aWA look at the life of some of our Former TCA Student Tech Corps Members
By: TCA Technical Diretor Karen Bunch
 
Beginnings 
We have been extremely fortunate here at Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) to have a program entitled the Student Technical Corps. This program allows us to train students in technical theatre jobs, those “behind the scenes” and performance jobs that most people don’t think about as they watch a live performance. In fact, techs like to say that if they’re doing their job, most times, you likely don’t even realize that they’re there!
 
Though quite informal at first, it seems that the TCA’s Tech Corps has always been an integral part of who we are. The Corps, which is now officially in its second decade, has seen more than 160 middle and high school students, aged 12-18, participate in the program. Every year, we train and hire high school aged students to work everything from locally produced Homegrown Season Performances to National and International Touring Shows. 
 
During the past five years, we have also included introductory, hands-on opportunities to explore the world of tech theatre at our annual TCA & Tecumseh Youth Theatre (TYT) sponsored Summer Drama Camp. Students  have been introduced to lighting and sound boards and other equipment, have worked on sets and costumes, and on make-up and playwriting. July 2019 will mark the third year of a sold-out stage technician-only drama camp class. We have some returning campers, but there are also first-time tech students as well. These students will work with the TCA staff and provide technical support for the performers’ culminating shows at the end of each session of Drama Camp.
 
But, I get ahead of myself…
 
When the Tecumseh Civic Auditorium (now the Tecumseh Center for the Arts - TCA) first opened its doors in February 1981, there were several adults who “teched” shows – everything from concerts to films were covered with a crew of only 3 part-time employees. As the schedule grew to include touring shows, such as The Acting Company from New York, Famous People Players, Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats, or Meadowbrook Theatre, where the number of crew to load the show in and out required 8-12 people, we called on local community members who were familiar with live performances to work as techs for the day. Most would literally take a day off of work from their own daytime jobs, or schedule it into their day to get the touring show onstage.
 
Performances increased throughout the years, and programs such as Tecumseh Youth Theatre (TYT) were introduced. We found that including the “kids” on the tech crew was a great experience for them. Most early TYT casts included people from ages 5-80, so why shouldn’t the crew include middle and high school students? That was the beginning for many young people to explore their interest in the technical aspects of theatre and live performance. We were literally training the next generation of technicians, while fostering new Arts patrons.
 
Little did we know how well that idea would take off…
 
We originally had 3-5 kids involved, on an informal, volunteer basis only, mostly for TYT shows. They worked directly with adult volunteers backstage as stage running crew, moving sets and props, assisting with make-up and costumes, as well as lighting and sound. As the program grew and things began to develop, we created an “official” Student Tech Corps who were part-time, as-needed techs who were responsible for helping staff community, regional, and national touring shows. This continues on today, as we rely on our Tech Corps of about 20 students to help us bring the great shows you see to life!
 
For most of our student techs, this introduction and training into the world of theatre is the first “real” job they will have. Of course, not all Student Techs will seek jobs in theatre or live performance, but we are honored to have been the starting point for many students who continued using their TCA-learned skills beyond high school, and for several that have entered into careers in the industry. 
 
We thought you might enjoy hearing about what they’re up to in, Where Are They Now??
 
​
The Early Years
Jeff Chatfield
Jeff was one of our very first student techs who continued on in the live entertainment field after high school graduation. He attended Jackson Community College, now Jackson College, worked with Vision Performance Group in Adrian, and went on to have a 7-year association with Feld Entertainment, working exclusively with national and international touring shows of Disney on Ice. At various times, he worked as a lighting tech who loaded-in and -out lighting rigs and equipment, rigged them (climbed to the top of ice arenas to drop secured cables, lines, and motors to lift the lighting rigs over the surface of the ice), and programmed and operated the lighting board for shows.
 
After an adventurous life on the road with Disney, which toured throughout the United States and Canada, as well as Central and South America, Europe, Australia, Japan, and Korea, Jeff returned to the area, working at Jackson College, first as an audio, lighting, and stage tech, and is currently their Senior Theater Technician.
 
His IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) Union crew membership work has sent him to some of the largest venues in the state, working alongside some of the biggest names in the entertainment business: Comerica Park, the Wharton Center, Cobo Arena, The Breslin Center, with shows such as The Rolling Stones Tours.
https://www.disneyonice.com/dream-big?h=1
https://www.jccmi.edu/entertainment-events/about-the-theatre/
 

Greg Schmidt
When Greg was first contacted about possibly being a part of this article, he was “… currently sitting in the dark in the Power Center (at the University of Michigan) while (lighting) focus (was) going on.”  Love it - well done!
 
After Greg graduated, he attended Jackson Community College and worked for a time in the area. He and his wife Casey moved to High Point, North Carolina in August of 1998 to work for the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival where they lived until 2004. While in North Carolina, Greg worked for the Festival off and on, was a house tech for the High Point Theater, a carpenter in the theatre department of University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a part time house tech at North Carolina School of the Arts, and was a union stagehand, joining IATSE Local 635 in 2000, where he was elected President in 2003.
 
