Tne NPAC season is over! Now what?

People often ask if we can relax a little, now that the season is over at the Niswonger.  Unfortunately, there are a few items to address during the off-season. Allow me to share a little of our off-season preparations.

The selection process for next season’s concerts is over (phew!). Now it’s time to wait for all our offers to be confirmed (or not).  At this moment, I am waiting to hear back from just two out of 25 offers we have in. That’s not bad, but it’s also the reason we experience delays in our announcements and preparations for revealing a new season. However, we are working on what we have and I think by the end of this week we will be ready to put the finishing touches on a new season.

In the meantime, marketing is busy lining up sponsors, underwriters, and advertisers.  Nearly at the same time, marketing is also busy collecting information on all our artists and shows to put together a season catalog that will be mailed out to thousands all over the country. Much of this work must be done in concert (no pun intended) with other work. It takes a very organized, creative and skilled person to pull all of this off successfully, and we are fortunate to have one of the best in our marketing director, Tafi Stober.  She keeps a lot of balls in the air at the same time.  Did I mention the video preparation?

Marketing also works in harmony (sorry, yet another pun) with our box office manager, Jerry Beard, to get all the concerts entered into our ticketing software with all the correct dates, times, and much more detailed information needed for each concert. Jerry also does great work.

As I complete the contract phase of each event, I share it with marketing and the box office.  Then, it’s time for our tech and production director to get to work advancing each show. Often, his expertise is called upon even earlier to make sure a certain show will fit the specifications of our venue. Hugh Saunier has been with us from the very beginning and is dependable and skillful.  We hear compliments from touring artists quite often on the wonderful team of volunteers and workers we organize under Hugh’s skillful eye.

The lighting side of our productions is also handled professionally by Hugh’s son, Matt Saunier.  Matt graduated from Van Wert High School two years ago and is actually now touring all over the U.S. with some professional touring artists who have performed at the Niswonger.  Making contacts in the performing arts industry might just land a huge job some day for Matt.  He has learned a tremendous amount about show and concert production while working first at the Marsh Auditorium and later at the Niswonger.  We have been the beneficiaries of his education.

A new teacher has been hired by Van Wert City Schools to focus on educating students for a future in performing arts.  We look forward to working with Melissa Bloomfield and a crop of students who can learn and possibly grow into a future job in performing arts.

During the summer, our facility coordinator will be busy taking care of all our performers’ hospitality, travel and lodging needs. This is sometimes an overwhelming job. Who better than Mark Hartman to take care of these details? Mark has done outstanding work at Trinity Friends Church for many years and now we have been blessed to have his services at the Niswonger.  Additionally, Mark will line up all the volunteer positions required to serve each concert. I’ve said it before, but we can’t say enough about the dedication of so many outstanding volunteers we have at our PAC.

Oh yes, and while all this preparation is going on, some of us are gearing up for a wonderful summer line up of concerts in Fountain Park.  All that fun begins June 5 with the soft-rock group, Ambrosia on Peony and ArtRageous weekend.  Remember, these summer concerts begin at 7 p.m. in Fountain Park.

So, yes it is nice to have a season behind us and to relax a little.a Thanks for asking.

FINÉ.