April 22, 2026 • 22 mins
Join host Alisanne Struck along with guests Heath Weber and Brock Bourek for an inside look at a transformative collaboration for the local arts scene. LAMB Theatre and Morningside University have officially joined forces to inspire creativity, elevate learning, and strengthen community connections.
In this episode, we explore how LAMB Theatre is directing nearly a million dollars from past fundraising efforts to completely revamp the University’s Klinger-Neal Theatre. We break down the details behind the massive facility upgrades coming this summer, including brand-new patron seating, a massive video wall, state-of-the-art sound with wireless microphones, and top-tier lighting. These exciting renovations will soon make Klinger-Neal the best-equipped theatre in the region.
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(00:00):
This is Inside M-Side, your favorite podcast for all things Morningside.
(00:04):
Here's stories from students, alumni, faculty, and more about what makes the
Morningside experience so special.
Hello, hello.
Welcome back to Inside M-Side.
I'm one of your hosts, Alison, and today we're going to be talking about all
things theater, Lamb Theater, Morningside, all of the great stuff.
(00:25):
So with me today, I'll let you guys introduce yourselves.
Heath, do you want to go first?
My name's Heath Weber.
I'm the Dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts.
And my name is Brock Borick.
I'm the Manager of Theater Operations for Lamb Theater, as well as a proud
Morningside alum, class of 19.
Woo!
Love it.
Okay.
So we have this wonderful partnership with Lamb.
(00:45):
Can you guys both kind of walk me through what that is, what it looks like?
Heath, I'll have you start.
Absolutely.
We have been in partnership with Lamb for the last two years when they had a rather
unfortunate incident at their, their former building.
Uh, and we obviously had space and, and wanted them to be a part of what we're
doing and have now officially, um, finalized that, that partnership to make
(01:08):
it a permanent piece of Morningside's campus.
Um, what that has allowed us to do is really broaden, um, our, our
production season at Morningside.
Um, previously we were doing a two or three productions a year, and now we're
up to nine, uh, which is really outstanding and it gives our students a
(01:32):
really incredible opportunity to not only act and tech for shows, but also
really understand what a, uh, a not-for-profit, uh, professional
theater can, can offer for them.
Um, I'll, I'll let Brock talk a little bit more too about some of the, the
neat, like intergenerational things, but, um, we're so pleased to have,
(01:55):
to have Lamb on campus.
Yeah.
And we're really excited to be on campus.
It's been so fun.
Yeah.
And as you're talking about, again, this is a massive change from doing
only two or three productions a year to now doing nine or even 10, because
we're always looking and trying to find new ways to do performances and bring
very, um, performance venue type of experiences to the stage.
(02:20):
So this next year that we have coming up, we will have a closer to 11
opportunities that people can perform in on the main stage, which is very exciting.
It's a little daunting too, but, um, it's so exciting because, you know,
you talk to any institution, even vaguely in the area and beyond.
And a lot of them, their eyes glaze over.
They go, whoa, that's, that's a lot.
(02:42):
We go, yes, it is a lot, but that's also the beauty of this partnership
is not any one thing falls onto one person's shoulders.
You know, it's not just lamb.
It's not just Morningside.
Both of us.
And it's very joint.
And so we're, we're very excited because there's so much promise and
opportunity in kind of all these avenues that, you know, we get to work
(03:04):
with the students and the students get to work with us, um, we just recently
in our March production that we had, you know, we just had a student who
got to work alongside a community member.
Yeah.
And he is, he's a counselor in this very area and she wants to
go into psychology and counseling.
And so she was kind of picking his brain after a couple of rehearsals
and asking like, Hey, if I wanted to get into this field, what should I look into?
(03:26):
And so he was just kind of guiding her and talking her through some of the
things, and it was so rewarding to just kind of get to see this partnership,
really do what, what we want it to be, which is just students making these
lifelong connections and kind of getting their foot in the door before
they even step off campus.
And then our community members that they get to interact with and
collaborate with these students.
(03:48):
It's just, it's a wonderful, warm process.
Yes.
I love it.
Um, and talking about community, LAM does a lot of community engagement
with like younger school kids and just across the board does a lot, just
for the community outside of just putting on the shows, can you kind
of talk to me about some of like the programming that you guys do?
I know you guys have the LAM camps and some of that stuff.
(04:08):
Yeah, absolutely.
So we have, uh, afterschool classes that we teach, um, and those range
anywhere from kindergarten, first grade up through graduating high school students.
Um, we have classes Monday through Thursday, depending on the semester,
we may offer a Saturday class as well, but yeah, so we have various
different options, um, this kind of beginning learning acting.
(04:31):
We do a little bit of voice lessons.
We have a musical theater class.
