By Jenny Hammond

 

By day he's an engineer, a mentor and manager for Hewlett-Packard Co. By night, he's an actor and manager in expat theater, improv and standup comedy. He's just a Renaissance guy, says Jenny Hammond.

 

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" is how Rob Tromp, a US businessman and thespian -- thespian's the heart-part - describes his life here in Shanghai. In short, he's a self-described Renaissance man.

 

"It has been the most wonderful time of my life, and at the same time often the most stressful and frustrating. But all in all here, I'm happier than I've ever been," says Tromp.

 

Arriving in September 2006 on a long-term foreign assignment with Hewlett-Packard, the American has already (in his spare time) founded the East-West Theater Company and is well-known in the expat theater and acting scene.

 

"Acting is the only thing I've ever done that I've never become bored with," he says.

 

"There's always something fresh and new in every role. And the same goes for the people you meet in show biz: they can be scary sometimes, but never boring."

 

First introduced to the theater industry through his children, Tromp continues: "They had been taking drama classes at a dinner theater in Colorado (in the US) and wanted to audition for the next main show, 'The Sound of Music.'

 

"My ex-wife didn't want to drive them to rehearsals, so they asked me. While waiting for the kids, the director asked me to help read the part of the butler, as they didn't have anyone for that role. I ended up doing that part in the show, and I've been on stage, in front of a camera or microphone ever since."

 

Now, managing a group of engineers during the day, and a group of actors at night and on weekends, the American seems to fit two totally different lives into every one day.

 

"A typical day for me starts with eight-plus hours of engineering work, conference calls, mentoring of engineers, etc. Then there is a mad dash to a rehearsal, production meeting or meeting with theater patrons/investors/sponsors. Usually finished off by karaoke with my friends or the occasional quiet evening with my girlfriend."

 

Now, the East-West Theater is aimed at not only the expat community, but also cosmopolitan Chinese and it undertakes Western-style stage performance.

 

"Shanghai depends too much on imported cultural events from Europe and the US to be considered the great, cosmopolitan city it deserves to be. It needs to develop a thriving local performing arts tradition, including everything from community theater to professional repertory companies and dinner theaters. I hope what we've started with EWT will blossom to fill these gaps."

 

Also "to fill these gaps," Tromp is an active member of the Shanghai Actors Association. Through this he has produced an event called "Acting Up," a night that brings improvised comedy and standup to Shanghai audiences.

 

"Shanghai is a place where anything is possible, but nothing is easy," he says.

 

"Through EWT and SAA we have faced huge challenges, in finding performance venues and finding ways to put on shows without spending lots of our own money. The highest point I guess was the best show we did of "Our Town" last April in Downstream Garage.

 

"The low point was maybe losing our venue a week before our first show 'A Night of Mirth' was scheduled to open, just hours after spending the money to print flyers."

 

With some tips for inspiring actors, Tomp says, "always keep training and learning both formally, via workshops, coaching, and classes, and by participating in any form of acting available to you - stage, screen, voice-over, whatever. Even if you plan to focus on TV or film, you can learn a lot from work on the stage, and vice versa."

 

He says Chinese theater has a wide range of styles and techniques, which he has enjoyed watching and participating in.

 

"Now I am excited about the future possibilities of fusing Western and Chinese performance styles into new works," says Tromp.

 

Rob Tromp

 

Nationality: USA (born in Idaho)

 

Age: Older than I look

 

Profession: By day engineer/manager with Hewlett-Packard. By night, actor and singer

 

Q&A

 

Favorite place in Shanghai?

 

My apartment, because I have the best karaoke selection of any KTV on the planet

 

Worst experience?

 

Tough one. Maybe getting stuck in Puxi on a rainy night with no available taxis, walking to the Bund before finding one to take me over to Pudong, then arriving home to find I'd lost my apartment key. Thank God for giving me a wonderful landlord -- he came over from Puxi at 2 AM to open my door.

 

Strangest sight:

 

A guy robbing a lady's purse in broad daylight on Zhangyang Road, with hundreds of people looking on, and me the only one feeling compelled to stop him.

 

Description of yourself:

 

A Renaissance man

 

Favorite weekend?

 

Karaoke, meeting with friends, performing or rehearsing a great play, working with my acting students. Pretty much every weekend is ideal for me.

 

Life's motto?

 

Ah, so many -- "Do unto others as you would have done unto you," "Seize the day," "Just say no," "Where's the beef?" "Be all that you can be." Every day, every minute should have a motto.

 

What can be done to improve Shanghai?

 

Transporters (a la "Star Trek"). Willingness to connect (Why does everyone look at each other on the Metro like they're from another planet?)

 

Advice to new expats?

 

Meet everyone you can. Be flexible. Accept and adapt to all the strange differences you find here.

 

(Shanghai Daily June 5, 2007)