Greg and Casey moved to the metro D.C. area (Alexandria, VA) where Greg went to work as a scenic carpenter for The Shakespeare Theatre Company, a Tony Award-winning regional theatre company in Washington, D.C..  In 2008, he became their Scene Shop Foreman.
 
They returned to Tecumseh in 2013. Since then, Greg has worked as a union stagehand and joined IATSE Local 395 in Ann Arbor, which afforded him the opportunity to work at various venues throughout Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Toledo. He has also worked as a carpenter for University Productions at the University of Michigan, and has gone to Charleston, South Carolina in the spring for the past 5 years to work with the Spoleto Festival U.S.A.
https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/
https://spoletousa.org/
 

Terry Cunningham
Terry was also one of our first “techies.” Currently a Vice President at Mercury Sound & Lighting in Metro Detroit, Terry attended Jackson Community College, and Specs Howard School of Broadcasting and Media Arts in the Video Department. After graduation from Specs, he worked for WILX-TV 10 in Lansing, Michigan as a Studio Camera Operator and Editor. 
 
After working at WILX, Terry had the opportunity to work for Feld Entertainment and Disney on Ice for nearly 7 years as Head Electrician. Like Jeff, he was able to travel the world while working with some of the most talented skaters and entertainment technicians in the world.
 
When he returned, Terry joined the Political Productions team, where he toured with the 2003-04 Presidential campaigns of both major parties, fulfilling their production needs, while also working at Pegasus Theatrical as a Project Manager. He then went to Fantasee Lighting as Operations Manager for another 8 years. Before he accepted his current position at Mercury Sound & Lighting, he worked at Joseph Productions, Inc. as their Production Supervisor.
https://www.wilx.com/
https://mercurysl.com/
 

Next Gen – Halfway there!
Matthew Chandler – Matt received his Master’s Degree from Florida State University, and has worked in a variety of venues since. He eventually settled in Chicago and became an Associate Production Manager at The Goodman Theater. He worked on four direct-to-Broadway transfers, which means they made their debut at The Goodman and then went straight to Broadway. Those shows were Million Dollar Quartet, War Paint, Chinglish, and Desire Under the Elms. He also worked on many regional and international transfers – direct from The Goodman to places other than Broadway. 
 
During Matt’s tenure as Associate Production Manager, Goodman Theater performances included many notable actors and personalities such as Dennis Quaid, Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey, Mary Queen of Scots), Stacy Keach, and John Mahoney (Frazier).
 
Matt recently accepted a position with Orange County, California’s Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory as their Director of Production. He hit the ground running and within 2 weeks of starting his new job, had his first show. https://www.goodmantheatre.org/
https://www.scr.org/about/the-scr-story
 

Matt Halberstadt
Matt Halberstadt started as a TCA tech, running a spotlight for TYT when he was in 8th grade. He worked as a part-time paid tech through High School, and after graduation, attended Michigan Technological University (MTU) in Houghton where he received his Master’s Degree. While at MTU, he worked at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, and was hired in as a freshman, something he was told “never happens.” 
 
Shortly after graduating from MTU, he was hired into the Research and Development Department at Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC), one of the world’s preeminent lighting design and manufacturing companies. He has been recently promoted to Technical Product Manager II, Entertainment Controls, where his attention has been on ETC’s Eos, Augment3d, ColorSource Console and CueSystem. He is directly responsible for those products, and helps on ETC’s recent acquisition (High End Systems) and the “Hog4” family of lighting control systems.
 
One of ETC’s founding members, Fred Foster stated that their company develops professional tools, and makes them accessible to everyone. ETC products can be found in small and large venues worldwide - theaters, churches, restaurants, hotels, schools, television studios, casinos, theme parks, and opera houses.  Indeed, our lighting control board, dimming system, and many of our lighting fixtures at Tecumseh Center for the Arts are ETC products!  What goes around comes around?
https://www.etcconnect.com/About/About-ETC/
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Amy Meyer
Amy has been working in the IT department at Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) as an Audio/Visual Media Tech for 7 years, providing support for classroom technology and conference spaces. She also administrates WCTC’s digital signage software on campus. 
 
She began her technical training at the TCA, and worked as a technician through high school as well as after graduation. She also worked locally for Joe Jenkins’ Vision Performance Group in Adrian for load-in (set-up), as a crew member, and striking (tear-down) at various events and venues throughout Michigan and Ohio, including Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Bowling Green State University, and Adrian College. 
https://www.wctc.edu/
 
 
Next Gen
Michael Barnes
Michael was a TYT alum, working backstage and with lighting for many shows throughout middle and high school. He was a Student Tech for nearly 4 years, and after graduation helped with our annual summer lighting and sound maintenance tasks. He also helped tech the TCA Summer Series shows and dance recitals by local dance studios.
 
Michael graduated from Western Michigan University (WMU) in Kalamazoo, where he interned for a summer at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. He currently works at Miller Auditorium on the campus of WMU, primarily as the Assistant Head Electrician, and also as a general stagehand. He works with the Head Electrician of Miller to help run the Electrics Department.
 
