VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: MARK SPIELBAUER
If you’ve spent any time volunteering with QCT over the last 40+ years, chances are you’ve had the pleasure of working alongside our longtime volunteer and former Technical Director, Mark Spielbauer. Mark graciously shares a bit about his long-standing history with QCT and how his time here has given him much more than what you see on the stage.
When did you first become involved with QCT?
I became interested in theatre in the 9th grade. My brother was in a few shows in high school and at the community theatre. Back then, it was Quincy Community Little Theater, located at 13th and Payson. So, I took some courses in stagecraft in high school and worked on the sets and lighting for the school shows. In the fall of 1977, I was hired by QCLT Artistic Director, Tom Mikotowicz, to be the Technical Director at QCLT. I worked for about two years as the Tech Director before going back to college to get my degree in computer science. Shortly after, I landed a job in Springfield, IL working as a programmer for an insurance company, so there wasn’t a lot of time to work in the theatre.
Fortunately, I came back to QCLT to work on PIPPIN in the summer of 1980 which is where I met my wonderful wife, Cheryl Kaiser-Spielbauer (she was choreographing the show). I then began putting my stagecraft skills back to work helping her with recitals and her biannual productions of THE NUTCRACKER. Since retiring a couple of years ago, I’ve moved back to Quincy and have been volunteering, mostly for set construction, when I can.
Have you ever performed on stage?
I have only been on stage for a couple of plays when they were desperate to fill a role. The first was in high school, and the second was in the play THREE BLIND MICE at QCLT –I played a cop and had one line. I prefer to spend my time backstage.