Member Spotlight: Robert

[Deb]

Member Spotlight: Robert

What drew you to the Cowboys originally? Do you remember?

Well, I was born in Dallas, so I never really had a chance not to be a Cowboys fan. I grew up watching Danny White and Tony Dorsett and Too Tall Jones. What is kinda funny to me is that I didn't actually go to a Cowboys game until after we moved away from Dallas. My first game at Cowboy Stadium was Christmas Eve 1989 against the Green Bay Packers. Of course, that was the year that Dallas won only one game (and it wasn't the one that I went to), but it was such a great experience for me since I got to go with my dad.


And going to ask you the same question of the Mets?

I'm not really a Mets fan, they were just the only team that I paid any attention to for a while. My roommate in college was from Queens and I wasn't really a baseball fan before then, so it just kinda worked out that way. However, my wife is a massive Nationals fan... so I'm kinda coming around. It's also quite a bit easier to watch Nats games here in Virginia than the occasional Mets game, so... yeah. To be honest, I'm still not a huge baseball fan, but it is more exciting having a local(ish) team to root for.


Will the Cowboys ever win another SB in Jerry's lifetime?

I hope that they will, but I'm not so sure. Kinda sad, really. Dallas won 5 of the first 30, but have been pretty much a non-factor for almost 20 years now. I used to get really upset when I talked about Jerry Jones, but I've become real apathetic lately.


Any ideas on who the cowboys should draft?

Many, many ideas. There are very few positions on the team that don't need some new talent. Outside of drafting a punter or a kicker in the first round, nothing would surprise me.


Like Shiphockey, you also have an interesting job.

What is your normal workday like and what drew you to that?

Well, a lot like my Cowboys fandom, I was pretty much born into my job. For those who don't know, I'm the Production Manager at a performing arts venue. This means that I'm in charge of pretty much everything that happens on and around the stage, from making sure our artists have the drinks that they want in their dressing room to ordering and installing replacement parts for our lighting fixtures. And the beautiful part about it is that there is no such thing as a normal day. But, to give you a sneak peak at what it could be like, here's what my schedule is looking like for a show we have in a week and a half...

7:00am - show up at work and start a pot of coffee
7:15am - check with my production assistant to see if she needs anything from me before she sets up breakfast for the crew
7:30am - get schedules and pertinent show info printed out for my stagehands
7:45am - stagehands show up
8:00am - get the in house equipment (risers and monitors) up on stage
8:30am - load in rental sound consoles
9:00am - artist's bus and truck arrives
9:30am - start flying the artist's lighting rig
10:30am - set up risers and monitors
11:30am - focus lights
12:00pm - lunch break for sound guys while lighting guys keep working
1:00pm - lunch break for lighting guys while sound gets mic lines run
2:00pm - line check (testing all mic lines and monitors)
3:00pm - musicians rehearse in another room, also cut down to the show crew
4:00pm - sound check
4:30pm - meet the caterer out back with my production assistant
5:00pm - dinner break
6:30pm - show crew on stage
7:00pm - doors to the lobby open
7:30pm - doors to the theater open
8:00pm - show starts (this is also the first time that I will get an actual break)
9:30pm - encore
9:45pm - show over, start loading out the equipment
12:00am - close up artist's truck and set up for the next day's morning event
12:30am - cut the crew, make sure all the dressing rooms are clean
1:00am - go home and sleep for a few hours before coming back at 7:30am

The thing that is missing from this list is all the times that I will get a phone call or an email from a tour manager to talk about another upcoming event or meet with my boss to answer questions about budgets for past events or talk with our booking person about developing a budget for future events. My iPhone really is my best friend sometimes.


Do you remember the first time you were ever in front of an audience?

Absolutely. I was 7 years old and I was Tiny Tim in a production of A Christmas Carol. I was instantly hooked.

You married your sweetheart last fall, what has been the best part of married life for you so far?

The best part? Wow. That's hard to nail down. I truly married my best friend and I can't imagine being with any other person. We have a very uncomplicated relationship, which is amazing. If I had to give an example... I'd say that my favorite nights are when we get off work, go home, cook some dinner and sit on the couch together watching tv or a movie.

Do you collect anything?

Umm... I have over 250 movies. Does that count?

You are close to your family, what is one thing you take away from that, that you will never forget?

That's a hard question to answer. Growing up, family was one of the most important things of my life. And I think that I didn't realize how amazing my family really was, particularly my parents. I didn't realize that what we had was rare until I got older and moved out into the world. So, I guess if I had to say anything, I'd tell you that I've learned how to be a father to my future kids and how to be a husband to my wife. I absolutely believe, with every fiber of my being, that raising kids is going to be the most important thing that I will ever do. And because of my relationship with my parents, I don't feel overwhelmed... yet...

Do you like to go grocery shopping?

Ha! Yes. Yes I do. Probably a little too much.


Do you like to cook?

I do, but I'm not sure that I am very good at it. I do love trying new things, though.

One thing that really gets on your last nerve:

Passive aggressiveness. If you want something, just frickin' say it.


Favorite Movie: Glory
Favorite Song: Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" (also my favorite album)
Favorite Color: don't really have one, but I'll say blue
Favorite Food: baked chicken and rice

[G-men]

Never knew about your job. That's pretty cool. You ever get to work with anybody "famous"?

[Reaper]

Wow and here I was bitching about my working hours of 6am to 6pm most days. Very interesting and good luck.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by G-men

Never knew about your job. That's pretty cool. You ever get to work with anybody "famous"?

Yep. I had the honor to work with George Carlin just a couple months before he passed away. And really, because we do all kinds of events I've worked with people of all different backgrounds, from Bill Cosby to Yo Yo Ma to Ryan Adams to Blake Shelton to Hillary Clinton to the Dalai Lama. I complain about my job sometimes, but it really is pretty cool.

[Deb]

I wanted to ask you how yo got so into soccer and then I forgot.

[Shiphockey7]

nice interview, pretty sweet job there

[Reg]

Cool! A fascinating look at a fascinating person.

Great stuff, Robert & Deb.

[bbyao06]

Great interview! Didn't know you were a production manager, sounds like a really awesome job.