He has done everything lighting related, from light plot hangs (physically hanging, circuiting and focusing) to show calls (working behind the scenes for shows), and everything in between. Miller hosts events for WMU, lecturers, bands, and Michael’s favorite; touring Broadway musicals. “It’s pretty similar to my time at the TCA,” Michael says.
 
His favorite show that he worked on so far was The Phantom of the Opera. “The show is massive compared to most Broadway shows. It takes three 16 hour work days to put together. They use 18 semi-trucks to (carry equipment and) take the show on the road across North America.”
 
During the show, Michael was a Tower Follow Spot Operator, which means for every show, he climbed a 20' tall lighting tower and ran a spotlight for the show with a Broadway flat (a wall of sorts) masking him from the audience. “It was such a cool and unique way to see the show, and a bit toasty when pyrotechnics went off!”
 
Michael became friends with a fair amount of the Phantom crew and an actress named Carmen. “One night after a show, we were talking and I mentioned that I had seen Phantom during my travels to London. I’ve been told many times before that the theatre world is very small, but what really made it sink in was her telling me that she was in the production I saw in 2012 in The West End in London.I still have the program from 2012 and found her in it, she signed it, and we still keep in touch.”
 
Michael plans to stay in Kalamazoo one more year or so, and then work as an electrician with a touring company, “… hopefully a musical!”
https://wmich.edu/
https://www.millerauditorium.com/
 
 
David Marsh
After David graduated high school, he enrolled at the University of Michigan (U-M) in the Electronics Engineering Department. He has continued to work in theater and Performing Arts as a student, and has added a theatre minor to his schedule.
 
David worked with Vision Performance Group throughout Michigan and Ohio during the summer and into this past fall. He works in the electrics shop (lighting) at University Productions where he has participated in lighting eight School of Music Theatre and Dance Shows each semester. He has loaded in, focused, and struck nearly every show since he’s been at U-M, and has worked on run crew for several.  “Because of my experience from the TCA, I have quickly become a trusted member of the lighting team at the University of Michigan,” David said. 
 
He has also continued to volunteer for the theatre with one of the oldest student groups on campus, MUSKET, which performs each semester at the Power Center. He has volunteered his time as assistant lighting designer with that group. “Thanks to the TCA, I’ve continued to make theatrical production and volunteering a part of my life.”
 
David starts an exciting summer job soon at the Tuacahn Amphitheater in Utah.
https://www.tuacahn.org/Online/default.asp
https://arts.umich.edu/museums-cultural-attractions/power-center/
 
 
Maryssa McNamara
Maryssa just finished her freshman year at Adrian College, double-majoring in Musical Theatre and Political Science. During her first semesters, she has had the opportunity to be an Assistant Stage Manager, a Lighting Designer, and an actress. Maryssa hopes to be the next Lin-Manuel Miranda and is working on writing her first show.
 
We’re also very happy to say that Maryssa will join us as a college intern here at the TCA this summer!
http://adrian.edu/
 

Side Jobs
In addition to those who chose a career in The Arts, we have also had several former techs who took advantage of their TCA training to secure jobs in the theatre, audio/visual, graphics, communication departments of their colleges and universities, as well as and other theatre/live performance related jobs.  There was even a former tech, a doctoral medical research student at the University of Michigan who was the light board operator/lighting tech for the Medical Department Talent Shows at the Power Center while he was earning his degree!
 
Of course, not everyone continues on after graduation or chooses a career in the Theatre or Performing Arts world. In fact, the scope of jobs our former techs have chosen runs the gamut. We are pleased to have had a future Assistant District Attorney, the above mentioned research doctor, studio and working musicians, a mortgage processor, business owners, entrepreneurs, and an executive chef among our tech corps alumni. Plus some of these folks are moms and dads, which is a full time job in and of itself!
 
Regardless of what our techies chose as a career, we believe that what they learned here at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts as Student Technicians will help them wherever they end up on life’s path – teamwork, cooperation, self-reliance, confidence, and reliability are qualities all employers value. Beyond that, we hope that we have helped to foster a love and interest of future generations as patrons of The Arts!
 
We hope you have enjoyed looking back with us, and looking into the future of some of our tech “kids!”

“TAKE A SEAT …” By: TCA Tech Director Karen Bunch
 
There are so many connotations to that simple directive …
 
“Take a seat” in an interview is an invitation to start the process of hoped for employment. 
 
“Take a seat” in a crowd means you’re blocking someone’s view.
 
“Take a seat” in school meant, you were in trouble, sit down! 
 
But the Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) request for you to “Take a Seat” is actually a great way to support The Arts at the TCA! 
 
Ever wonder how a theater of this size is able to support our local Performing Arts groups?  The answer lies in the generous support of our patrons, local businesses, and foundations!
 
EXACTLY WHAT IS “TAKE A SEAT?”
 
In a nutshell, the TCA’s Take a Seat campaign, which started nearly 10 years ago, is a way for people to help sustain the TCA in tangible way that shows others you support The Arts in Tecumseh.  Simply make a $250 donation to the Take a Seat campaign, and we will place an engraved plaque on the arm of an available seat of your choice. The plaque includes 2 lines of text, with approximately 20 characters per line.  What can you fit in?
 
