In our “Meet the Magic” series, we give you a glimpse behind the curtain and introduce you to the people who make the Magic happen.
Julian Leiserson has been one of our stellar house managers since 2008. She’s an opera veteran, a pro barista, and she specializes in giving our lounge patrons just the right “mood enhancers.” Wait…what? Read more to find out what she means!
How long have you been at the Magic?
Since Evie’s Waltz, November 2008. It was odd–the whole economy tanked overnight, yet I found a GREAT job in no time!
How did you get your job here?
Craigslist post like so many work-seeking San Franciscans; the other half is the then-Patron Services Coordinator was my best friend from college, and here I was coming down from 4 years as a stage manager + 2 years production manager (yes, concurrently) with a local opera company.
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Working to be invisible.
What do you do? Describe a typical day.
I wake up, eat bacon, walk in the park… Somewhere along the way I land at the Magic wherein I either work to be invisible (if you have to find the house manager, they haven’t done their job) or make coffee, serve cookies, listen to theatre-goers talk about their day, and share behind-the-scenes trade “secrets” about why we are currently selling Twinkies. [Note: I bet we'd sell the other half of the Luis Alfaro one-man show (the handle of tequila) faster than we sell the Twinkies.]
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Being near theatre! I left my opera company for many reasons, but I love theatre and creativity beyond reason! I hope to return to stage managing but in the meantime I still get my backstage/behind-the-scenes fix!
Can you give us any trade secrets or Front of House Trivia?
Rumor has it I make the best/strongest Peet’s coffee. 
We do not serve hot chocolate, but any rainy day will have at least 3 requests for it. Patrons may not notice, but great pains are taken to thematically honor the show both in and out of the theatre itself: the art, the walls, even the music playing in the lounge before the show are tailored for each performance. “Mood enhancers” if you will.
Give us your funniest/best patron story. Who are the most interesting people you’ve met here?
Many memorable patron stories are often the unpleasant ones, but not always: One of my favorite moments was having my old supervisor from the bank show up one evening as an usher, reversing our authority roles. The most interesting people are the actors and techs, in my humble opinion. (I’m biased, obviously.) They have stories to melt your face with joy! Plus they love my coffee.
Favorite Magic show?
Tie between Evie’s Waltz and American Hwangap–how to choose between a powerful social commentary pertinent to young life in the US (there have been three shootings at my old high school in 10 years) or a personally moving story?
Oh hell, and Mauritus! What a fantastic show filled with amazing people and stellar dialogue!! I guess that’s the sign of a truly great company: so many good shows I can’t decide!
What advice do you have for people trying to get a job in theatre?
Just go and do it! Like all jobs, you have to start at the bottom, learn and observe, and work your way up. All theatres need ushers and volunteers. Oh, and networking! You can’t go wrong with too many theatre connections.
If you weren’t working at the theatre, what would you be doing?
But I AM working at the theatre! That’s a silly question! In fact, I am taking a hiatus from Responsible Adult Life by leaving for Europe for 7 weeks to visit 20 cities across 12 countries. Life Knowledge is worth more than any wages could earn you…except to buy your ticket to other places.
Since I left the opera and began working at the Magic, my day jobs have been a retail salesperson for a craft/scrapbooking store, an independent computer contractor for tax season, and a customer service representative for the homeowners association remittance department of a bank sending people to collections while repossessing their homes from a computer. I currently have no day job (until I return from Europe, that is). Welcome to the world of theatre!! In the words of my Facebook group: “I majored in something I enjoy and now I live in a cardboard box.”
Any funny stories about your boss, Patron Services Manager Baruch Porras-Hernandez?
Baruch is a saint! The full stacks of cups in inventory are like pillars of worship for this man in our temple of coffee and cream! He sits to count our till with us after each show because he knows we can’t do basic math some days, and yet he still loves us anyway! <3