So the kids that really enjoy singing and dancing, we, we can,
uh, incorporate all of that for them.
We have a high school acting class, but then we also do this thing.
It's kind of weird.
Now that we're here on campus, it gets a little confusing when we have our
staff meetings and we're talking about university and we go, okay, this
university or the LAM university.
(04:53):
Cause you, you know, it's, uh, kind of the baby version of LAM EWE.
Um, so we call our LAM U university and it's where we have a three week
summer camp in June and July for our students, uh, and that's
first grade through 12th grade.
And these students, they just come together and we kind of do a, again,
(05:13):
it's not necessarily like a show, like a typical show, but we perform all
of these songs and dances and we kind of put together a showcase.
Um, and so we have kind of one night, a one night performance where we just
invite all of their families to come in and it's a wonderful time.
But within those three weeks, it's a Monday through Thursday, um, 9 AM to
noon, and these students kind of attend various different classes and workshops.
(05:37):
And so, okay, we really fine tune the music here.
We learn the dance.
And so I actually, I've taught our dance, our choreography for these, uh,
workshops for these summer classes for the last couple of years.
So it's fun, really fun to have this LAM university, but again, I think
just this last week, Keith and I were in a, um, in one of our staff meetings
and we were talking about the university and I had to go, are we, oh, we're
(05:59):
talking about this coming summer's university, not the university.
Yeah, so it's all fun.
Good problem to have.
Yeah.
Great problem to have.
And it's just, it's so fun.
I know Heath has said this as well as other people.
It's so exciting to, to just see all these young students, um, on campus.
And I know that it's a great opportunity for Morningside that we have all of this
(06:20):
potential perspective students that these kids can kind of grow up from, you know,
they can come beyond our campus in third grade and, you know, so it's kind of
slowly sets into like, Hey, Morningside is a viable option.
Like you're familiar with this place.
Come be a part of our family.
Um, but it's just, it's so rewarding just to see these kids singing and
dancing and running around campus as if they have already been going here.
(06:44):
And it just warms my heart as an alum, you know, that I'm like, well, this is my home.
This is my alma mater.
And I'm like, I love that you kids feel comfortable and safe and welcomed here.
I love it.
That's the best.
I love it.
Um, can you, uh, one of the big parts of this release in this partnership is that
LAM has also committed nearly a million dollars of grant money to some of the
(07:08):
like fundraising efforts, kind of like changing up the seats.
And there's been talks of new lighting, new sound system.
That is so exciting.
Tell me more.
I, uh, I like going to see shows in Clinger Neal.
So more comfy seats.
I love all of that.
Tell me all about it.
Yeah.
Um, the, this is the hard part about this is there's only a couple of things that
(07:30):
will really be like seen by our patrons, by the audience that they get to fully
kind of touch, if you will, that they're like, Oh, Hey, like these are the updates
and the changes.
So we are getting all brand new seats in the auditorium, which is just really
exciting for, yeah, for, yeah, exactly.
For Clinger Neal.
(07:51):
And we still have the original seats from the sixties.
So we're really excited to update those.
I know we have a lot of patrons that are like, Hey, these seats are a little rough.
We're like, yeah, they are, but we're so excited to be getting some new ones.
So we're, we're so excited to be a part of that process.
Um, we're going to be getting kind of some new, um, drapery kind of along the side
walls.
(08:11):
So that's something the audiences will see.
We also are going to be getting a massive screen wall.
Um, I don't even know how, how massive to, uh, explain it's 30 feet by 20.
Yeah.
30 feet by 20 feet.
Yeah.
It's, um, all this, all these led screen wall.
And the best part is now we can deconstruct it into smaller panels if we want.
(08:34):
So we can use it out in the lobby.
We can bring it over to other buildings if we want to do things, you know, on the
spot or on the fly, you know, we're, that's part of the, the plan is to, you know,
collaborate with other, um, programs on campus of like, Hey, how can we work together?
Those people who, who have seen Christmas at Morningside and understand that giant
screen, it's the same thing.
It's actually the same company.
(08:55):
So we're really excited about, about those pieces.
And, you know, like Brock said, the, uh, what it offers that, that, that
intergenerational piece is that our audience, like Brock said, isn't going to
really know what it is that's new, but they'll go, Oh, Oh my goodness.
That's super cool.
(09:17):
And well, that's our new lighting system, or I can hear this.
The microphones are super crisp and super clean and there's no feedback.
Well, that's the new sound system.
And, you know, it, it really allows for, um, so many great new opportunities in
production that we, we currently don't get to offer, gives our students an
(09:39):
opportunity to work on cutting edge equipment, uh, which just doesn't happen.