Seeing your name along with the names of people who have supported the theater throughout the years provides a connection to others that will be recognized for years to come.  It is a continual reminder of the personal stewardship involved in supporting The Arts, and may just encourage others to join in …
 
So who do you want to see on “your arm?”  Here are a few ideas!

• You can purchase a seat for yourself
• You can purchase a seat for your family
• You can purchase a seat for a friend or someone you would like to honor
• You can purchase a seat for your business
• You can purchase a seat in memory of someone
• You can purchase a seat for your favorite group
• You can even purchase a seat for your pet (yes, we have had pets and other animals perform on our stage!  (Thanks specifically to Kody Bear, Ginger, Sandy, Sam, and Pete!!!)
• Or if you like, you can simply purchase a seat and put an “artsy quote” with your name on the plaque; “To Be or Not to Be” – Shakespeare’s Family, comes to mind!!!

 
Remember, you don’t have to be a performer to support the Arts.  Many patrons who support the TCA have simply enjoyed watching productions that range from young kids performing for the first time in a choir concert or dance recital, to high school band and orchestras, to adult theatre and band and orchestras, to talent shows, all the way up to our professional touring season.  In fact, if you are reading this article, I’m betting there’s a very good chance that you already support The Arts!
 
So why not join the fun?  There are a total of 631 seat arms in the TCA (we counted!!).  Of these arms, 84 have been sold.  That leaves only 547 arms left from which to choose!  Seriously.  Think about that.  If all of the arms on the chairs are sold, that’s an additional $136,750 to help support Tecumseh Youth Theatre (TYT) , Tecumseh Pops Orchestra & Community Chorus, The Tecumseh Players, Tecumseh Public Schools, Tecumseh Schools Orchestra (TSO), Tecumseh Band Boosters, National Homeschool Music Ensemble (NHME), TCA Big Band & VocalAires, The Ballet School (formerly Tecumseh Dance Workshop), Dance Steps Studio, Inc., Encore Dance Studio, Infusion Performing Arts Academy, MST Dance Center, Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh, TCA Special Events and professional Touring Season shows, and many other groups and events throughout the year!  That’s amazing!!
 
We will be celebrating our 40th Anniversary in February 2021.  While that seems like a long way off, the reality is that if we are to sell all of the seat arms with our Take a Seat campaign, we have to start now, and sell about 25 per month!  Tell all your friends and neighbors about this fun, permanent way to show your support. Get yours while supplies last!
 
For me personally, to see names on permanently installed plaques within the theatre, some that harken back to the very beginnings of the TCA, of Youth Theatre, of long-time supporters, some still with us, and some who have passed away, to see those names simply proves that The Arts are a gift we hand down from generation to generation.  It is incumbent on all of us to be good stewards of future generations’ enjoyment, for if we don’t secure the future now, the chance of our children losing out is great.
 
SO, HOW DO I SIGN UP?
 
Like so many things in life, we have forms!  You can purchase a seat (or two or more!) by calling or stopping by the box office, Tuesday thru Friday, from 12 noon –  5pm, or by going online at https://www.thetca.org/merchandise.html. Depending on your method of purchase, TCA staff will mail, email, or hand you a form to fill out.
 
The Take a Seat fundraising challenge is a great opportunity to give back to the performers of today and the future … honor the past, live in the now, plan for the future – works in The Arts too!  Leave your mark on the TCA and help future generations to continue to have a place to call home.

Donations made to this campaign come with one obvious perk:  Your name, or someone you would like to acknowledge will have an engraved plaque attached to one of the arms of the seats in the auditorium.  You have your choice of seats to place your special plaque, and as long as no one already has that seat, we’ll have it installed in short order.
 

​Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) is planning a fundraising event that includes two of your favorites from previous years. The TCA Fashion Show and Junk to Funk! Eco Fashion show both taking place on Friday, May 3 at 6 pm. Combined into one exciting night of fashion, food and fun, the TCA invites the public to see an event that features local retail stores and artists complete with a Silent Auction while help supporting the TCA. 
 
Starting at 6 pm, the theater will welcome local retail stores including Great Ideas from Tecumseh, Devils Lake View Living from Manitou Beach, Maurice’s from Adrian, Maves Fashion Faves from Clinton, and Three Bridges Boutique from Blissfield. This portion of the evening will include a lineup of local models as the walk the TCA catwalk showcasing the new spring lineup from the participating stores.
 
After a short intermission including the Silent Auction and treats, the Fashion Fundraising event will continue with the ever-popular Junk to Funk! Eco Fashion Show. We're putting the spotlight on local artists, designers, fashionistas and ecologists as their wearable funky fashions are modeled on the TCA stage. These imaginative creations are comprised of upcylced, re-purposed and recycled materials.
 
This spectacular night of fashion and fun includes both the TCA Fashion Show and Junk to Funk! on Friday, May 3 beginning at 6 pm with doors opening at 5 pm. Tickets are $25 each.

Are you interested in creating an outfit? There’s still time to sign up! Artists, designers, ecologists and fashionistas are all invited to create wearable art from recycled items or repurposed materials, to be featured in the Junk to Funk! Eco Fashion Show. Anyone may participate! All designs must be made of reclaimed or recycled materials and be safely worn on the human body. Submission deadline for artwork is Friday, April 26. Visit the Auditions page on our website for more information.
 
Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheTCA.org or through the TCA Box Office, Tuesday – Friday from noon until 5 pm. 

Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) concludes their National Touring Season with The Britins on Saturday, April 27, 2019.

On February 9, 1964, America was introduced to a musical phenomenon that would ultimately change rock and roll forever. That group was called The Beatles. Milwaukee's very own The Britins recreate the era that continues to influence so many top groups and artists today. Formed in 1977, The Britins are one of the first Beatles Tribute bands in the USA and has performed with legends such as Herman’s Hermits, The Turtles, The Grass Roots, The Buckinghams, Tommy James, and Frankie Valli!

With all of your favorite hits such as “Love Me Do,” “Let It Be,” and “Help!”, The Britins will take you back in time as they sing iconic Fab Four songs. Follow along on a Magical Mystery Tour of sights and sounds through that remarkable era of the 1960's, recreated on authentic Beatles gear. Band members Mike Shumway as John Lennon, Rick Bertoni as Paul McCartney, Mike Truttschel as George Harrison, and Jeffery Gish as Ringo will make you question, are they really a tribute band or The Beatles themselves? 
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The Britins perform at Tecumseh Center for the Arts on Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors, youth and military members. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Both concessions and the TCA bar will begin serving at 6:30 pm.
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The Britins are sponsored by Tuckey’s Big Boy and C & P Glassworks.

Tickets can be purchased through the TCA website at www.TheTCA.org or through the TCA Box Office located at 400 N. Maumee Street in Tecumseh, Michigan. You can also purchase tickets by calling 517.423.6617 Tuesday-Friday from noon until 5 pm.

The Play is (Not Necessarily) the Thing
By: Karen Bunch 
 
It’s Only the Beginning
Tecumseh Youth Theatre (TYT) has changed the course of my life. Literally. After graduating high school, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in music, performing arts, visual arts … something.  But what?
 
Enter, Tecumseh Civic Auditorium, now Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA). 
 
I was fortunate enough to be asked by my high school marching band percussion instructor Don “Doby” Dobrosky to be a member of the pit orchestra for two Tecumseh Players’ shows in the newly christened TCA.  Doby was the Players’ musical director and knew that, in addition to playing percussion, I was a reed player during concert season which meant I could play Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor, and Baritone Sax, and even Bassoon (given enough time to rehearse!). So, I had the great opportunity to play alongside area band directors, including Bob Schoof, Richard Reamsnyder, and Terry Hunt. Playing in the pit orchestra for Anything Goes, which was performed one month after the TCA opened in 1981, and Sweet Charity the next year were my first real experiences performing at the TCA.  Fun times!! 
 
Next up, and a little closer to the job I would eventually fill, was an opportunity to “guard the stage” when legendary trumpeter Maynard Ferguson came to the TCA with Tecumseh native Tim Ries on saxophone. What a thrill to hear Maynard, the composer of the Theme from Rocky, and Tim, whom I had the pleasure to play alongside in Marching, Stage, and Symphonic Bands during high school, performing together right on our very own TCA stage! 
 
My job for the night?  “Just stand near the front and make sure no one rushes the stage!”  Okay.  “Do people really do that here?”  “No, but it’s in the contract.”  “Ah.” Good to know…
 
From those humble beginnings came my first official foray into the world “behind the scenes” at the TCA. It happened during Tecumseh Youth Theatre’s second-ever musical, Finian’s Rainbow. I was asked to be the light board operator and, with the help of Executive Director Jack Raeburn, who taught me how to run the two-scene pre-set light board, I got my first shot at being part of an amazingly creative team. After that, I was hooked!
 
Playing Favorites and What’s Really Important
I’ve often been asked, “What’s your favorite show?” My response is usually something along the lines of a parent’s response to picking their favorite child - they are all special in their own way. Do some stand out? Of course. Sometimes it’s a single scene or a particular song that stands out - several come to mind immediately. But to me, (admittedly taking Shakespeare’s Hamlet completely out of context and paraphrasing), “the play is” NOT NECESSARILY “the thing” that is most important in this process … for me, it’s all about the people. It’s about friendships - relationships formed over months of rehearsing, building sets, fitting costumes, learning the music, and everything else that goes into making production come alive that are important. 
 
This belief was confirmed in a recent lunch visit with Donna Andre. Donna is a long-time friend and former director of several TYT plays, including Children of Eden, Pippin, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  She hit the nail on the head when she said, “The play is the brick, the blocks, and the people are the mortar that hold it together.”  Yes, this! 
 
