Bonnie Baggesen, general manager of the Office of the Arts, has worked at Emerson for 20 years. Prior to becoming general manager in 2013, she served as director of production and facilities for the Office of the Arts and was head of the Bachelor of Fine Arts program in Stage/Production Management for the Department of Performing Arts.
1 What is your idea of perfect happiness? A grassy yard full of Dachshund puppies.
2 If you could study any field aside from your own, what would it be? Archaeology.
3 Whom do you most admire? The women who have paved the way before me.
4 What are three adjectives you’d use to describe Emerson? Forward-thinking, ambitious, respected.
5 Where is your favorite spot at Emerson? Center stage at the Cutler Majestic Theatre with no audience.
6 Which words or phrases do you most overuse? Doodlebob and Mr. Pickles
7 What do you consider your greatest achievement? Perfecting my grandmother’s recipe for Blueberry Buckle.
8 What’s your greatest regret? Hmmm…probably best to not mention her name.
9 Who are your favorite writers? Dr. Seuss, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Mrs. Beeton.
10 What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last year? Barbie.
11 If you could have dinner with one person—alive or dead— who would it be? Definitely someone dead, never done that before.
12 If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Time travel.
13 Coffee or tea? Coffee.
14 Beach or mountains? Mountains.
15 Broadway or Hollywood? Broadway.
16 If you could spend 48 hours in any city around the globe, where would you go? London.
17 What song are you most embarrassed to love? “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys.
18 You’re stranded on an island. What three possessions would you not be able to live without? My ever-present mini-Swiss army knife, my softball glove, softball.
19 What is your motto? “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” –Albert Einstein
20 What’s the best thing about Emerson? All the amazing theatres