You know, like I think one of the pieces that, that is so exciting for us as a, as
a theater institution will be that, you know, local high schools are updating,
um, their, their facilities at a pretty high rate, you know, there's new, new
(10:03):
auditoriums going up and new this and new that, but these kinds of pieces that we
are putting into the, uh, into the theater, no one has, you know, these are
absolutely professional level kind of opportunities for students, um, for.
For professionals too.
There, there isn't a, a 30 by 20 foot video wall.
(10:24):
There, there isn't a turntable there.
There isn't, you know, brand new led lights or those are pieces that we are
going to be so fortunate to get to share with our patrons also that we
get to share with our students.
Yeah.
That's going to be really exciting to just really amp up and boost our production
value.
I was just going to say, especially the value of it.
(10:46):
And like you guys talk about like, oh, you're going to see stuff and the
mics are going to be crisper.
It's like, it helps with the immersiveness of seeing a show.
And some of that, I feel like it's like almost kind of getting lost that it's
like, we need people like you guys in the world to like reinvest into the arts
and really like, you know, see the value and going and seeing a live performance,
especially, you know, where we are right now with technology.
(11:08):
I so would just mother much rather watch a live performance than scroll on my
phone.
I just see more value in that.
And I think a lot of people are getting to that point as well.
So it's very exciting stuff for Morningside, for LAM.
I love it.
Can you guys kind of tell me about, you know, coming from Morningside, you get to
LAM.
(11:29):
What did that journey look like for you?
Yeah.
So it was really exciting.
I got my job at LAM three days before I walked across the stage to get my diploma,
which was the most exhilarating and panic-induced moment, just like I need job
security.
I'm about to graduate.
And so it was just such a sigh of relief.
(11:50):
And it has been such a wonderful process because since I have graduated, we have
been in collaboration with Morningside every year since.
And so it just, you know, this collaboration didn't come out of nowhere.
We were already in conversations and, you know, we were talking about, you know, we've
(12:11):
had Taylor Clemons, you know, our acting artistic director and, you know, jack of all
trades for our theater company.
He's come over and done scenic designs, lighting designs at LAM Theater.
We've collaborated, you know, we've borrowed equipment from you guys, so on and so
forth. You guys have borrowed things from us, furniture pieces, set pieces.
So we've already been in conversations.
(12:32):
And before we made the transition to be over here long term, when our building was
kind of in its final stages, we had actually had a kind of precursor conversation with
Morningside of like, hey, is there any chance that we could come over and just be here
for a year? And we would, you know, we're thinking maybe starting off the season in
(12:54):
August or September and we'll be over here.
And that would have been 2024, I believe.
So we're like, hey, you know, so if we can start that season and then we'll just be
here for a year and then we'll be out of your hair and we'll go off.
And then push came to shove and things kind of fell into place in a beautiful,
serendipitous way that we went, hey, it's March and so we're about nine months ahead
(13:18):
of schedule. Can we move in now?
And Morningside was like, absolutely, we're here for you.
And it was you guys were just such a wonderful saving grace.
And just they opened the doors and just were like, what can we do?
How can we support you?
How can we aid this collaboration and really uplift you guys and make sure that the
theater is strong and it keeps going?
And so that was a very daunting experience of, OK, well, we're in the middle of a
(13:42):
season and we got to rush in and we got to kind of fine tune.
And so it was a lot of working with one another of Morningside has its ways of doing
things and LAM has its ways.
And so that has been kind of this weird dichotomy that we've been figuring out the
last couple of years of like, OK, where are our two identities similar and where are
they separate? And so it's just making sure that like Morningside, their productions,
(14:07):
their two to three productions they do a year, those are Morningside productions.
So those are only going to be productions for the students.
And we really try to make sure that the students are very heavily involved behind the
scenes as well as on the stage.
So we have a lot of assistant designers, a lot of programmers.
They're working as crew members, whereas LAM's productions, it is still the community
(14:30):
members. It is LAM kind of in charge of everything.
But we're making sure that there are still opportunities that the students can be
involved should they wish to.
And some students are like, no, I'm OK.
Like, I want to hang out more with my with my buddies.
And and the wonderful thing about doing nine to eleven productions is that it is
impossible for anyone to do all of them.
(14:51):
And we are just so grateful that we have this opportunity, that the students have the
chance that they can kind of pick and choose and go, well, I'm not just stuck with doing
these three productions a year.
Now I have eleven.
I have nine. I have however many productions I want to participate in.
And I can go, OK, with my schedule, I can do this and I can do that and I can still do
(15:13):
student government. I can still be an R.A.
I can be on the soccer team.
And that's I think that that's what we love so much about Morningside is, you know, I
always talk about Morningside.
We always encourage our students to have your hand in as many cookie jars as you can, as
long as you can still eat those cookies and not get yourself sick.
