Circus Sets Sail: Cruise Entertainment with Stephanie Jansen

Circus News

Circus Sets Sail: Q&A with Stephanie Jansen About Working in Cruise Entertainment

Step right up to the CircusTalk PRO Member Spotlight! In this series, we get to know some of our amazing PRO members and highlight their work. They’ll share with us their stories, offering insights from their career and areas of expertise. Stephanie Jansen‘s career in entertainment has taken her everywhere from land to sea, from onstage to backstage. As Senior Manager of Theatrical Productions for Celebrity Cruises, Stephanie helms the process of developing unique, exclusive shows for Celebrity guests. She plays a pivotal role in casting talents. I asked Stephanie about her career and the work and behind-the-scenes life of maritime theater.
Dancer in steampunk attire in Celebrity Circus show
“Topper”

How does the show development process differ between shows at sea and land-basedshows?

Celebrity Cruise entertainment is included in guest fares; there are no extra fees to attend our shows. We focus on developing diverse entertainment, offering a little something for everyone. On the same night, there might be a high-tech, Cirque-style production happening in our main theatre; a rock concert in the club; and a DJ party on the resort deck, featuring pop-up performances by specialty artists; along with a chillout ultra-lounge type of experience in another venue.

For our show development process, we work with industry-leading creators to build unique, exclusive entertainment offerings. We’ll get production partners and creative directors with past successes on Broadway, the West End, Las Vegas, Cirque du Soleil, and celebrity concert tours. Some of them have never worked with a cruise line before, so they can offer fresh approaches and perspectives. Together, we build every element of the show, from concept to music selection, costume design, and video content. We hold auditions all over the world to find talents. Then we get the show’s production on its feet and workshop it, reviewing it for any necessary changes and fixes. Inaugural cast rehearsals happen at our state-of-the-art studios in North Miami, just before we finally install the shows onboard with all technical production aspects integrated.

How does this process make the casting process for cruise ships unique?

The talents we cast need to match the variety of our entertainment. Rather than just perform one act, our talents are integrated into different onboard shows and experiences. Therefore, we follow a contemporary approach to casting circus acts. We look for multidisciplinary artists, such as a hand balancer who also does aerial and moves well.

How and from where (geographically) do you recruit candidates? 

We use various strategies for recruitment, from holding in-person auditions in cities like Berlin, Orlando, Melbourne, Paris, and Kiev; to recruiting at circus festivals and schools; to using online tools like CircusTalk and social media.

What qualities do you look for in performers when you make casting decisions?

Aside from summer gigs, there aren’t many job opportunities for performers that require them to learn many shows and experiences within a condensed time frame. Celebrity seeks highly-trained professionals who are multi-disciplined, adaptable, and able to learn new material quickly. They must be able to speak and communicate in English.

In addition to the incredible talent and skill set needed for each position, diversity is another casting requirement: it makes a group unique and creates stronger performances. We look for artists of different nationalities, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

As well, we want artists who are just great to work with. They invest themselves in the production process, working with us creatively in daily rehearsals and in developing new shows. Skills like teamwork, listening, problem-solving, and time management are key to successful collaborations.

Who makes up the production staff on a typical Celebrity Cruise?

It’s similar to a theatre or resort on-land, like in Vegas or on Broadway. Celebrity production staff includes the Technical Director, Stage and Production Manager, Sound and Light Operator, and AV staff. The onboard cast has dancers, acrobats, and vocalists. Additionally, we have live musicians, DJs, and activity and youth staff.

Describe your own career path from an on-stage performer to Senior Manager of Theatrical Productions.

I’m originally from Germany; I graduated from the University of Cologne with my degree in Education, Physical Education, and Sports Science, emphasizing dance. Throughout my performing years, I was a featured dancer and aerialist for various shows, resorts, and cruise lines. During that time, I took on management roles as a dance captain, stager, and company manager. Later on, I joined Royal Caribbean Productions as Rehearsal Director.

Then in 2014, I transitioned to Celebrity Cruises as Dance Casting Specialist. That job meant seeking and hiring high-level dancers and acrobats. I spent the first few years building out a network of circus schools, festivals, and agents from around the world. My goal was— or is— to find the best talent not only at sea, but anywhere.

I thoroughly enjoyed casting but, throughout the years, I took on more production roles and eventually moved to management. I still oversee casting in my current job, in addition to managing the development and rehearsal process, and studio operations.

How has this journey influenced your work today?

Working in varied areas of show creation and production has helped me view casting more holistically. All areas of entertainment are interwoven; they depend on one another. Casting determines a show’s creation, development, and operations– and those three things determine who you cast. I understand challenges in all these areas and find creative ways of navigating them. I love to give my performers and team growth opportunities like those I’ve received in my career. We should all know— and get to know— each other’s areas of work to better understand our own.

How has your work— and, more broadly, the cruise entertainment industry— been impacted or influenced by the pandemic?

The pandemic has greatly impacted the entertainment industry— and, of course, the cruise industry. It was awful to see so many theatres go dark. Celebrity productions were on standstill for months as we worked closely with medical professionals, finding safe ways to restart our operations. I’d never had to work with doctors before in entertainment, so that was a first. Still, it was interesting to learn new ways of navigating challenges. Throughout this time, we also spoke with other creatives and prepared show ideas for our newest ships. The pandemic has forced us all to think differently. We’ve gotten better at thinking “out-of-the-box.”

On a wider note, it was impressive to see the industry pivot to take advantage of online tools. We’ve held virtual auditions, conducted online Masterclasses. Performers otherwise unable to attend an audition or festival could access it digitally and present their talents to our casting teams.

What projects are you currently working on as we continue to navigate a global pandemic?

Our VP, Lisa Lehr, challenges us to never look back— and, instead, to keep driving forward and create never-before-seen experiences. We’re deeply focused on show creation and development. And at our Florida studio, we currently have two inaugural casts working on new productions. I look forward to sharing more details about these projects in the future; we’re very excited to unveil them.

Tree of Life, Celebrity Cruise circus show
“Tree of Life”
Carolyn Klein
Content Writer -United States
Carolyn Klein is a writer, poet, and circus fan from the Washington, D.C, area. Writing stories about the circus has been a dream of hers since getting introduced to circus fiction around 2014. She recently completed her B.A. in English and Creative Writing, magna cum laude, at George Mason University. As a new member of the Circus Talk journalism team, Carolyn looks forward to learning as much as she can about the industry and people behind circus.
...
Thanks for reading CircusTalk.News.
Support us by registering and subscribing!
FOR UNLIMITED ACCESS TO ALL NEWS CONTENT + JOB LISTING.

Learn more about PRO and PRO Casting

Do you have a story to share? Submit your news story, article or press release.

Carolyn Klein

Carolyn Klein is a writer, poet, and circus fan from the Washington, D.C, area. Writing stories about the circus has been a dream of hers since getting introduced to circus fiction around 2014. She recently completed her B.A. in English and Creative Writing, magna cum laude, at George Mason University. As a new member of the Circus Talk journalism team, Carolyn looks forward to learning as much as she can about the industry and people behind circus.