Bemnet Zane
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About Me
Hi There! My name is Zane Tesfazghi and I’m a Stage Manager currently based in Orlando, Florida.
I have been working professionally in theatre over the last four years racking up experience in Commercial and Regional settings, Cirque, Dance, Shakespeare, YA theatre, New Works, Unscripted, Cruises, and more.
In my approach to stage management, I value being a true collaborator that can integrate into the ensemble of what’s being created. I am always able to balance the human aspect of this job / industry along the paperwork. Keeping everyone informed and in-sync while ensuring the process runs efficiently allows me to do this. Other attributes I’ve been recognized for include:
Understanding the artistic goals & choices and making decisions with that in mind
Tackling new challenges that may arise during the process
Advocating for everyone in the room while harboring a safe space for all to be heard
Guiding sensitive, cultural conversations with extreme care
Having an infectious energy and being a team player who leads by example
To me the role of a stage manager feels like being the center spoke or hub of a wheel with most things eventually passing through my hands. For me, it’s not enough just keeping the wheels turning, but helping to find the best path forward that supports the team and creative vision.
Effective Communication
There is no one way to stage manage; each individual has a unique and ever-evolving approach to effectively communicate.
To communicate effectively, I make sure I understand a show not just for its pieces but for what is trying to artistically accomplish. My goal is to build trust with the creative team, artists, and technicians in order to create an environment where all can communicate openly. I try to meet people where they are in order to accomplish what’s needed for the success of the overall show.
Check Out My Resume.
Career Highlights
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Duel Reality
REH PSM | SEPT/ OCT 23
I had the pleasure of serving the as the Rehearsal PSM for the Scarlet 8 and Valiant 6 casts.
This show, created by 7fingers for Virgin Voyages, is a retelling of Romeo & Juliet thru circus and has been one of my favorites I’ve worked on with Virgin.
It was such a delight to bring my Shakespeare background to this medium of storytelling, cirque.
The Valiant remount also marked the first time I got to travel to the ship to assist in the shows install.
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Happenings (Diva/Hostess)
REH PSM | JUL 23
This marked my first show at Virgin Voyages. The Happenings cast takes over the role of your traditional cruise director and reinvents it to something uniquely Virgin.
The Happenings cast hosts an upwards of 60 different events onboard from trivia, bingo, parties, competitions, classes, and shows.
On this contract I had a focus on the DIVA (resident onboard drag queen) and the HOSTESS (a storytelling songstress with a presence like no one else).
This remarkable cast has a lot of content to learn in a very short window.
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Kinky Boots
NON -UNION ASM | MAR/APR 23
This process was an adventure like nothing else! We put a “20-pound show in a 10-pound space” and to add more fuel to the fire, it was on a thrust stage.
Working on the show taught me the importance of patience and having a love for your craft. It sometimes felt like negotiating a UN treaty.
I met so many fabulous people on this one and the product of everyone’s dedication blew the audience away each and every night.
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A Big Day For Baseball: A Magic Tree House Adventure
STAGE MANAGER | FEB/MAR 23
I had the pleasure of Stage Managing this production and world premier of this show. Based off the book of the same title by Mary Pope Osborne.
In a effort to make this show and it’s story about Jackie Robinson more accessible, we had multiple performances that were live-streamed using a three camera shoot as well as utilizing grant funds to bus students from Title 1 schools around the Central Florida area to see the performance.
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A Christmas Carol
PRODUCTION ASST | DEC 21
This show marked my first AEA show I’ve worked on.
The show presented a lot of fun challenges to overcome, from its scale, to the still very present pandemic, the multiple children casted, social distancing requirements, special effects, puppetry, a plethora of scene changes, and a highly demanding, highly detailed level of show tracking documentation needed for future remounts.
I could not ask for a better introduction to the AEA world and was beyond happy to help build the foundation for this show to be produced every holiday season for years to come.
