Teri Pruitt was dragged to a fall play audition in high school, didn't get cast, and said yes when the director asked if she wanted to do props. She had no idea what she had just agreed to. That yes turned into more than 30 years in the theatrical process, more than 25 years on Broadway, and two decades as a dresser on Wicked.

When Bart Berkey asks what she does that most people don't, Teri says she says yes and starts without knowing what to do or how to do it. She also admits that for years her pride kept her from asking for help, and that she was inventing wheels that had already been invented.

Today, as the founder of Open the Aperture, Teri brings the lessons of Broadway into businesses. She and Bart talk about the director's umbrella that keeps a whole company working toward one vision, her three E's of entertain, educate and enlighten, and how Bart sees them through 16 years at The Ritz-Carlton. Then Bart asks the question every leader wants answered: how do you deliver excellence night after night, for 20 years, on the same show?

Teri closes with a lesson from her dad. There are only three things required to be a professional: hello, goodbye, and work-related information.

In this episode:

Say yes and start without knowing how

Let go of your pride and ask for help

Is Broadway really cutthroat?

The director's umbrella

Entertain, educate and enlighten

Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen

Delivering excellence when you don't feel like it

Never the same group of people twice

Hello, goodbye, and work-related information

ABOUT TERI PRUITT

Teri Pruitt has spent more than 25 years on Broadway, including two decades as a dresser on Wicked, and holds a master's degree in costume design and technology from Illinois State University. She is the founder of Open the Aperture, bringing the lessons of the theatrical process to businesses through keynotes, workshops and conversations.

Most People Don't... But YOU Do! is hosted by Bart Berkey, who spent 16 years as a global executive with The Ritz-Carlton and now builds HUMANALITY™, a system for making people feel cared for, valued, seen and heard rather than processed.

00:00 Cold open: it is my job to do my job

00:36 Welcome to Most People Don't

01:01 Most Gorillas Don't, the new children's book

02:00 Meet Teri Pruitt

03:11 Dragged to the fall play audition

04:51 I got bit, man

05:43 Many roads to Broadway

06:35 Saying yes, and a road to Damascus moment

07:55 Letters to New York

08:22 What Teri does that Most People Don't

08:56 Pride, and learning to ask for help

10:06 Is theater really cutthroat?

12:46 A dresser on Wicked

13:59 The best part of the job is people

15:07 A stage door story

16:41 Fame is different in New York

18:04 Bringing talented people together

18:27 Line up at The Ritz-Carlton

20:13 The director's umbrella

20:44 The three E's: entertain, educate, enlighten

23:07 The three E's in hospitality

25:08 Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen

27:31 The Pendry, and the scent of enlightenment

28:24 23 years of Wicked, 20 of them for Teri

29:09 Delivering excellence night after night

29:30 Never the same group twice

30:21 That's where the joy is

32:21 Hello, goodbye, and work-related information

33:39 Bart adds one more: thank you

34:26 They're there for a reason

35:02 Where to find Teri

CONNECT WITH BART

Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartberkey/

Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.bartaberkey.com/join-the-newsletter

Book me for a keynote presentation: https://www.bartaberkey.com/booking-engagement-page

Listen, subscribe and share: https://www.bartaberkey.com/podcast