You know, it's like obviously you got to find a point where you can't do everything.
But Morningside does such a great job of collaborating and working with the students.
(15:37):
And so with us, with Lamb Theater being on campus, that's our job, too, is we want to
make sure that we're working with the students as best as we can to.
And what other place can say that, you know, you go to school here, you do some shows,
you're leaving with collegiate theater credits and you're leaving with professional
theater credits. That is the coolest thing around.
(15:58):
I was just going to talk about the scalability is very, very impressive.
It's a great thing for Siouxland.
It's a great thing for Morningside.
It benefits all of us. So I just think it's really wonderful.
And we keep getting better at it.
You know, I think that's the best part about the the the partnership overall, is that, as
Brock said, there there were strange moments at the beginning, as there often are.
(16:21):
Right. Anytime you're doing something new and and there's one way of doing it, there's
another way of doing it. But we got to find this way of doing it.
And as we have really become comfortable with how each team works and and absolutely
meshed those two ideas, which is ultimately what we want our our students to know, too, is
(16:42):
that those things are possible.
You can have two very different ideas and make them come together in a way that's going
to benefit so many more people.
But that has been a really wonderful outcome in now year two point five of this
partnership is that now we know that it's it's here for good.
(17:04):
And and how that has impacted our ability to to collaborate on the season, to work with
Brock. Brock teaches some of our courses in in intro to theater and in some voice and
movement pieces. So we're so lucky to have a an alum, but also an alum working in
professional theater who's getting to teach our our students.
(17:27):
Here's here's some of the reality of what of what this is about.
And so, again, to your scalability piece, it it's just going to get better and better and
better. And we're so excited and thankful and and grateful for for the opportunity to
to work together.
And that was going to be my last question is, you know, forward vision in 10 years.
(17:51):
You know, where do you guys think theater at Morningside with Blam?
Like, what's your guys's vision for the future?
Oh, wow. That is a it's a big question.
I mean, ultimately, the the main one that I really just care about is just to be doing it.
You know, it's just it's we're very fortunate to just be in our demographic, to be in this
(18:14):
part of the country that, you know, theater.
Obviously, we're not New York City.
We're not Chicago, right?
Like theater is not as big or as important to the community as it is in certain areas
of this country.
And so to me, the most important part is just being able to show up every day and, you know,
(18:34):
getting to do what I love and getting to work with people that I love and getting to share
my my passion for the arts and the craft and getting to work with people.
And, you know, and as you were saying, like, it's a huge joy of mine is being an adjunct
professor here at Morningside of like, I get to kind of give back a little bit to my
own alma mater.
And it's so fun to help shape the minds of students.
(18:57):
And my favorite days of class are where we just have open conversations.
And I'm like, hey, have you considered this?
Have you thought about this topic in this way?
And they go, whoa, no, I haven't.
And I'm like, great.
I'm like, because for me, the most important part of any class that I teach and when I
work with these students is like, I just want you to justify your thoughts and opinions.
(19:19):
I want you to have your own thoughts and opinions.
And what is art?
But if not that, you know, if like, you're not always going to love every single movie,
TV show, theatrical piece, every artwork.
If you go to an art museum, you're not going to be in love with every single piece.
But can you engage with it in a way that allows you to move yourself forward in this world?
(19:43):
Whether you go, oh, I don't like this and be able to critically understand
why you don't like something.
Or can you go, wow, I really enjoyed that.
That evoked something in me.
And I want to continue to explore that in any way.
But that's to me, that is what 10 years down the line.
That's what I want is I just I want to continue to allow the art itself to just
(20:06):
touch people and be there for them and support them and whatever they need it to be.
Gosh, from an institutional perspective, we want to be able to offer all of these shows,
not only for our students, but for the larger Siouxland community.
The power behind the arts on campus at Morningside is significant, well over 100 years old.
(20:30):
We just celebrated 100 years of the Morningside Choir.
The Morningside Wind Ensemble is well over 125 years old.
Lamb is going on its 47th season this next year.
So clearly we have organizations that are rooted in the history of this place.
The Sioux City Symphony started at Morningside.
That's we are the symphony is there because of Morningside, Leo Kaczynski.
(20:58):
And so we are so intertwined with the arts on campus.
And while we love how strong our athletic presence is in the region and nationally,
we also know that we we have an equally powerful artistic presence regionally and nationally.
And so these kind of opportunities are are not a dime a dozen.
(21:21):
Right.
So our students will be getting something that they will not get in another place.
And that's, I think, the most powerful thing.
And in 10 years.
Wow.
I mean, look, where could we be?
And that's, I think, the thing that is the most exciting is really the sky is the limit.
I would love to see every single show sold out.
