For the past 30 years, Jere Righter has been involved in almost every aspect of the Croswell Opera House in Adrian, Michigan. A native of Adrian, Jere graduated from Siena Heights University with a degree in theater and speech communications. She subsequently served as Siena’s Vice President for Advancement and later was hired to raise funds for medical research at
Continue readingBeyond the Spotlight – Episode 23: Jere Righter
Chris Shrom is a Nashville-based lighting designer and technician for live tours and corporate events. He grew up in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania where he got his start in production when his church connected him with Susquehanna Sound. In middle school and high school, he traveled with a band called Saline, and another, Heartbeat Productions. His family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio after
Continue readingBeyond the Spotlight – Episode 15: Chris Shrom
Emily and Cathy Stein have spent a decade working as dressers and wardrobe specialists in community theater and on national tours. Emily Stein began doing theater in high school and hasn’t stopped since! She’s done everything from running a light board to costume designing. Emily has not only been active in the West Michigan theater scene, but has also been
Continue readingBeyond the Spotlight – Episode 14: Emily & Cathy Stein
Cherie B. Tay is a New York City based stage manager by way of Texas, Connecticut, Singapore, Pennsylvania, and San Diego. She’s built an impressive resume of shows – on and off-Broadway productions, national tours, as well as international productions. Currently, Cherie is the Assistant Stage Manager at the Tony Award® winning show HADESTOWN on Broadway. Outside of the theater,
Continue readingBeyond the Spotlight – Episode 13: Cherie B. Tay
We chat with Dave Horowitz, A1 at Beetlejuice The Musical on Broadway, about the challenges of mixing sound for such a frenetic production, as well as the journey that brought him to this point in his career. Originally from White Plains, NY, Dave studied Music/Sound at Penn State University, and has worked in various audio-related positions at The Public Theater,
Continue readingBeyond the Spotlight – Episode 12: Dave Horowitz
Electric and double bass man, George Farmer, is a player with an all new blend. He began his musical training at a young age, receiving his earliest musical lessons from his father, legendary jazz trumpeter Art Farmer. In a house filled with American Soul as well as classical music, Farmer benefited from a unique blend of musical influences and began
Continue readingBeyond the Spotlight – Episode 11: George Farmer
Noddea Skidmore has worked as the Director of Creative and Audience Development at Circle Theatre since 2015. This summer she’ll play Patsy Cline in the musical Always… Patsy Cline. Past Circle Theatre main stage credits include Regina in Rock of Ages (Grand Award Nomination), Joanne in Company, Lady of the Lake in Monty Python’s Spamalot (Grand Award Nomination), Miss Hannigan
Continue readingBeyond the Spotlight – Episode 10: Noddea Skidmore
This time, we step into the world of broadcast TV sports – specifically, the sound. From stringing miles of audio cables to placing dozens of microphones, find out what it takes to bring the sound from the playing field right into your living room! After spending decades in video production as an editor and videographer, Scott Sandstrom is now a
Continue readingBeyond the Spotlight – Episode 7: Scott Sandstrom
Hey kids, I’m about to launch a fun new venture – “Beyond the Spotlight”! It’s a podcast where I pull back the curtain and interview folks working in the trenches of the music and theatre worlds, who never really get their chance to shine. We all know about the ‘stars’ who get the attention and accolades. But what about those
