection. But I am very lucky to be doing what I enjoy, around what I enjoy—the combination makes for a great formula.What kind of performances do you prefer to attend and why?I enjoy musical theater, but straight plays run a close second. It doesn't have to be Broadway, though. When I was in Pennsylvania, I really enjoyed going to see a lot of college and high school productions. I almost appreciate that type of "survivor" theater even more than big-budget extravaganzas. You have to be much more creative and experimental.What is your favorite thing about New York City?I love everything about New York City. I love that, no matter what your interests are, there is a thriving community here for you. I enjoy that this is a city where people walk and you constantly have interaction, for better or worse. Seeing people I know when I'm out running errands makes me fall a little deeper in love with this city.What was the best vacation you've had and what made that trip so special? I was in London this past summer, and it really made me restructure my "vacation frame of mind." If you've been away and tell people you went to the beach or went camping, they say, "Oh, how nice." But if you tell them you've visited a major city, they say, "What did you do?" I really felt that if I didn't see every sight, I was wasting my vacation! Part of what I like about New York is being submerged in so much activity. In London, I saw a lot of shows, went to many museums, but also just walked a lot, ate some great dinners, and just enjoyed the city. I'm not much of a country person; I prefer visiting cities and observing a different kind of nature.What book are you reading right now? Alice Walker's The Temple of My Familiar. The Color Purple is one of my favorite books, and I thought that was primarily because of the way it was written, as letters to and from each sister. But, in reading her other book, I'm finding that it was more her imagery and character depth.What might people be surprised to know about you?People may not know that I'm named after my mother, Geraldine. And I'm a huge fan of writing letters. I do most of my communication through e-mail, but I still send hand-written notes to my friends and family. Every time I'm out of town, for work or vacation, I send about 32 postcards. I think there is so much personality that comes across in someone's handwriting. I love getting letters and postcards from other people.
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