(For the purposes of this piece, we’re going to pretend that Covid-19 never existed. Why does theatre exist in the first place but for imagination and to take us to places we’ve never been to and times beyond our own.)
On any given Saturday morning, you can find a small number of Stage Coach members at the theatre. They won’t be rehearsing for an upcoming production. These members are working on one of several projects for the organization and discussing upcoming projects for it. Or simply making sure the building and its assets are still in good and usable condition. Perhaps even sharing a story or two. The theatre is oftentimes about more than producing plays.
Sometimes you’ll find the current box office chair, Gloria Dennison, preparing for the season or readying tickets for the next production. You may also find costume mavens Janet Rosenberg, Susan Johnson or Laura Hunyard in the costume area in the basement sorting through the current costume stock. Other times Sue McCue, Nancy Schuneman, or Mandy Burress props goddesses taking inventory of the thousands of props in Stage Coach Players’ arsenal. Mark Hunyard and at one time Tom Grady work on stage lighting, electrical and sound to ensure the technical aspects of theatre are kept up.
There is also building maintenance members Bernie Schuneman, David Pearson and Bob Cain. Over the past decade, these three and others have helped create new dressing rooms along with slots behind the stage block to store both heavy platforms and larger flats making it easier for productions to build their sets. The work also includes more mundane tasks such as changing light fixtures, mowing the grass and shoveling snow.
The work all of these Stage Coach Players’ members do and more is not always glamorous. The stage lights don’t come up for these tasks and audiences don’t wait in the lobby to greet the folks doing these jobs. And yet, all of it is necessary to keep the theatre running.
Days for the building crew are not typically the same, according to Schuneman. “It can range from dismantling 10 huge set pieces to sitting around the kitchen table discussing what we OUGHT to be doing,” he said. Different projects come up and need tending to. Often planned, but not always. The DeKalb Fire Department recently recommended Stage Coach Players get rid of 25% of what was stored in the basement. Members have been clearing out set pieces, props, lighting instruments and even costumes to help keep fire lanes open. Schuneman jokingly added, “Unfortunately we are an organization of pack rats.”
As for props, Sue McCue and Nancy Schuneman, along with others, meet several times throughout the year to organize and clean the Prop Room areas. “This is necessary, as we receive donations of items that people think maybe we can use,” McCue and Schuneman said. When one ventures into the props storage area, one might think things are simply placed randomly. And that happens. When shows are struck, everyone pitches in and oftentimes those putting props away aren’t familiar with where any specific item should go. “Believe it or not, there is an organization plan to the props in the Prop Room, and, of course, it is easier to find what you are looking for when it is where it’s supposed to be.”
Costumes tend to be sorted while the costumers are not working on a specific show. Like props, there are always donations coming in. From 1980’s style prom dresses to older suits to vintage hats. The pieces themselves aren’t always usable, but the fabric in much of it tends to be used to create other costumes. Janet Rosenberg who’s costumed or helped costume over 25 shows in a very short period of time with Stage Coach Players, said, “When we costume a show, it’s very helpful to know what is available already.” She added, “If we find an especially wonderful costume piece, it may serve as the foundation for the entire look of the show’s costuming.”
Stage Coach Players is not only the recipient of donations, the organization lends out costumes, props and set pieces to other theatre groups. Jeanna Hunter has spent the last eight years or so as the theatre contact person for such loans. “We are a resource for area schools, both high school and middle school, churches, other theater groups, dance groups, and even NIU’s hospitality students and Opera Project,” Hunter said.
She continued, “Sometimes groups come to Stage Coach Players knowing exactly what they want – a size four wedding dress from the 1980’s with long sleeves, off white. Other times, it is a very general idea – something Bohemian from the 2000’s – and it becomes a very collaborative experience. I love hearing about the production and about the actors and it is always cool when we find the ‘perfect’ piece for someone’s event.”
Since moving into the new space, the lobby area and box office were rebuilt along with the crow’s nest. The auditorium had new carpet installed and the organization rewired or reconfigured lights and sound several times. All to make theatre shows better come to life and for the convenience of all the many community members who visit our theatre. Most of it done by the Stage Coach Players family.
One of the great things about Stage Coach Players is that we get to find new friends. Sometimes even best friends. The building maintenance members often meet at one of the local restaurants on Saturday mornings prior to working at the theatre. “One of the special things about Stage Coach Players is that we get to work with people we’d probably never meet otherwise,” long-time member Kathy Cain said. In some cases, you meet your spouse or life partner.