It is a matter of fact that thousands of “kids,” from ages 6 to 86 have been part of Tecumseh Youth Theatre’s “mortar” over the years, both onstage and behind the scenes. In the early days of TYT, adults were cast in a few roles, creating an age-appropriate gap in the various characters. Alice Staples as Aunt Em and TCA Board Member Charlie Robinson as Uncle Henry in Wizard of Oz; pastor of the Macon United Methodist Church, Rob Gilshire as Daddy Warbucks, and Dr. Carlton Cook as FDR in Annie; Tecumseh Schools Assistant Superintendent Rick Montcalm as Officer Krupke in West Side Story; Sutton Principal and long-time director of TYT, Tom Sura as Fagan in Oliver, and dozens of other adults over the years lent their time and talent to create a multi-generational world both on- and offstage. More than that, they helped create a wonderful shared experience with the younger kids involved, an experience in which the kids learned a great deal about respecting one another, and perhaps, began to see some of those local community adults in a completely different light. In return, the adults had the opportunity to give back to a younger generation, and maybe just as importantly, they got to feel like kids again!
 
New Beginnings
During the course of the 1999 – 2000 season, Tecumseh Youth Theatre moved away from the umbrella of the TCA to become its own producing organization. During that formative time, I and many of the original creative team helped in the transition. The organization blossomed further, as it began to present more than one show per year. There was a drive to continue musicals of course, but also to offer a “straight play” every year for those kids who’s musical ability might be less developed than their compatriots, but who’s acting skills were wonderful. From the popular comedies of Arsenic and Old Lace, and You Can’t Take it With You, to more serious fare in The Diary of Anne Frank, The Crucible, and To Kill a Mockingbird, this was yet another way the newly formed organization reached out to area kids.
 
Youth Theatre also directly affected the choir program in the schools during this time, most especially in the middle and high schools. During my talk with Donna, she revealed that the need for more male voices onstage led to a development within the schools of young men in choir. So, at least part of the great successes the school choirs have enjoyed over the last 2 decades can be traced directly back to Donna and to Tecumseh Youth Theatre!
 
Movin’ On
As of now, Tecumseh Youth Theatre has been a separate organization for over 19 years, a few years longer than it was under the wing of the TCA. The kids (and adult volunteers) who have passed through the program are too numerous to name. Indeed, many have come and gone. I consider myself fortunate to have worked with most of them. One of the greatest joys I have is watching the young people within TYT grow and leave on their adult journeys, knowing that we have been a small part of their future.
 
While the great majority of kids passing through TYT and the TCA will not end up in a theatre related job, there have been several TYT alumni who have gone on to have successful careers in Theatre and the Performing Arts: TYT alum Brian Hissong graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Theatre Performance, and found a home with several national touring productions, including Guys & Dolls. He has since founded Hissong Productions, and is currently on the faculty at the United States Naval Academy. Leah Crocetto, has gone on to become a world-renowned soprano in the world of Opera. Annie Cooley spent 7 years as a Radio City Music Hall Rockette and has worked in both Washington, DC and New York City as a much sought-after dance choreographer. Ashley Travis performed with legendary singer and actor Pat Boone and toured nationally as a dancer and dance captain with a production of the musical, CATS. These are only a few former TYT-ers who have made the jump to the “big leagues.”
 
Tecumseh Youth Theatre has also been the launching pad for several behind the scenes “kids” to get their start. From LA studio musicians, to lighting and rigging with Disney on Ice and Jackson College’s Potter Center, to Associate Producer at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago, to Project Manager in the R & D Department at ETC Lighting Controls - the preeminent lighting equipment manufacturer in the world, to running a spotlight for a touring production of Phantom of the Opera, to the Shakespeare Theatre Company of Washington DC and the University of Michigan prop department and Power Center, many have gone on to have careers “behind the scenes.” 
 
Regardless of what the kids who are part of a TYT production go on to accomplish in their adult lives, they will all know what it is to be part of something bigger than themselves. They will know what it’s like to be responsible, disciplined, and dedicated, to be part of a team, and to sacrifice for the greater good.  Kids who are perhaps shy, or unsure, who may never have stepped foot onstage come away from a production that much better. Wherever these kids end up in life, in whatever career they choose, they will take with them the confidence, determination, and self-awareness of someone who has accomplished a great deal to bring joy to others.  But most importantly, they will take with them the friendships and memories that last a life-time. 
 
Confession Time
I suppose I should confess … those favorite plays and scenes we were talking about? If I had to choose, it would be the 1998 production of Children of Eden - a show that had not been previously produced in Michigan by any theatre company, professional or amateur. There are many things that made this production so memorable - Donna’s experience talking directly with the author, Stephen Schwartz, to procure the rights to the show, a 22-hour production meeting to and from the Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey to see the show in person, getting a tour backstage, and running into star, Adrian Zmed; then coming home to start our production, watching our own high school kids take over and become “parents” to the little kids in the show, watching the little kids transform from being stage “family members” to becoming part of a rousing carousel of two-by-two animals headed into the Ark, and a show-stopping rendition of the gospel-style song “Ain’t It Good,” sung by then high school student, Leah Crocetto. 
 
It was a time of pure joy interspersed with personal tragedy in the form of several deaths in the families of cast and crew members, including mine. This simultaneous joy and sadness was conveyed in the song “The Hardest Part of Love (Is the Letting Go),” sung in our production by high school student, Keith Coates. This young man was portraying Noah, and sung his heart out through this show, but most especially at the last Sunday matinee, for his father who was seriously ill, but still in the audience that day. Along with his brother Neil, who was our sound board operator for the show, that song in particular reflected the mood of many. There was no way of knowing that a few weeks later, their father would also pass away. Frankly, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house for anyone who knew what those words really meant to all of us at the time. 
 
