Mickey Berra, former Vice President of Production, talks about his 45 year journey at the Kennedy Center, from starting as a stagehand to meeting every President since Lyndon Johnson.

For Mickey Berra, the two-day logistical nightmare was “just another performance” — one of the 2,800 he coordinates each year. Though “ballets are always easier than operas,” he concedes.

I turned to Mickey and said, ‘What did he say?’ And Mickey said, ‘He said play it louder.’ Yogi came back and we had a big argument and the next day I apologized to him. And he fined me $250.

Before he retires, we got the chance to join Mickey Berra on one of his last exclusive tours backstage at the Kennedy Center. The tours have become legendary all thanks to Berra, who has spent ...