Silhouette

Issue date: 9/18/03 Section: Lifestyles

Media Credit: Christine Siebert Skip Mancini watches a rehearsal for

Frustrated actors, deadlines, opening night jitters and the other obstacles and challenges that come with directing a musical or play may seem like a lot for one person to deal with, but this is exactly what Doral "Skip" Mancini thrives on.

Mancini, director of drama at GCCC, is currently working on an off-Broadway production of "The Fantasticks."

Between her position at GCCC and another job at High Plains Public Radio, Mancini puts in what she describes as a "ridiculous amount" of hours each week.

"There are days when I get discouraged," Mancini said, "but as long as the people around me are positive, I'm like the Energizer bunny. I just go and go and go."

According to Stephanie Bushell, light board operator for "The Fantasticks," Mancini's other commitments do not get in the way of her job as a mentor.

Sarah Foster, "Luisa" in "The Fantasticks," describes Mancini as hands-on.

"She doesn't just tell you what to do so you're wondering exactly what she needs," Foster said. "She gets up there and shows you with facial expressions and everything."

When creating a quality production, Mancini's focus is more on teaching people to believe in themselves and less on entertainment and making it big.

"If we do our jobs right, it ultimately has to do with self-esteem," Mancini said. "I'm in the business of building strong egos, but I'm not in the business of building stars."

Long work hours may cut into her free time, but productions do not cut into time with one positive influence in her life. Show time for Mancini means more time with her husband, Vincent Mancini, who is in charge of set construction for "The Fantasticks."

"We actually spend more time together when we are working on a show," Mancini said. "I think it is rewarding to work together and create something."

Although this is Mancini's first year back at GCCC full time since 1994, she is no rookie. Mancini entered the University of Oklahoma as a pre-med major, but with classes like quantitative analysis chemistry, she was forced to decide between medicine and theatre.

Mancini earned her bachelor's degree in fine arts from OU in 1964. She graduated from San Francisco State with her master's and remained to work with theatre, dance, stage-managing, directing and some performance. Mancini also worked with the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis and in San Francisco with the American Conservatory Theatre and a performing arts workshop.

Mancini said she believes you don't have to be in a big city or have money to do something worthwhile.

"It's not where you're at," Mancini said. "It's what you do where you're at."

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