Yes, my life is inexorably tied to Tecumseh Youth Theatre. Many years have passed since the day I first sat at that simple two-scene pre-set board. I’ve seen a lot of Youth Theatre kids come and go. I’ve seen a lot of parents, crew, and musicians come and go. I’ve been part of a majority of TYT productions in its nearly 37-year history. But, just like the recently performed James and the Giant Peach, it’s the moments within the play, and the memories that they create that I’ll take with me. It really is about the shared experience, about people coming together as strangers, and leaving as family. For that experience, I will be forever grateful! 

​Canadian Fiddle and Step Dancing Family Comes to Tecumseh
 
Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) is welcoming Canadian Fiddle and Step Dancing Champions – The Fitzgeralds to the TCA stage on Saturday, March 23, 2019.

​The group consists of three fiddling and step dancing siblings – Tom, Kerry & Julie Fitzgerald. Hailing from just outside one of Canada’s renowned fiddling regions, they have come a long way from their small-town roots. Featuring 3-time Canadian Grandmaster Fiddle Champions and Ontario Open Step Dance Champions, this unique act features high-energy fiddling and mind-blowing step dancing. It is the rare combination of exceptional musicianship, audience interaction, an evident love of performing, and a genuine family connection that resonates with audiences of all ages and sets this group apart. 

The Fitzgeralds were raised in a musical household and toured internationally with their relatives in the band “Everything Fitz.” Growing up on the outskirts of the Ottawa Valley, they were immersed in the rich tradition of Canadian Old Time fiddling and step dancing that evolved with the arrival of Irish, Scottish and French immigrants. Over time, they have developed their art form to include various styles of fiddle music including Celtic, jazz, bluegrass, French-Canadian, and pop. They have also explored other dance forms including tap and Irish. This trio continue to push boundaries by fusing traditional and modern styles of fiddle and dance to create their own unique sound and style.
 
Despite their young age, these musicians have some notable musical experiences under their belts. Highlights include both group and solo performances with: Nathan Carter, Leahy, Natalie MacMaster, Cherish the Ladies, Tommy Hunter, Bowfire, Sharon Shannon, Liz Carroll, and We Banjo 3. They’ve also performed at World-Fest, Silver Dollar City, and in Branson MO. As members of The StepCrew, they have had the opportunity to perform with Carlos Nunez, Solas, and Eileen Ivers. They were guest performers on the prestigious Nathan Carter TV Christmas Special in 2017. A video of their high-energy dance performance has gone viral with over 3 million views! Their show is a hit at festivals including Milwaukee Irish Fest (US), Dayton Irish Fest (US), Cleveland Irish Fest (US), Iowa Irish Fest (US), Shrewsbury Folk Fest (UK), Mariposa Folk Fest (CA), Stan Rogers Folk Fest (CA), among others. The Fitzgeralds are some of the most talented, energetic, animated, and genuine performers you will come across.
 
The Fitzgeralds perform at Tecumseh Center for the Arts on Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $25 for adults and $23 for seniors, youth and military members. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Both concessions and the TCA bar will begin serving at 6:30 pm.

​The Fitzgeralds are sponsored by Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation, Visit Lenawee and 3 Dudes and Dinner. Tickets can be purchased through the TCA website at www.TheTCA.org or through the TCA Box Office located in Tecumseh, Michigan. You can also purchase tickets by calling 517.423.6617 Tuesday-Friday from noon until 5 pm.

Thank You!
Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) has a proud tradition of bringing high caliber shows to the Tecumseh community. However, we could not do it without the support of our business sponsors, foundations, patrons, individual donors, the City of Tecumseh, and the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation. 

This year, Tecumseh Center for the Arts was blessed to receive two grant awards from the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation. Without their support this season we would not have had the opportunity to host two very talented groups: River Raisin Ragtime Revue and The Fitzgeralds. 

River Raisin Ragtime Revue
The Veterans Day Concert has been an annual tradition at Tecumseh Center for the Arts for many years. The TCA is proud to host the event as a way to recognize and salute our local veterans and encourage a sense of community with a free concert. 

Upon revisiting the concert in 2015, the TCA gained much support and gratitude from the community and local veterans and we strive to include the free Veterans Day concert each year in our lineup. We strongly believe that patriotic music, guest speakers, unifying the community, and celebrating veterans are requirements for our mission moving forward. By providing music from US Army bands, community/volunteer bands, and touring groups such as the River Raisin Ragtime Revue, the Veterans Day Concert greatly benefits the community. We look forward to thanking our veterans each year through a memorable performance as they have served our nation and provided us, as Americans, with a wealth of freedoms.
​
Thanks to the support of the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation, we were able to welcome the River Raisin Ragtime Revue (R4) to the TCA stage in November 2018. R4 is a professional theater orchestra from Tecumseh, Michigan, with the mission of restoring, educating, and entertaining attendees with America’s original popular style of music: ragtime. R4 has performed at high caliber venues such as The Henry Ford Museum, Detroit Institute of Art, and Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater. Furthermore, R4 has 4 outstanding CD recordings titled The Red Black Book: Standard High Class Rags, Ragtime Detroit! Raggin’ at Greenfield Village (collaboration with Greenfield Village), and Animal Fair: Ragtime Music for Children and the Youth At Heart.  Recordings of these CDs have been reviewed locally, nationally, and internationally and aired on radio stations around the world.

