Have you ever wondered who’s in charge of getting everything together behind the scenes? From lighting and sound to set building, our Technical Director, Shane, puts all the pieces together for our shows. Learn more about him in the following Q&A!
Tell us a little about yourself, Shane:
I grew up in the Milwaukee area and was heavily involved in band playing the French horn as well as the Mellophone in marching band. I graduated college from the University Wisconsin- Eau Claire with a Comprehensive Theatre degree and an emphasis in lighting design. After graduating, I spent a year as a Lighting and Sound Apprentice for Two River Theatre in Red Bank, NJ. I came back to Milwaukee the following year interning in the Lighting Department at the Milwaukee Rep. I now spend my days at In Tandem, The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts and freelancing in and around the Milwaukee area. I love spending my time exploring new places, biking, camping, baking, cooking, and spending time with my cat, Keiko
What is your favorite part about your job?
I’d say a tie between the people I work with, and getting to be a part of creating something that audiences get to enjoy.
What is your favorite place(s) to go in Milwaukee (restaurant, entertainment, etc.)?
My favorite place to eat is either Vagabond or the Milwaukee Public Market. When the weather is warm I spend lots of time down by the lake and all the wonderful parks around town.
What is your favorite play and/or musical? Anything that you would love to see? Why?
My favorite play would have to be You Can’t Take it With You, one of the first shows I worked on in high school; the grandfather reminds me a lot of my own grandfather. Waitress the musical is my current favorite musical with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum coming in close second. I hope to one day see Hamilton if I can ever get tickets!
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Top of my list would be Poland. I want to learn more about my heritage and visit the town that my mother’s side of the family left when they came to America.
What’s a fun fact about yourself/what do you want people to know about you?
I love architecture and history; it’s probably what I would be doing if I wasn’t doing theatre. My brain is also filled with lots of random facts about the history of Milwaukee and current projects in and around downtown.