(21:43):
And the students who are chomping at the bit to be in productions and a community that supports
live theater in a way that that makes us very proud.
Thank you guys so much for coming on and chatting with me about theater.
I love theater.
I'm a former theater kid, so I love talking to you guys.
And yeah, that's all.
We'll see you guys in a little bit, about a week or two.
(22:06):
And thanks for tuning in.
Bye.
This is Inside M-Side, your favorite podcast for all things Morningside.
(00:04):
Here's stories from students, alumni, faculty, and more about what makes the
Morningside experience so special.
Hello, hello.
Welcome back to Inside M-Side.
I'm one of your hosts, Alison, and today we're going to be talking about all
things theater, Lamb Theater, Morningside, all of the great stuff.
(00:25):
So with me today, I'll let you guys introduce yourselves.
Heath, do you want to go first?
My name's Heath Weber.
I'm the Dean of the School of Visual and Performing Arts.
And my name is Brock Borick.
I'm the Manager of Theater Operations for Lamb Theater, as well as a proud
Morningside alum, class of 19.
Woo!
Love it.
Okay.
So we have this wonderful partnership with Lamb.
(00:45):
Can you guys both kind of walk me through what that is, what it looks like?
Heath, I'll have you start.
Absolutely.
We have been in partnership with Lamb for the last two years when they had a rather
unfortunate incident at their, their former building.
Uh, and we obviously had space and, and wanted them to be a part of what we're
doing and have now officially, um, finalized that, that partnership to make
(01:08):
it a permanent piece of Morningside's campus.
Um, what that has allowed us to do is really broaden, um, our, our
production season at Morningside.
Um, previously we were doing a two or three productions a year, and now we're
up to nine, uh, which is really outstanding and it gives our students a
(01:32):
really incredible opportunity to not only act and tech for shows, but also
really understand what a, uh, a not-for-profit, uh, professional
theater can, can offer for them.
Um, I'll, I'll let Brock talk a little bit more too about some of the, the
neat, like intergenerational things, but, um, we're so pleased to have,
(01:55):
to have Lamb on campus.
Yeah.
And we're really excited to be on campus.
It's been so fun.
Yeah.
And as you're talking about, again, this is a massive change from doing
only two or three productions a year to now doing nine or even 10, because
we're always looking and trying to find new ways to do performances and bring
very, um, performance venue type of experiences to the stage.
(02:20):
So this next year that we have coming up, we will have a closer to 11
opportunities that people can perform in on the main stage, which is very exciting.
It's a little daunting too, but, um, it's so exciting because, you know,
you talk to any institution, even vaguely in the area and beyond.
And a lot of them, their eyes glaze over.
They go, whoa, that's, that's a lot.
(02:42):
We go, yes, it is a lot, but that's also the beauty of this partnership
is not any one thing falls onto one person's shoulders.
You know, it's not just lamb.
It's not just Morningside.
Both of us.
And it's very joint.
And so we're, we're very excited because there's so much promise and
opportunity in kind of all these avenues that, you know, we get to work
(03:04):
with the students and the students get to work with us, um, we just recently
in our March production that we had, you know, we just had a student who
got to work alongside a community member.
Yeah.
And he is, he's a counselor in this very area and she wants to
go into psychology and counseling.
And so she was kind of picking his brain after a couple of rehearsals
and asking like, Hey, if I wanted to get into this field, what should I look into?
(03:26):
And so he was just kind of guiding her and talking her through some of the
things, and it was so rewarding to just kind of get to see this partnership,
really do what, what we want it to be, which is just students making these
lifelong connections and kind of getting their foot in the door before
they even step off campus.
And then our community members that they get to interact with and
collaborate with these students.
(03:48):
It's just, it's a wonderful, warm process.
Yes.
I love it.
Um, and talking about community, LAM does a lot of community engagement
with like younger school kids and just across the board does a lot, just
for the community outside of just putting on the shows, can you kind
of talk to me about some of like the programming that you guys do?
I know you guys have the LAM camps and some of that stuff.
(04:08):
Yeah, absolutely.
So we have, uh, afterschool classes that we teach, um, and those range
anywhere from kindergarten, first grade up through graduating high school students.
Um, we have classes Monday through Thursday, depending on the semester,
we may offer a Saturday class as well, but yeah, so we have various
different options, um, this kind of beginning learning acting.
(04:31):
We do a little bit of voice lessons.
We have a musical theater class.
So the kids that really enjoy singing and dancing, we, we can,
uh, incorporate all of that for them.
We have a high school acting class, but then we also do this thing.
It's kind of weird.
Now that we're here on campus, it gets a little confusing when we have our
staff meetings and we're talking about university and we go, okay, this
university or the LAM university.
(04:53):
Cause you, you know, it's, uh, kind of the baby version of LAM EWE.