The Fitzgeralds
Each year, Tecumseh Center for the Arts hosts a National Touring Season where we bring in shows from across the state of Michigan, throughout the United States and even around the World. This year was no different as we unveiled a five show touring season featuring May Erlewine, Lawn and Disorder, The Cat's Pajamas, The Fitzgeralds and The Britins. 

This season, Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation awarded us with the monies to bring the Canadian fiddle and step dancing champions, The Fitzgeralds, to the TCA stage on March 23. The group consists of fiddling and step dancing siblings – Tom, Kerry & Julie Fitzgerald. Hailing from just outside one of Canada’s renowned fiddling regions, they have come a long way from their small-town roots. Featuring 3-time Canadian Grandmaster Fiddle Champions and Ontario Open Step Dance Champions, this unique act features high-energy fiddling and mind-blowing step dancing. It is the rare combination of exceptional musicianship, audience interaction, an evident love of performing, and a genuine family connection that resonates with audiences of all ages and sets this group apart. 

The Fitzgeralds were raised in a musical household and toured internationally with their relatives in the band “Everything Fitz”. Growing up on the outskirts of the Ottawa Valley, they were immersed in the rich tradition of Canadian Old Time fiddling and step dancing that evolved with the arrival of Irish, Scottish and French immigrants. Over time, they have developed their art form to include various styles of fiddle music including Celtic, jazz, bluegrass, French-Canadian, and pop. They have also explored other dance forms including tap and Irish. This trio continue to push boundaries by fusing traditional and modern styles of fiddle and dance to create their own unique sound and style.
 
Despite their young age, these musicians have some notable musical experiences under their belts. Highlights include both group and solo performances with: Nathan Carter, Leahy, Natalie MacMaster, Cherish the Ladies, Tommy Hunter, Bowfire, Sharon Shannon, Liz Carroll, and We Banjo 3. They’ve also performed at World-Fest, Silver Dollar City, and in Branson MO. As members of The StepCrew, they have had the opportunity to perform with Carlos Nunez, Solas, and Eileen Ivers. They were guest performers on the prestigious Nathan Carter TV Christmas Special in 2017. A video of their high-energy dance performance has gone viral, with over 3 million views! Their show is a hit at festivals including Milwaukee Irish Fest (US), Dayton Irish Fest (US), Cleveland Irish Fest (US), Iowa Irish Fest (US) Shrewsbury Folk Fest (UK), Mariposa Folk Fest (CA), and the Stan Rogers Folk Fest (CA), among others. The Fitzgeralds are some of the most talented, energetic, animated, and genuine performers you will come across.

To learn more about The Fitzgeralds or to purchase tickets to their show, visit our website. 

About Elizabeth
For roughly the last 35 years of her life, Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson was a steady participant, friend and supporter of the Arts in Tecumseh.  Although born in Willis, Michigan, Elizabeth spent part of her childhood in Tecumseh before her parents Charles S. Ruthruff and Lulu Pulver Ruthruff moved to Jackson in 1908. There, Elizabeth had her first violin lesson at 13. She graduated from high school in 1923 and spent a year each at Albion College and the Toledo Conservatory of Music. She had a lifelong love for music.  While her career was not in music, her heart always was. Her career was spent working with Dr. Henry H. Kessler, founder of the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, New Jersey. After she retired in 1968, she moved back to Tecumseh and shared a family home with her sister Dorothy. In retirement, Elizabeth finally had time to pursue her love of music full time both through her own participation and in her support of musical events and music education activities.

Elizabeth particularly believed in furthering the music education for local youth and taught violin lessons until well into her eighties. She was instrumental in the founding of the Tecumseh Pops Orchestra and the building of the Civic Auditorium; she was on the board of directors of both organizations until her death. Always looking to the future, in 1997 (at age 92), Elizabeth established the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting Music and the Performing Arts. Since her death in 2001, the Foundation has continued to carry out her wishes. It established the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation Scholarship for Excellence in Music and/or Performing Arts in 2002. This program targets graduates from Lenawee County high schools interested in pursuing a post-secondary degree in Music or Performing Arts. In 2003, the Foundation initiated the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Camp Scholarship program to provide tuition support for Lenawee County children wishing to attend Music or Performing Arts summer camps.

One of Elizabeth’s brightest dreams was to see a string program established in the Tecumseh Public School system. After many years of hard work, in 2003, the Foundation and the Tecumseh Public Schools started the new program in the schools. Many other regional organizations have also benefited from Elizabeth’s generosity through the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation. Through her foresight and her enduring gift to the community, she has helped fulfill the dreams of many in Lenawee County.

The Elizabeth Wilson Foundation funds only projects that involve music and the performing arts. You can learn more about the foundation at www.elizabethwilsonfoundation.org.