While it’s easy to see how literature, music and song, choreography and dance, costumes and sets, and lights and sound are all present in theater, consider this: an upbringing in athletics can also make you uniquely qualified for roles on stage or behind the scenes. Christy Carr, Civic’s director of operations and assistant director of “The Mousetrap,” tells us how sports and art are both good for defying gravity. Carol Smith tells us why she’s said yes to Civic so often. And we catch up with John Collier, who’s back to direct another third edition of a show on our stage.