Um, so we call our LAM U university and it's where we have a three week
summer camp in June and July for our students, uh, and that's
first grade through 12th grade.
And these students, they just come together and we kind of do a, again,
(05:13):
it's not necessarily like a show, like a typical show, but we perform all
of these songs and dances and we kind of put together a showcase.
Um, and so we have kind of one night, a one night performance where we just
invite all of their families to come in and it's a wonderful time.
But within those three weeks, it's a Monday through Thursday, um, 9 AM to
noon, and these students kind of attend various different classes and workshops.
(05:37):
And so, okay, we really fine tune the music here.
We learn the dance.
And so I actually, I've taught our dance, our choreography for these, uh,
workshops for these summer classes for the last couple of years.
So it's fun, really fun to have this LAM university, but again, I think
just this last week, Keith and I were in a, um, in one of our staff meetings
and we were talking about the university and I had to go, are we, oh, we're
(05:59):
talking about this coming summer's university, not the university.
Yeah, so it's all fun.
Good problem to have.
Yeah.
Great problem to have.
And it's just, it's so fun.
I know Heath has said this as well as other people.
It's so exciting to, to just see all these young students, um, on campus.
And I know that it's a great opportunity for Morningside that we have all of this
(06:20):
potential perspective students that these kids can kind of grow up from, you know,
they can come beyond our campus in third grade and, you know, so it's kind of
slowly sets into like, Hey, Morningside is a viable option.
Like you're familiar with this place.
Come be a part of our family.
Um, but it's just, it's so rewarding just to see these kids singing and
dancing and running around campus as if they have already been going here.
(06:44):
And it just warms my heart as an alum, you know, that I'm like, well, this is my home.
This is my alma mater.
And I'm like, I love that you kids feel comfortable and safe and welcomed here.
I love it.
That's the best.
I love it.
Um, can you, uh, one of the big parts of this release in this partnership is that
LAM has also committed nearly a million dollars of grant money to some of the
(07:08):
like fundraising efforts, kind of like changing up the seats.
And there's been talks of new lighting, new sound system.
That is so exciting.
Tell me more.
I, uh, I like going to see shows in Clinger Neal.
So more comfy seats.
I love all of that.
Tell me all about it.
Yeah.
Um, the, this is the hard part about this is there's only a couple of things that
(07:30):
will really be like seen by our patrons, by the audience that they get to fully
kind of touch, if you will, that they're like, Oh, Hey, like these are the updates
and the changes.
So we are getting all brand new seats in the auditorium, which is just really
exciting for, yeah, for, yeah, exactly.
For Clinger Neal.
(07:51):
And we still have the original seats from the sixties.
So we're really excited to update those.
I know we have a lot of patrons that are like, Hey, these seats are a little rough.
We're like, yeah, they are, but we're so excited to be getting some new ones.
So we're, we're so excited to be a part of that process.
Um, we're going to be getting kind of some new, um, drapery kind of along the side
walls.
(08:11):
So that's something the audiences will see.
We also are going to be getting a massive screen wall.
Um, I don't even know how, how massive to, uh, explain it's 30 feet by 20.
Yeah.
30 feet by 20 feet.
Yeah.
It's, um, all this, all these led screen wall.
And the best part is now we can deconstruct it into smaller panels if we want.
(08:34):
So we can use it out in the lobby.
We can bring it over to other buildings if we want to do things, you know, on the
spot or on the fly, you know, we're, that's part of the, the plan is to, you know,
collaborate with other, um, programs on campus of like, Hey, how can we work together?
Those people who, who have seen Christmas at Morningside and understand that giant
screen, it's the same thing.
It's actually the same company.
(08:55):
So we're really excited about, about those pieces.
And, you know, like Brock said, the, uh, what it offers that, that, that
intergenerational piece is that our audience, like Brock said, isn't going to
really know what it is that's new, but they'll go, Oh, Oh my goodness.
That's super cool.
(09:17):
And well, that's our new lighting system, or I can hear this.
The microphones are super crisp and super clean and there's no feedback.
Well, that's the new sound system.
And, you know, it, it really allows for, um, so many great new opportunities in
production that we, we currently don't get to offer, gives our students an
(09:39):
opportunity to work on cutting edge equipment, uh, which just doesn't happen.
You know, like I think one of the pieces that, that is so exciting for us as a, as
a theater institution will be that, you know, local high schools are updating,
um, their, their facilities at a pretty high rate, you know, there's new, new
(10:03):
auditoriums going up and new this and new that, but these kinds of pieces that we
are putting into the, uh, into the theater, no one has, you know, these are
absolutely professional level kind of opportunities for students, um, for.
For professionals too.
