Bard on the Beach relies on an incredible team of staff, Company members and volunteers to help put on our Festival every summer. We are so excited to continue our People of Bard series, which will spotlight just some of the wonderful individuals who make our work possible. If you missed our last spotlight on Corporate and Foundations Relations Officer David Volpov, you can read it here.
This week, we’re thrilled to be highlighting Bard’s Sales and Analytics Specialist, Veronica Maynard!
Veronica in the Bard Boutique with The Shakespeare Game in hand.
Tell us a little bit about your role at Bard!
I have a long but interrupted history with Bard. I was the Box Office Manager in 2010/2011 but went on to hone my skills in Box Office and data-oriented roles elsewhere (including at a bank!). I returned “home” to Bard in 2022 in the brand-new role of Sales and Analytics Specialist. Essentially, I play with numbers: I look for patterns in sales data and help set pricing models, sales strategies and budget targets. I’m also the back-up to our fabulous Box Office Manager, Jocelyn.
What do you enjoy the most about your role?
My role gives me insight into the big picture, because while I fall under the Marketing umbrella, I am closely connected to Box Office and Finance as well. I feel like my voice matters and that the work I do makes a difference. I’m also able to spend some time on site in the Box Office, and I love being around the buzz pre-show and during the performance (more on that later).
What were you looking forward to the most this Season?
All of it – I could live, eat and breathe this stuff, and will see each production more than once, but I’m super excited to see Goblins performing Macbeth… I mean, come on, it’s a no-brainer!
Do you have a favourite memory from past Seasons at Bard?
I had forgotten what it was like to work under the tents over the summer, hearing a matinee performance filter through from the BMO Mainstage, with the sounds of joy and laughter from the audience and the final exploding applause and cheering as the actors take their bows. This is my happy place.
When you aren’t helping to put on a Festival, what do you like to do in the summer?
Volunteer for other festivals. No, seriously: I volunteer for my other favourite festivals, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival in July and the Vancouver Fringe Festival in September. When I’m not so busy with a festival I can be found either in my studio making whatever catches my fancy – jewelry, clothes, decor – or at home cuddling the cats while learning a new board game (my “pandemic baby”). I’ve collected… a few (games, not cats).
Thanks so much for chatting with us, Veronica! Be sure to stay tuned for more instalments of our People of Bard series in the weeks to come.