The backstage wellness room at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Yes, the stage and entrance area must be exemplary, but the backstage experience is becoming more and more of a priority for artists and their managers as they consider which venues to include in their tour schedule.
The return to live music after the pandemic sparked increased conversations in artist and management circles about the rigors of touring and led to an appreciation for the upscale amenities at the venues where they typically spend hours before a performance.
At the Wolf Trap, the only venue in the country designated as a National Park for the Performing Arts, the backstage area had already reached some high points but reached its peak during renovations that coincided with the 50th Annual National Park Festival.th Anniversary in 2021.
Now, says Arvind Manocha, president and CEO of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, the improvements are resonating throughout the performing arts community as those who have performed at the Vienna, Virginia, venue share their experiences both privately and publicly.
“The goal was ultimately simple. The backstage area should reflect the importance of the artists who use it. And it should be practical. It should make life easier for the traveling musician,” says Manocha.
“I think the care and attention we put into our backstage area really resonates with the artist community. Word of mouth is huge. The fact that artists are talking about our backstage amenities during their performances, directly from the stage or on their social media, is huge. We’re now seeing artists walk in the door for the first time expecting certain features because maybe their friend from another band mentioned them or because they saw them online.”
The space already housed spacious changing rooms, but the new configuration now also includes a café, which was previously a multi-purpose area, and a former storage room that has been converted into a games room with a pool table, table tennis table, arcade games and a TV lounge.
“Importantly, we’ve also converted some extra, rarely used rooms into our wellness space, an idea that actually came out of our conversations with artists during the planning phase,” he says. “We repeatedly heard about the desire to have a space where you can exercise, meditate, take small group classes, get a massage – just a kind of sanctuary where artists can take care of themselves during a long tour.”
According to Manocha, about three-quarters of all tour staff who come to Wolf Trap use the spa in some way or another.
“It’s equipped with a Peloton bike, yoga mats, a treadmill, and some weights; it can be configured for group exercise classes or turned into a more serene spa atmosphere for massage therapy.” The space also serves as Wolf Trap’s “puppy headquarters,” notes Manocha. “If we have artists who need a little puppy time before a show, we’re happy to help them out—it’s all part of wellness!”
Manocha says colleagues from other venues across the country have come by to take a look.
“They’ve heard what we’re up to from the road managers of artists who have toured at Wolf Trap before. We love sharing the space and talking to them about our process. I feel like we all learn from each other and are inspired by each other. Of course, we’ve learned from the best examples of other venues during the planning phase and are happy to help where we can.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt to be a national park.
Sting played two shows at the Wolf Trap last September and took a few snaps while wandering around the grounds, a photo of which ended up on social media and caused additional excitement.
“Over the years, artists have enjoyed the park in a variety of ways – hiking is probably the most obvious way, sometimes doing outdoor yoga overlooking the meadow, riding a bike, or just taking a nature walk to center yourself during a hectic tour,” says Manocha. “One of the things we did during our renovation is create a few fun murals to represent the different features of the park, including our children’s theater, our beautiful pond, our miles of walking trails – and that helped spark the interest and curiosity of our artists.”