There, there isn't a, a 30 by 20 foot video wall.
(10:24):
There, there isn't a turntable there.
There isn't, you know, brand new led lights or those are pieces that we are
going to be so fortunate to get to share with our patrons also that we
get to share with our students.
Yeah.
That's going to be really exciting to just really amp up and boost our production
value.
I was just going to say, especially the value of it.
(10:46):
And like you guys talk about like, oh, you're going to see stuff and the
mics are going to be crisper.
It's like, it helps with the immersiveness of seeing a show.
And some of that, I feel like it's like almost kind of getting lost that it's
like, we need people like you guys in the world to like reinvest into the arts
and really like, you know, see the value and going and seeing a live performance,
especially, you know, where we are right now with technology.
(11:08):
I so would just mother much rather watch a live performance than scroll on my
phone.
I just see more value in that.
And I think a lot of people are getting to that point as well.
So it's very exciting stuff for Morningside, for LAM.
I love it.
Can you guys kind of tell me about, you know, coming from Morningside, you get to
LAM.
(11:29):
What did that journey look like for you?
Yeah.
So it was really exciting.
I got my job at LAM three days before I walked across the stage to get my diploma,
which was the most exhilarating and panic-induced moment, just like I need job
security.
I'm about to graduate.
And so it was just such a sigh of relief.
(11:50):
And it has been such a wonderful process because since I have graduated, we have
been in collaboration with Morningside every year since.
And so it just, you know, this collaboration didn't come out of nowhere.
We were already in conversations and, you know, we were talking about, you know, we've
(12:11):
had Taylor Clemons, you know, our acting artistic director and, you know, jack of all
trades for our theater company.
He's come over and done scenic designs, lighting designs at LAM Theater.
We've collaborated, you know, we've borrowed equipment from you guys, so on and so
forth. You guys have borrowed things from us, furniture pieces, set pieces.
So we've already been in conversations.
(12:32):
And before we made the transition to be over here long term, when our building was
kind of in its final stages, we had actually had a kind of precursor conversation with
Morningside of like, hey, is there any chance that we could come over and just be here
for a year? And we would, you know, we're thinking maybe starting off the season in
(12:54):
August or September and we'll be over here.
And that would have been 2024, I believe.
So we're like, hey, you know, so if we can start that season and then we'll just be
here for a year and then we'll be out of your hair and we'll go off.
And then push came to shove and things kind of fell into place in a beautiful,
serendipitous way that we went, hey, it's March and so we're about nine months ahead
(13:18):
of schedule. Can we move in now?
And Morningside was like, absolutely, we're here for you.
And it was you guys were just such a wonderful saving grace.
And just they opened the doors and just were like, what can we do?
How can we support you?
How can we aid this collaboration and really uplift you guys and make sure that the
theater is strong and it keeps going?
And so that was a very daunting experience of, OK, well, we're in the middle of a
(13:42):
season and we got to rush in and we got to kind of fine tune.
And so it was a lot of working with one another of Morningside has its ways of doing
things and LAM has its ways.
And so that has been kind of this weird dichotomy that we've been figuring out the
last couple of years of like, OK, where are our two identities similar and where are
they separate? And so it's just making sure that like Morningside, their productions,
(14:07):
their two to three productions they do a year, those are Morningside productions.
So those are only going to be productions for the students.
And we really try to make sure that the students are very heavily involved behind the
scenes as well as on the stage.
So we have a lot of assistant designers, a lot of programmers.
They're working as crew members, whereas LAM's productions, it is still the community
(14:30):
members. It is LAM kind of in charge of everything.
But we're making sure that there are still opportunities that the students can be
involved should they wish to.
And some students are like, no, I'm OK.
Like, I want to hang out more with my with my buddies.
And and the wonderful thing about doing nine to eleven productions is that it is
impossible for anyone to do all of them.
(14:51):
And we are just so grateful that we have this opportunity, that the students have the
chance that they can kind of pick and choose and go, well, I'm not just stuck with doing
these three productions a year.
Now I have eleven.
I have nine. I have however many productions I want to participate in.
And I can go, OK, with my schedule, I can do this and I can do that and I can still do
(15:13):
student government. I can still be an R.A.
I can be on the soccer team.
And that's I think that that's what we love so much about Morningside is, you know, I
always talk about Morningside.
We always encourage our students to have your hand in as many cookie jars as you can, as
long as you can still eat those cookies and not get yourself sick.
You know, it's like obviously you got to find a point where you can't do everything.
But Morningside does such a great job of collaborating and working with the students.
(15:37):
And so with us, with Lamb Theater being on campus, that's our job, too, is we want to
make sure that we're working with the students as best as we can to.
