Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Service Provider Expo at the League of Historic American Theatre National Conference, July 16
I operated a scenery restoration business, Bella Scena LLC, for years without ever having to advertise. All of my business was secured through customer satisfaction and word of mouth. Positive referrals can be some of the best advertising, traveling fast across among a group or throughout a region. If you do a good job, people talk about it and you get more work. The same can be said for poor craftsmanship; if you do a bad job, it lives forever and people realize that you have no idea what you are doing. I have restoration projects that are over two decades old and they remain in good shape. People still pass along my name and their satisfaction with my work. My new book “The Santa Fe Scottish Rite Tempe: Freemasonry, Architecture and Theatre” even includes detail images and entire scenes from the restored 1912 collection; the images show the quality of my work.
Our new company Historic Stage Services LLC goes far beyond what Bella Scena could offer as a restoration service. We identified a need and created a company to fill that void. Many historic theaters owners and operators are not always presented with good information, including the complete history of their venue so that they can understand the cultural significance of their stage, especially the machinery, draperies, lighting and scenery. We research the venue and provide a variety of options from straightforward restoration to a blend of old and new technologies. HSS specializes in everything BEHIND the curtain line. There are many companies that focus on FOH (front of house) projects, but none that specialize solely in stage houses at historic venues. If a client has the best information, they can make the best decisions for the future of their theater. We provide a new approach to old problems.
Two of us traveled to Austin, Texas, for the LHAT conference. This was primarily a marketing trip; Historic Stage Services had a booth at the League of Historic American Theatres Service Expo. Our company generated a lot of interest at the Expo yesterday. Enthusiastic people introduced themselves and described a variety of stage spaces and renovation projects. There is a lot more networking to do over the next few days, including another theatre ramble to the Paramount in Austin. However, today we return to the Scottish Rite with a few new friends to explore the potential of painted scenery. This is too much fun!
To be continued…
