When we were children we all, at one time or another, made the idle threat that we would run away from home and join the circus.  Some of us may have even made it to the end of the block before hurrying back home. Oklahoma State University’s Lee Brasuell is the rare adult who found both a home and a circus as the theatre department’s assistant professor of technical direction and production management.

Recently, Brasuell lent his expertise as an aerial and circus rigger to the nationally acclaimed and Tony Award winning Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago for their production of The Little Prince, a show seemingly tailor-made for someone with Brasuell’s skill set.  The performance requires sophisticated rigging which is essential to telling a universally loved story.

“The Little Prince is a show I love,” Brasuell said.  “Almost every kid has read it and knowing how [the Lookingglass Theatre] adapts things, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got to be a part of it.’” 

It did not hurt that the performance schedule meshed well with his duties as an instructor at OSU. Conceptual work began last summer and commenced with Brasuell spending two weeks in November at the theatre to finish the job. That meant it took several months of off-site communication to put the pieces in place. 

“David Catlin, the director, wanted to make it a ‘Lookingglass’ show and do different things with it,” Brasuell said. “He wanted the Planetary Men to come in from different places and do different things so the apparatus would actually help tell the story of that character. We started coming up with concepts and of course the whole time I’m 850 miles away so it was all done by phone and Skype.” Andrew Kimbrough, Head of the OSU Theatre Department, is thrilled to let Brasuell “run away to the circus” as it lifts the national profile of the program.

“Here at OSU Theatre we pride ourselves on having a professionally accomplished faculty with outstanding credits earned at theatres coast to coast and around the world,” Kimbrough said.  “Lee assures that we maintain our reputation for excellence and that we stay attractive to recruits.”

A native Oklahoman, Brasuell became intimately involved with Lookingglass eight years ago when he went to work for them full-time.  He developed a friendship with Scott Osgood, an acrobatic equipment and rigging designer for Cirque de Solei. They first worked together on the 2007 tour of Lookingglass Alice at the Arden Theatre in Philadelphia. 

“I went on tour with him to learn the show, how he did everything,” Brasuell said, “and I just fell in love with it.”

The apprenticeship served Brasuell nicely and he “started delving deep” into the craft. The Lookingglass Theatre noticed his aptitude and made him their go-to guy, even after he made the move to Oklahoma State. 

“When I moved here, I was like, ‘Hey, you know, I’d really like to come up and play with you guys’ – because it is, you play.  You’re not just sitting there, you’re doing a lot of fun stuff,” Brasuell said.

When the call came from Lookingglass over the summer, Brasuell knew he would find a way to participate.  He started conceptual work right away and took to the challenge of creating a “Lookingglass Show.”  As the basic ideas began to materialize, Brasuell flew to Chicago for a weekend workshop in September to try them out. 

He was able to work with the actors using basic rigs at another Chicago theatre mainstay, The Actor’s Gymnasium – perhaps the most aptly named establishment in America. Young actors come together there to learn the circus arts, among other skills, making it the perfect place for Brasuell and the cast to test his concepts.

Upon returning to OSU, Brasuell continued to work out the details by working with the lighting designer, scenic designer, costume designer, and yes, the accountant. He returned to Chicago over Thanksgiving break for two-and-one-half weeks of Loadin, tech rehearsals, and previews leading up to the opening. 

While adventurous and story-telling design was the inspiration, safety always factored in to the work.

“Safety, safety, safety,” Brasuell said.  “I can put a 150-lb piece of scenery in the air, I’m still worried about it but once it’s a 150-200 lb person in the air you have to make sure it’s fail-safe.”

The classic line from The Little Prince reads, “What is truly essential is invisible to the eye,” and that line describes Brasuell’s involvement in the production quite well.  The audience sees his elaborate design and dramatic presentation of the Planetary Men while it was the collaboration, drafting, and supreme focus on safety that were the essential pieces. “Audiences love going to the theatre to watch characters fly, and Lee makes that happen,” Kimbrough said.  “His aerial work with Lookingglass is part of what makes them – and Lee – so special.”

Chicago audiences have been enjoying his work on The Little Prince since December.  The show is currently on an extended run through mid-March.  Can’t make it but want to see the fruits of his labor? Brasuell is also the technical director for OSU Theatre so you may have seen his work already in the recent performances Oklahoma Voices and Xanadu.  Additionally, he will return to Lookingglass for this summer’s production of Cascabel at the Goodman Theatre, featuring Oklahoma native Rick Bayless.   

Brasuell’s ability to find joy in the essentials makes him a sought-after talent.

“I’ve been really lucky that they’ve given me this opportunity up there to go and play.”