Written by Baylie Hoffman (they/she)
Even during the slow part of a season, there is never a dull moment in the SLT office! Behind the scenes there is always marketing to be done, grants to be written, and typically the strangest task you could imagine (certainly nowhere in the job description). With only a small team of five staff members and countless volunteers, there is always work to be done.
In the winter of 2022, as I was relaxing on the couch, I got a call from the boss (Executive Director, Karen Austin) that the new acoustic paneling for the rehearsal hall needed moved urgently! With our staff and a few extra willing volunteers, we spent a damp and snowy day in December loading 4,000 pounds of acoustic paneling onto the elevator and up the stairs. Yet another new project was beginning. Not only did I receive a great workout, I now know the feeling of fiber glass in my fingertips (and hair, clothes and my immune system probably).
The lull between the busy season doesn’t mean that chaos and activity is far away. From brand-new wireless microphones getting shipped in hours before the Footloose production, props and stages being crafted by Eric Morelli (Artistic Director) for the Academy and Celebrity Series, the set-up for private and public events, Karen Austin cooking for our celebrity acts and security, Jenn Scalise (Office Manager) from answering phones and running numbers to painting sets for upcoming shows, to stage-set up for monthly films, new sound boards being self-taught (to name a few), there is, consistently, a never-ending to-do list!
More recently, we all hopped in the car to move a baby grand piano, generously donated to our theatre. We dismantled it and once our helpers arrived with a truck, we loaded everything up, and back off to the theatre we went.
From an outside perspective, it may not seem like much is happening during our off season, but there is rarely a dull day that goes by at Struthers Library Theatre. After all, this place has persevered for 140 years and counting. Learn More about our staff here: SLT STAFF
