Putting on a Broadway show at the NPAC

With the upcoming 2010 Tony Award-winning and “Best Musical” Memphis coming to the Niswonger later this month for two big shows, I thought it might be interesting for you to see exactly what it takes to present a touring Broadway show on our stage.

It is by far the most labor-intensive days of the year for our technical director and his crew. Many times, a show will have three to four semi-trucks filled with set designs, costumes, sound, lighting and other essentials. In the case of Memphis, we have a Saturday night show, so the semi drivers and the show crew will arrive early in the morning, around 7 a.m.  We need to provide a crew of 32 people to load in and set the show up on our stage. It will require 36 people to load the show out following our Sunday afternoon matinee. This is in addition to the 13 technical crewmembers traveling with Memphis.

Memphis has two 53-foot trailers and two tour buses carrying the cast and musicians, as well as some crew. You will see them parked in the loading dock and in the parking lot on the south side of the Niswonger on show day.  It will take our crew 6-8 hours of work to load the show in and have it set up in time for a 1½-hour sound check and necessary pre-set work.  It can be a hectic and harrowing day, but with our veteran group of volunteers, aided by some union labor workers, we normally come through in flying colors by the time you sit down to enjoy a 2½-hour Broadway show.

In the meantime, while the show is being loaded in and set up on stage, there are company members, show staff and local workers who are preparing the dressing rooms, storage rooms, and the Green Room, hair dressers, clothing steamers and pressers, communication staff and command control people making themselves at home in our friendly backstage confines.

Most often, we need to commandeer space from the schools to meet all the space requirements for such huge shows. We are so grateful to Mr. Sloan, Mrs. Decker and Mrs. Reichert — all music staff at Van Wert High and Middle Schools — for giving up their space so our audiences can enjoy the show.  Thankfully, our building was designed to accommodate this kind of usage and cooperation or we could never present such big shows like Memphis!

In addition to all this, we are working to provide food and beverage to everyone during the day, so they can continue to work on the tight schedule they must adhere to. I can’t say enough about the amount of work and effort that so many put forth so that we can do Broadway shows. We have some volunteers who give up so much time for the pure experience of doing it. They are angels in my book!  Some have been with us from the beginning and we can’t begin to thank them enough.

Of course, the whole production couldn’t happen without the excellent organization and skill of Tech Director Hugh Saunier. During the show and afterwards, he gets little, if any, recognition, but I am here to tell you it wouldn’t happen without his direction. Facility Coordinator Mark Hartman also puts in long hours to make sure everyone is heading to the right place and has all their needs met. This just really scratches the surface of what it takes to put a show on at the Niswonger, but I must stop at some point.

As far as Memphis goes, here is what the website says and those of us who have been fortunate to see it would wholeheartedly agree:

“Winner of four Tony Awards® in 2010, including Best Musical, Memphis has truly exploded into the West end and is now London’s hottest new destination! Inspired by true events from the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, Memphis follows the fame and forbidden love of a radio DJ who wants to change the world and a club singer who is ready for her big break. Join them on their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves – filled with laughter, soul and rock ‘n’ roll!”

So, the next time you buy your ticket for a Broadway Show at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center, and as you sit back in your comfortable chair to enjoy what will be an absolutely thrilling and entertaining show like Memphis, you can now appreciate what your ticket just paid for.

FINÉ.