And what other place can say that, you know, you go to school here, you do some shows,
you're leaving with collegiate theater credits and you're leaving with professional
theater credits. That is the coolest thing around.
(15:58):
I was just going to talk about the scalability is very, very impressive.
It's a great thing for Siouxland.
It's a great thing for Morningside.
It benefits all of us. So I just think it's really wonderful.
And we keep getting better at it.
You know, I think that's the best part about the the the partnership overall, is that, as
Brock said, there there were strange moments at the beginning, as there often are.
(16:21):
Right. Anytime you're doing something new and and there's one way of doing it, there's
another way of doing it. But we got to find this way of doing it.
And as we have really become comfortable with how each team works and and absolutely
meshed those two ideas, which is ultimately what we want our our students to know, too, is
(16:42):
that those things are possible.
You can have two very different ideas and make them come together in a way that's going
to benefit so many more people.
But that has been a really wonderful outcome in now year two point five of this
partnership is that now we know that it's it's here for good.
(17:04):
And and how that has impacted our ability to to collaborate on the season, to work with
Brock. Brock teaches some of our courses in in intro to theater and in some voice and
movement pieces. So we're so lucky to have a an alum, but also an alum working in
professional theater who's getting to teach our our students.
(17:27):
Here's here's some of the reality of what of what this is about.
And so, again, to your scalability piece, it it's just going to get better and better and
better. And we're so excited and thankful and and grateful for for the opportunity to
to work together.
And that was going to be my last question is, you know, forward vision in 10 years.
(17:51):
You know, where do you guys think theater at Morningside with Blam?
Like, what's your guys's vision for the future?
Oh, wow. That is a it's a big question.
I mean, ultimately, the the main one that I really just care about is just to be doing it.
You know, it's just it's we're very fortunate to just be in our demographic, to be in this
(18:14):
part of the country that, you know, theater.
Obviously, we're not New York City.
We're not Chicago, right?
Like theater is not as big or as important to the community as it is in certain areas
of this country.
And so to me, the most important part is just being able to show up every day and, you know,
(18:34):
getting to do what I love and getting to work with people that I love and getting to share
my my passion for the arts and the craft and getting to work with people.
And, you know, and as you were saying, like, it's a huge joy of mine is being an adjunct
professor here at Morningside of like, I get to kind of give back a little bit to my
own alma mater.
And it's so fun to help shape the minds of students.
(18:57):
And my favorite days of class are where we just have open conversations.
And I'm like, hey, have you considered this?
Have you thought about this topic in this way?
And they go, whoa, no, I haven't.
And I'm like, great.
I'm like, because for me, the most important part of any class that I teach and when I
work with these students is like, I just want you to justify your thoughts and opinions.
(19:19):
I want you to have your own thoughts and opinions.
And what is art?
But if not that, you know, if like, you're not always going to love every single movie,
TV show, theatrical piece, every artwork.
If you go to an art museum, you're not going to be in love with every single piece.
But can you engage with it in a way that allows you to move yourself forward in this world?
(19:43):
Whether you go, oh, I don't like this and be able to critically understand
why you don't like something.
Or can you go, wow, I really enjoyed that.
That evoked something in me.
And I want to continue to explore that in any way.
But that's to me, that is what 10 years down the line.
That's what I want is I just I want to continue to allow the art itself to just
(20:06):
touch people and be there for them and support them and whatever they need it to be.
Gosh, from an institutional perspective, we want to be able to offer all of these shows,
not only for our students, but for the larger Siouxland community.
The power behind the arts on campus at Morningside is significant, well over 100 years old.
(20:30):
We just celebrated 100 years of the Morningside Choir.
The Morningside Wind Ensemble is well over 125 years old.
Lamb is going on its 47th season this next year.
So clearly we have organizations that are rooted in the history of this place.
The Sioux City Symphony started at Morningside.
That's we are the symphony is there because of Morningside, Leo Kaczynski.
(20:58):
And so we are so intertwined with the arts on campus.
And while we love how strong our athletic presence is in the region and nationally,
we also know that we we have an equally powerful artistic presence regionally and nationally.
And so these kind of opportunities are are not a dime a dozen.
(21:21):
Right.
So our students will be getting something that they will not get in another place.
And that's, I think, the most powerful thing.
And in 10 years.
Wow.
I mean, look, where could we be?
And that's, I think, the thing that is the most exciting is really the sky is the limit.
I would love to see every single show sold out.
(21:43):
And the students who are chomping at the bit to be in productions and a community that supports
live theater in a way that that makes us very proud.
Thank you guys so much for coming on and chatting with me about theater.
I love theater.
I'm a former theater kid, so I love talking to you guys.
And yeah, that's all.
We'll see you guys in a little bit, about a week or two.
(22:06):
And thanks for tuning in.
Bye.
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