Denison and Perry: It's a Wonderful Life

Scott Denison and Jennifer Perry have worked together without a major spat for more than 30 years. 

Which is pretty remarkable, considering the father and daughter work in the volatile, turbocharged atmosphere of professional theater.

Denison, general manager of the Lesher Center for the Arts, also manages Center Repertory Company’s productions, directs the Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble children's theater troupe and is to open Contra Costa Musical Theatre’s Hairspray. Denison is directing this production, which opens Friday at the Lesher Center for the Arts. 

Perry is the casting director for Center Rep, directs Lareen Fender’s The Ballet School, participates in Fantasy Forum and is the choreographer for Hairspray, a musical based on John Water's 1988 cult film of the same name. 

With all the “director” titles flying around, it’s a wonder no one is injured.

“We’ve worked together five to six times,” Denison says, “but Jenny was literally raised in a sleeping bag in the theater. She’s watched this for decades.”

Perry wasn't watching just her father at work but her mother as well. Perry's mom--and Denison's wife—is Kerri Shawn, a well-known Bay Area actress who also has a "director" title. She is co-director of education for Center Rep's Young Rep summer theater workshop.

Perry smiles as she describes how her daughter, Grace, at 6 years old, has been coming to Hairspray rehearsals.

“History comes full circle,” she says with a laugh.

Their father-daughter relationship is so completely entwined with their work that plucking out separate strands of authority feels unnatural to them.

“Let’s see, I’ve choreographed for him, he’s lit shows I’m directing…we’ve even been on stage as actors together,” Perry recalls.

Denison doesn’t even try to define the pattern, shrugging and saying, “We wear whatever hats we’re already wearing for the show.”

They both claim their closeness makes them more efficient.

“Because of growing up watching him do what he does, we can multitask so much faster,” says Perry.

Denison agrees: “We see each other’s strengths. Jenny is a fabulous, gifted teacher, not just for dance, but for acting. I can concentrate on scene work because we can see the end product we want without talking it through.”

It’s interesting that Perry doesn’t blush or look surprised. The compliment is obviously one she’s heard before, not said to impress a reporter.

“My dad has taught me that when you cast a show you’re creating the team, the family. He’s great at establishing that feeling of family,” Perry says.

These are the first clues that explain why the collaboration works: their mutual mindset isn’t just evident at work, it’s who they are. Theater is the nucleus of their existence, creating close friendships and sealing the family connections.

“I think it’s made us closer. I know a lot of people who only get to talk to their dad once a month or once a week. I get to talk to him every day,” Perry says.

“Let’s just say we’re on speed dial with each other,” her father adds.

They do have their differences, but it’s more a matter of style. Denison is “more direct” and Perry knows how to “massage the tedious moments.”

“But I can command a room,” she insists. “I was put in a role of responsibility early on. My dad would say, ‘Go set the props, Jenny,’ so our relationship had that trust when I was a child.”

Denison can’t recall saying to his three daughters, “Don’t touch anything” or “When we go inside, be quiet,” but says they learned respect in the theater.

“You don’t put your feet up in the theater: it’s a church. And they saw the entire process: how people have to work together to get a great result, to reach a common, good goal,” he says, then sheepishly acknowledges the “Beaver Clever profile” he lives.

Perry credits her mother and father with teaching her to think: Do you really cherish your family?

“I learned that if you stay close to your family you have a true sense of yourself,” she says.

On bad days, Denison works harder and Perry figures out a different approach. It’s another example of how their different styles blend to good effect.

But arguably, the most important factor is the Sun and Pluto story they tell.

During rehearsals, a director is like the sun, with final say on all matters revolving around him or her. Once a show is up, sun becomes Pluto: out on the fringe, perhaps not even feeling like a part of the galaxy. Denison and Perry understand this dynamic and know how to be both shining stars and hidden, would-be planet.

Perry describes working on Hairspray, opening Friday, as “energizing” despite the show’s demanding dances and fast pace. Set in Baltimore in 1962, it follows the story of Tracy Turnbald, whose dream is to dance on a local TV dance show. 

“Hairspray is about what we truly believe," Denison says. "Tracy, the main character, doesn’t even have a thought of  'I can’t do that.' She doesn’t even relate to that kind of thing.”

If it’s true that blood runs thicker than water, than the theater blood in Dennison-Perry doesn’t run at all. It’s a solid; an unalterable glue holding the two together.

"Hairspray: runs through April 16. For tickets, call the Lesher Center box office at 925-943-7469 or visit the center's website.