Good article that captures what we do for a living….. Behind the Scenes: Stage hands at the Garde led by Cunningham

“Unsung” is a term used to convey the efforts of dedicated, loyal people who rarely reap the praise afforded those more visible.

Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the theater, where nearly all accolades are reserved for actors, directors and writers. Yet without the efforts of stage hands and technicians — who seek no such applause or public recognition — theatrical productions would be severely impaired.

In fact, this backstage culture of the unsung is every bit as crucial in achieving the overall success of a production as are the principal performers.

“I embrace the anonymity of it,” said Shawn Cunningham, who coordinates productions at the Garde Arts Center in New London. “And from a technical point of view — being aware how carefully lights must be hung, and set pieces assembled in the right way — I take pride and satisfaction in having helped make their environment a safe one too. That’s recognition enough for me.”

Their work begins long before a single actor or director ever shows up on the set. In fact, in places like the majestic 91-year-old Garde (built a year before Babe Ruth hit his legendary 60 home runs), the crew arrives at ungodly early morning hours — unloading huge trucks jammed with heavy, intricate equipment and bulky set pieces — often during adverse weather conditions.

It is not unusual for crew members working at this grand old theater in New London to feel the slushy cold of freezing rain, heavy snow, and biting winds while unpacking (and later repacking) trucks from touring Broadway and independent companies.

Cunningham describes himself as a reclusive and quiet individual, yet he commands and guides theater crews through the rigorous process of all those lengthy preliminaries that culminate in a two-hour show, which is often broken down and packed up that same day.

“I think it’s the sense of knowing that you helped provide people with a brief period of escape from life’s demands,” he said of the rewards crew members experience. “I enjoy standing outside afterwards as people are leaving the theater smiling … and knowing I played a role in putting those smiles on their faces.”

Garde crews are made up of a small force of steady regulars, supplemented by part-time “hands” hired specifically for larger touring events. A near entire day is spent unloading then pushing huge boxes of heavy set pieces, costumes & props, along with tall lighting towers and stacks of intricate backdrops over steep ramps … then finally assembling it all (with “saintly patience”) into a make-believe world designed for eventual audiences to experience theater magic.

It’s a strenuous and tiring process. And such work will never make wealthy country club members of those signing on to serve as stage hands or production technicians. Most of their names will not even appear in a show’s program. So why do it?

There are indeed easier ways to earn money, whether it’s career income or an additional means of trying to make ends meet. Truth is, theater contains an allure … a mystique that transcends basic labor.

A number of the Garde’s staff, such as former technical director Mark Comito and recent UConn theater graduate Jason Wadecki, studied theater arts in college, but Shawn Cunningham’s venture into the theatrical world came about differently. Overcoming an earlier period in his life of substance abuse, he came to the Garde Arts Center as a means of performing mandatory community service, he said.

“I found stage work there to be intriguing and rewarding, and especially enjoyed learning about it from the Garde’s technical director, Mark Comito,” said Cunningham, like most Garde stagehands a resident of New London. “Mark was willing to give me a chance when a lot of other people wouldn’t even think of helping me out. I’ll always be grateful to him for that.” Comito has since moved on to work with a national theater touring company, and Cunningham — who has commanded the respect and trust of Garde administrators and technical staff — now assumes many key responsibilities handled previously by his onetime mentor.

Garde Executive Director Steve Sigel and his wife Jeanne, director of development, agree that the value of loyal stage technicians like Shawn Cunningham and his crew is beyond measure.

“Without our incredibly hardworking and dedicated backstage staff, tech and crew, musical artists and Broadway performers presented at the Garde would be dancing, singing and acting in the dark on an empty stage, without amplification,” Jeanne Sigel reflected.

With the recent Broadway touring production of “Once” playing to a capacity crowd (over 1,400 seats) at the Garde recently, the crew of regulars and part-time hands pulled off yet another miracle set-up, as the show arrived the very day after this winter’s most crippling blizzard.

But as they say, “The show must go on” — and it did.

Several other Garde linchpins in the technical success of touring productions — Charlotte Fields, Ed Ferraro, Bobby Graham and Jackie Rivera — were on hand as always. Fields works nearly every aspect of the backstage culture and specializes in the costume department, where she not only undertakes the highly complex responsibilities of seeing every actor in a show garbed properly and in accordance with each demanding scene-change; she also makes certain these professional performers are afforded their due privacy and comfort during a show’s run.

Graham and Rivera are two of the Garde’s more versatile linchpins in that they are often seen backstage (and outdoors) working the more strenuous duties assigned crew members, then scurrying up to the “front-of-house” to serve as bartenders during preshow and intermission activities.

Ed Ferraro, with over 25 years of backstage work at the Garde, knows the intricacies of successful theater production as well as anyone. He literally is the “man behind the curtain” … handling the difficult task of the fly rails, from which the painted scene drops are hoisted up and down in the background, thus providing audiences with the remarkable illusion of changing settings.

Ferraro recalls his favorite: “We had a 1,200 pound backdrop for a production of Oklahoma that ran the entire length of the stage,” he reflected with a smile and a light in his eye, touched by the memory of a stunning theatrical effect that had been his responsibility … and knowing how audience members surely had to have been reacting.

Other steady regulars at the Garde include “wizards of the lighting boards” Adam Brandt and Tanya Sandberg-Diment.

These regulars constitute the backbone of the Garde. Yet, it all starts with those early morning moments when the Garde’s regular staff mingles with the part-time hands called and organized by Cunningham over the course of a good week in advance.

Many of these “hands” are regulars in their own right, as they return, show-after-show, to undergo the grind of preproduction setup. And some would make crack employees anywhere simply on the basis of hustle.

Brad LaFrance is certainly among them, as he has the constant habit of knowing exactly where someone is needed for a grueling chore and appears on the spot, ready and willing. The same is true of Mark DeSouza who, like LaFrance, displays an admirable work ethic born of pride in a job well done.

And prominent among her male counterparts is young Matson Crab — who first became involved with theatrical productions in high school, doing backstage technical work and now works at it full-time with production companies throughout New England.

The degree of sheer spunk she exhibits in performing her duties until the last truck loads and departs is among reasons part-timer John Mills says simply, “It’s the camaraderie that does it. That’s what I enjoy most about these calls.”

One of the more significant boasts has to be the manner in which Garde employees have grown into other positions. Past Garde regular Ian Loftis now tours with the company that brought “Once” to New London. He is head sound supervisor for the show.

And though none of these dedicated workers and technicians took a single bow for their efforts, the show could not have gone on without them.

Behind the Scenes is an occasional series planned by The Times to introduce readers to unsung local heroes. Nominate someone by emailing l.howard@theday.com.